Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Aria by Richard Rodriguez: Quotes

In Aria, Rodriguez argues the importance of becoming assimilated into a society, even when it changes one's significant element of own identity. After acquiring the school language, Rodriguez describes the change in his family as "...the special feeling of closeness at home was diminished by then...No longer so close; no longer bound tight..." (p.36). The reality Rodriguez describes here shows that the language we learn from our family is part of early socialization and an important element of our identity. Now that little Richard has been deprived of his mother language, his not exactly the same Richard anymore. Also the fact that his parents themselves stopped speaking in the presence of their children means that the parents are not real themselves either. Inevitably, the distance between Richard and his parents becomes greater.

Further Rodriguez illustrates an awkward situation at home as "She (the mother)'d join conversations she overheard, but her intrusions often stopped her children's talking" (p. 37). It's not that the children do not want to talk to the mother, but it is true that her limited English and limited understanding of American culture spoils the moment.

Rodriguez also presents an example of translation issues. He explains that there are no English words that can substitute the Spanish words that he used to use -- mama and papa. Rodriguez states that "Mother and Father, Ma, Papa, Pa, Dad, Pop (how I hate the all-American sound of that last word especially) -- all these terms I felt were unsuitable, not really terms of address for my parents" (p.37). The word, "my", in the last sentence is important here because what he is saying is that the American sounds like Ma and Dad never represents HIS parents; his parents can be described by only the Spanish words he used to use --mama and papa.

Despite the changes in the relationship between himself and his parents, Rodriguez opposes bilingual educators who believe that "children lose a degree of individuality by becoming assimilated into public society" and thus "simplistically scorn the value and necessity of assimilation" (p.38). He believes that pa person can be individualized even while becoming assimilated into society and he asserts the necessity of achieving of "public individuality" (p.39).

1 comment:

  1. Response to the following quote:
    "She (the mother)'d join conversations she overheard, but her intrusions often stopped her children's talking" (p. 37).

    I was heartbroken when I read this section of Rodriguez's article. I was struck by how the language barrier had stripped the parents of their dignity, confidence, and power as parents. The father chose to be silenced which remind me of the people described at the beginning of Delpit's article who chose to be not speak because their voices weren't being valued.

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