Talking Point 2

Richard Rodriguez- Aria
Concepts, Theme-
Bilingualism
Silence
Language
Family
Identity
Classroom
Teacher
Accents
Closeness
Confidence
Distance
Public voice
Boundaries
Recognition

Rodriguez’s Argument-
Rodriguez argues that there are two ways a person is individualized and promotes the idea that through a lack on one will prosper another. The challenging but necessary process of learning a mainstream language, lack of private individuality and or decrease in family closeness may occur while beneficially becoming apart of public society where an achievement of public individuality is created.
Evidence-
1-“ In an instant, they agreed to give up the language (the sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family’s closeness.”(36) When transition in home life language occur, connection and bonds are lost in the translating of new sounds, which creates an unfamiliar and unwelcoming atmosphere. This can many times produce a decrease in private individuality.
2- “ In Spanish, he expressed ideas and feelings he rarely revealed in English. With firm Spanish sounds, he conveyed confidence and authority English would never allow him.”(38) When a new language is learnt it may create new vocabulary for the individual to access, contrarily causing that of emotion and passion to be lost in the translation. With out strong feeling behind the words that we speak, the meaning is taken away creating low individual impact.
3-“ For I was increasingly confident of my own public identity.”(37) When personal individuality is taken away in response to an identity shift in communication barriers, public individuality is many times created it its place. The achievement of finally being recognized and clearly understood is so great when you realize how much stronger and powerful of an individual you are.

Questions/Comments-
I feel that this article created an personal and in depth look into the goods and bad of having to learn and eventually deal with the results of a many times unpleasant experience.
The story-based article was a smooth read as it told a luring tale which also provided evidence of bilingual struggles.
I believe that Rodriquez’s writing is similar to that of Kozal, in the sense that each contains tales to capture the audience’s attention while providing strong facts and information throughout.
I never realized how strongly learning another language could break up and decrease the connections once felt from those same individuals..