This week in FNED 246, we read “Aria” by Richard Rodriguez. Aria focused on Richard Rodriguez’s experiences with his native language , Spanish, and the language people from the Church urged him to learn and speak in his own home, English.
This article shed light on “public language” and “private language”. In this case, Richard’s “private” language was Spanish and when he was in the church , he was told to practice his public language, english. Spanish was a way of speaking with emotion to his family and when he tried translating words of affection and meaning to his family in English he couldn’t find the words which felt like a barrier between himself and his family. Rodriguez faced this conflict, "I lost my private individuality with the adopting of English, but there is more: the larger public individuality."(Rodriguez).
Rodriguez argues that learning English was essential for his success, but he does not romanticize the process. Instead, he portrays it as a painful but necessary sacrifice. He acknowledges the benefits of mastering the public language—greater opportunities, confidence in school, and integration into American society. However, he also highlights the emotional and cultural loss that came with abandoning Spanish as his primary language.
To conclude, this ready was very eye opening and I hav empathy for Richard Rodriguez as well as any other family that faced this struggle in society whether it is working towards their success in the classroom, or for their own benefit.
Hi Angie! You did a great job showing the complexity of his experience (how language can be both a bridge and a barrier.) I also liked your reflection at the end; it shows empathy and a deeper understanding of how language and identity are intertwined for many immigrant families. It might be interesting to explore how this tension still plays out today in classrooms or even in your own experiences. Good job!
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