Aria

Aria by Richard Rodriguez


Quotes--

"After English became my primary language, I no longer knew what words to use in addressing my parents.”
I thought this quote was very interesting. I thought it was sad how he didn’t know what to call his parents.The question is now asked Does he keep his background strong, or does he change now that he knows english. Throughout the article you could see the space between the family kept growing as the children got better and better at English. I think this is the start of the family being distance from each other and is one of the problems that needs to be fixed. I don’t think a language barrier should have kept them from being close it is sad and I was hoping they could work their way through it. I believe that it was important that the children learned english for their own good, and that is should not have caused a problem with his parents.




"they don't seem to realize that there are two ways a person is individualized. So they do not realize that while one suffers a diminished sense of private individuality by becoming assimilated into public society, such assimilation makes possible the achievement of public individuality." 

I think that this argument can help other cultures out because by helping each other with getting to know a language or just a person in general their private language the public can learn and blend into the public for others to know as well. Having a different background makes people unique, and although they may need to change there first langue to adapt to the culture of power they should not have to. 


“Without question, it would have pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom. I would have felt much less afraid. I would have trusted them and responded with ease.“
Even though this is a great thought it is not realistic for a classroom of children. I think that it is a great idea, but finding teachers for every classroom that are bilingual themselves would be a challenge. Rodriguez points out in the next couple of sentences that he would have just put off learning English. If he put off learning English he would have got behind and may be even lost like his father was later in the article. Since today a majority of students, especially in urban settings speak more then one language it would be helpful for the teachers to be able to speak at least a few phrases in spanish. Especially with younger children i feel that it would be very helpful for the students, and it would make them feel more like home if someone else could speak the langue they are more dominant at.

I really liked this article and found it very interesting. From going to my service learning project you see many students of different backgrounds and it makes me wonder if english is their first langue, or if they speek something different at home.