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“Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood” is author Richard Rodriquez’s story of his childhood growing up speaking two languages. Rodriquez, a Mexican-American who grew up in the 1960, writes this piece to call attention to the struggle of a child having to attend school in a language they haven’t spoken. In general, it appears as this essay is directed towards foreigners or immigrants, who may also feel uncomfortable in their new homes or countries. At the beginning of the story, it is clear the author is content with speaking a different language, although he feels slightly nostalgic about the past and the way everything used to be. As the story goes on, the author clearly begins to feel guilty about becoming Americanized and losing his culture and old ways. The writer provides imagery when he describes scenes at home before the family began regularly speaking English, when it was full of relatives, and afterwards when it was full of neighborhood children and families. Dialogue written also conveys an image: “And in a way it didn’t matter very much that my parents could not speak English…..And yet in another way….” there is a clear and present antithesis that draws the reader in. Rodriquez also adds hyperbole and personification in the essay with lines like “a blaring white memory” and “An accident of geography.” Lots of alliteration and onomatopoeia is also present in lines such as “tall trees”, “chirping chatter” and “dazed, different, and afraid.” Metaphors that create a memorable of imagery can also be found in the selection, such as “sounds as confused as the threads of blue and green oil in the puddle next to my shoes.” Overall, the author establishes pathos with his emotional descriptions of his experiences, and ethos with his credibility as living through these same experiences However, not only is Rodriquez writing a memoir, he is writing an argument. At the beginning, he presents the idea that many bilinguals believe a student should be able to use their own language in school, but politely refutes with his experiences the memoir. At the end, he circles back to the argument by saying how it is unfair to suggest to students that they don’t need to assimilate, as it may only cause social and economic problems later on.
I personally believe the essay was incredibly well written. Through Rodriquez’s various rhetorical devices and his powerful anecdotes and reflections, he clearly proves his point on how difficult it is for bilingual children to adjust. He also very effectively argues the point that bilingual children need to be able to assimilate using his experiences in school prior to learning English through his own personal experience. I thought this was a very different type of essay but definitely enjoyed the variety. In my personal experience, I haven’t had to assimilate but I have seen in school how hard it is for students who don’t speak English to catch up with their class and be successful. I wouldn’t mind reading more excerpts from this author and doing more research on bilingualism in American schools.
Richard, Rodriguez. "Hunger of Memory." The American Scholar- "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood" 1981. Print.
The video below better explains bilingual language practices
I personally believe the essay was incredibly well written. Through Rodriquez’s various rhetorical devices and his powerful anecdotes and reflections, he clearly proves his point on how difficult it is for bilingual children to adjust. He also very effectively argues the point that bilingual children need to be able to assimilate using his experiences in school prior to learning English through his own personal experience. I thought this was a very different type of essay but definitely enjoyed the variety. In my personal experience, I haven’t had to assimilate but I have seen in school how hard it is for students who don’t speak English to catch up with their class and be successful. I wouldn’t mind reading more excerpts from this author and doing more research on bilingualism in American schools.
Richard, Rodriguez. "Hunger of Memory." The American Scholar- "Aria: A Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood" 1981. Print.
The video below better explains bilingual language practices