Aria, by Richard Rodriguez

FNED 346

Dr. Bogad

Aria, by Richard Rodriguez

In his article, “Aria”, Rodriguez begins his story by making a distinction between speaking Spanish, the private language of his family at home, and learning formal English in school, the public language of the United States.  Rodriguez compares his experience of learning English as a child with a loss of intimacy within his family life.  In his particular case the catholic educational system denied him his culture, evidenced by the nuns' visiting his parents to request that they speak english to their children.  A well meaning however insensitive intervention by the catholic church to address what they believed to be a potential student at risk situation.

For such a young child, Rodriguez had an astute awareness that it was his right and in his best interest to learn english.  It was the public language, the primary means in which to communicate with the world.  It was true.  To be denied this right was to be denied the respect and opportunities that afforded those who speak english.  This is apart from the effect of race and economic status on privilege.  In Delpit’s words, for Rodriguez, english was the literacy of power, the “culture of power.” (Delpit, "Other People's Children", 2001)   But for Rodriguez, even though he chose to learn English, it was at the painful cost of lost intimacy at home.  The nuns behavior was a far cry from the compassionate approach to learning that native Alaskan teacher Martha Demientieff took helping her students appreciate the value of embracing both their “heritage language” and “Formal English”. (Delpit, 2001, p.41)

Rodriguez recalls a pivotal moment at 7 years old, when he stood up in his class and proudly answered a question correctly in english.  A turning point by his admission, english became his primary language.  

When I was 7 years old my family took a sabbatical in Holland for a year.  My 2 sisters and I were enrolled in Dutch schools and within a month my whole family was fairly comfortable speaking Dutch, adequately, with each other, in school and in public.  However as both of my parents spoke German as a first language and english as a second language, adding another language seemed commonplace.  My sisters and I were already used to hearing two languages.  We understood enough German from listening to my parents as they frequently drifted back and forth between the two.  But by no means am I implying that my situation was in any way similar to what Rodriguez recalls except to say we were both young, impressionable and 7 years old.  And in contrast to his memories, I have never felt that my personal heritage was ever at risk based on how we were required to communicate with the outside world.  On the contrary as a first generation American with very mixed cultural roots, I had a difficult time empathizing with this story.  It felt as if there was something deeper going on, and learning the English language wasn’t fully to blame.  I do not claim to understand what that deeper issue is.  And although I am white, social and economic privilege in my family was earned by my parents.  After all they were German born and had immigrated to America in the early 50's with both jewish and christian roots.  My mother came from Germany, my father traveled from South America.

In “Other People’s Children” Delpit believes that learning to speak English in America is analogous to learning the rules of a culture of power.  But it doesn't need to be an indictment of a person’s personal heritage.  On the contrary it means one can learn the rules of the inherently privileged and how to utilize those rules to open doors to future career and economic opportunities for oneself.  Rodriguez’s recollection was the opposite.  He described a decreased connection with his family and their culture as his proficiency with the English language improved.  In exchange for opportunity, he felt denied of his heritage.

Although my parents were bilingual, english was and is my first language, and I watched my parents earn privilege through hard work and great sacrifice on our behalf.  My father was in higher education, my mother, also well educated, had to guide her family, her children through the ways of America.  Learning for the greater good was front and center in my home and community.  Our house was also brimming with the universal languages of music and art.  I never experienced the type of personal loss Rodriguez speaks of.  

Attached is a link to Wikipedia for Richard Rodriguez.  Not surprisingly, he has received many literary accolades including a Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction writing.  He is outspoken and well versed in the topics of bilingual education and affirmative action.

ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Rodriguez

And this is a painting from my Paternal Grandmother, a piece of my culture.  

AND, I had to add this.  It's is a link to Jon Stewart's Feb 14, 2014 interview of NYC Mayor Bill De Blasio.  The mayor talks about policy initiatives to end the stop and frisk tactics that targeted young black males, and his initiative to make Pre-K accessible to all city children. . . . this is truly amazing.  Good things are happening. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2hvrUiJxk0