Talking Points #2

QUOTES:

Aria by Richard Rodriguez

• "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."

This quote can be related to Delpit. Rodriguez felt powerless out of his element. He was forced into another culture, without knowing the ways to power behind it. It was hard for him to transfer from speaking his native language to being forced to forget it entirely. He was forced to forget it; talking in Spanish at home soon became almost forbidden in order to speed along his learning process.

• "The belief, the calming assurance that I belonged in public, had at last taken hold."

Once Rodriguez finally learned the secret to power in his new culture, he felt the power surge (another relation to Delpit). It was reassuring to know that he could finally understand what everyone wanted, what everyone was saying to him, and for him to get his ideas across. He was no longer shy in class, he was able to speak comfortably and grew confident in his new-found ability.

• "Matching the silence I started hearing in public was a new quiet at home."

Going with the first quote, once he acquired his new power, his family life grew quieter. Again, he was pretty much forced to forget his native language. He was afraid to speak Spanish to his parents, even refrained from calling them mamá and papá because it brought back painful memories. His parents no longer understood him or his siblings. There was now a language barrier in his own home! I can't even imagine how upsetting that must be.

I want to discuss how having a language barrier in your own home must be, because I can't even begin to imagine.