Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Acrophobia
Acrophobia
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: Acrophobia
Publication Information
Rodriguez, Richard. “The Achievement of Desire” Rereading America: Cultural Context for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, Bonnie Lisle. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2004. 214-227.
Brief Summary In “The Achievement of Desire”, author Richard Rodriguez, recounts his difficulties in balancing life in the academic world and the life of a working-class family. As a child, Rodriguez was the exception to the stereotypical student coming from a working-class family. He was always top of his class, and rather than spending his time out with friends or with his family he spent his time with books and notes. Initially, this approach makes Rodriguez stand out as an exceptional student, but as time goes
…show more content…
The power of education turned a child into one with two lives, one being his academic and the other was his working-class family. Rodriguez discussed the thoughts of Richard Hoggart saying, “The scholarship boy must move between environments, his home and the classroom, which are at cultural extremes, opposed.” Rodriguez’s academic success distanced him from the life he had with his family. As he grew older and became smarter than his parents, and he distanced himself from them as they were an embarrassment and a distraction to his new life of academic acceleration. He didn’t hang out with friends or spend time with family. His new life with an overpowering education became one that changed his mindset. He “wanted a more passionate life” and to be “less alone.” His education brought him into a world of isolation because he thought that was the only way to succeed and become as smart as his teachers. At times, I feel the same way as Rodriguez, I turn down a lot of fun nights and times with my family because I assume I cannot afford to push back my school work. My education is my number one priority and something that gets in the way of my personal life, even if it isn’t worth
Richard Rodriguez' narrative, “Aria: Memoir of a Bilingual Childhood” and Carmen Tafolla's poem, “In Memory of Richi” have similar themes. In Rodriguez' narrative, he talks about his experience attending an American school. Similarly, Tafolla recites a story about a boy in an American school setting. Each story implies that students of another culture are subject to lose their cultural ties in order to fit in with the American society.
... educated so he decided to bury himself into his studies and leave his family life as an afterthought. Rodríguezes parents were always supportive of him and his academic success but he did not embrace them as he should have. Next, Rodriguez rightly points out that at his graduation ceremonies throughout life his parents would attend and someone would always say that “your parents must be proud.” and those words always registered with him. Rodriguez’s influences were his teachers during his school years. Rodriguez wanted to obtain the same knowledge that his teachers possessed so he would be able to concentrate on the benefits his education could bring him. Later he realized that he alienated himself from his parents. Rodriguez indicates the time he was in the closet reading a book and his Mother finding him was something he looked back on as one of his regrets.
Jefferson, Thomas. “From Notes on the State of Virginia.” Rereading America: Cultural Contexts for Critical Thinking and Writing. Ed. Gary Colombo, Robert Cullen, Bonnie Lisle. 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2010. 378-383.
In the essay “Achievement of Desire”, author Richard Rodriguez, describes the story of our common experience such as growing up, leaving home, receiving an education, and joining the world. As a child, Rodriguez lived the life of an average teenager raised in the stereotypical student coming from a working class family. With the exception, Rodriguez was always top of his class, and he always spent time reading books or studying rather than spending time with his family or friends. This approach makes Rodriguez stand out as an exceptional student, but with time he becomes an outsider at home and in school. Rodriguez describes himself as a “scholarship boy” meaning that because of the scholarships and grants that he was receiving to attend school; there was much more of an expectation for him to acquire the best grades and the highest scores. Rodriguez suggests that the common college student struggles the way he did because when a student begins college, they forget “the life [they] enjoyed
In closing, Francisco faced many hardships throughout his life. He had to adapt to his life here in the United States, deal with being a male in his family, as well as face discrimination. Through all the hard times, family and getting a good education were always his top priorities. With the help of his teachers and counselors, he was able to succeed in school, unlike the majority of the students. Francisco is a true hero in the eyes of many Hispanic immigrants who come to the United States and strive to be the best they can be.
Tindall, G.B. & Shi, D.E. (2010). America a narrative history 8th edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton & Company, Inc. p.205-212.
(Rodriguez 18). All of this starts when he begins reading books about his culture and important figures like, Pedro Albizu Campos, this makes his culture feeling increased, not wanting to follow the American standards. He is also discriminated against by his teachers and others at school due to his feelings of not participating in the national anthem “Some smart-ass”. I stuck him in the corner. Thinks he can pull that shit.
Kinsella, Kate , Colleen Stump, Joyce Carrol, Kevin Feldman, and Edward Wilson. The American Experience. California ed. Monrovia, California: Prentice Hall, 2002. print.
Raquel and Melanie are two poverty stricken students that attended University Height’s High School in the South Bronx, because their school was not federal funded, it lacked resources; so it does not come as a surprise, perspective students like Melanie and Raquel have more of a ...
Education is a topic that can be explored in many ways. Education is looked at in depth by both Richard Rodriguez in his essay, “The Achievement of Desire”, and by Paulo Freire in his essay, “The ‘Banking’ Concept of Education.” After reading both essays, one can make some assumptions about different methods of education and exactly by which method Rodriguez was taught. The types of relationships Rodriguez had with his teachers, family and in life were affected by specific styles of education.
Stephanie Coontz’s, David Brook’s, and Margaret Atwood all discuss American cultural myths in their respective essays “The Way We Wish We Were,” “One Nation, Slightly Divisible,” and “A Letter to America.” All three authors elaborate on specific cultural myths, whether it is about an ideal family, an ideal lifestyle, or an ideal country as a whole. As a result of analyzing the three texts, it is clear that the authors critique Americas image in their own was. As well as elaborate on why the realistic view of the United States is being squelched by major cultural myths.
Richard Rodriguez states himself he was an “imitative and unoriginal pupil” (Rodriguez 516). He takes what he reads and goes along with it; there is no analysis or individual thought. Unlike his brother or his sister, he feels the need to prove himself. Richard Rodriguez displays a strong yearning to be different. To be special and have esteem like the teachers and professors he venerates.
“American Crisis.” The American Tradition in Literature, 12th ed. New York: McGraw Hill 2009. Print
Evensvold, Marty D. "The American Dream: Stories from the Heart of Our Nation." Library Journal Dec. 2001: 200. General OneFile. Web. 20 Apr. 2014.
"Keep Within Compass." Creating America: Reading and Writing Arguments. Eds. Joyce Moser and Ann Watters. 3rd ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, 2002. (219-220).