Analysis Of Hunger Of Memory By Richard Rodriguez

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In his autobiography, “Hunger of Memory”, Richard Rodriguez works on the theory that there are public and private languages. As he goes through his life story, we get to see how he chooses between them and how he decided to let go of his original language and culture. With “Hunger of Memory”, Richard Rodriguez tries to explain and justify the way he disdained speaking Spanish as a child. In his memoir, Rodriguez lays out the argument that assimilating into mainstream American culture, giving up his Spanish language and his Mexican culture, allowed him to become successful in life. Rodriguez talks about how language (Spanish in this case) is related to culture. He seems to have made a conscious decision to do away with both language and culture, trading them for an American identity that he values more than his native heritage. …show more content…

He writes, “My parents would say something to me and I would feel embraced by the sounds of their words. Those sounds said: I am speaking with ease in Spanish. I am addressing you in words I never use with los gringos. I recognize you as someone special, close, like no one outside. You belong with us. In the family.” (Rodriguez 16). As he begins his schooling in the United States, he comes to the conclusion that his Hispanic/Mexican identity (as well as his native Spanish language) are obstacles to his academic success. He states, “If, because of my schooling, I had grown culturally separated from my parents, my education finally had given me ways of speaking and caring about that fact.” (Rodriguez

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