Summary Of Childhood By Richard Rodriguez

Rodriguez tells a story of his childhood, which appeals to those families in today’s world that struggle
to adhere to the needs and wants of a society they aren’t accustomed to, and the difference between
the language one uses at home versus the language in public. When he was a child, his parents were still
learning the English language for themselves. So when he starts school, he is not yet knowledgeable in
the language, and struggles a bit in class. Richard was a shy and timid child, “Richard, stand up. Don’t
look at the floor. Speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just to me!” (Rodriguez 6). The nuns pushed
him to come out of his shell, but he was so affected by sounds that their insistence caused him to bury
himself further in the comforting

sounds of Spanish at home. It was this problem that caused the nuns
to come out Richards home, “is it possible for you and your husband to encourage your children to
practice their English when they are home? …. In an instant, they agreed to give up the language (the
sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family’s closeness.” (Rodriguez 7). When he says
“closeness”, Rodriguez refers to the thread of Spanish that is what makes his family so unique and in
tune to each other. Some families have activities these days, like family game nights, but for Richard, it
was the language of his heritage that brought his family into the close knit relationship they had.
To describe this childhood of his, Rodriguez uses narration quite a bit, creating an image for the
reader. “For a second or two, I’d stay, linger there, listening. Smiling, I’d hear my mother call out, saying
in Spanish (words): “is that you, Richard?” All the while her sounds would assure me: You are home now;
come closer; inside. With us.” (Rodriguez 5), showing us that during his days at school, the harsh
language of English was constantly filling his ears, and he felt, almost attacked. But as soon as he

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stepped up to the door of his family, and heard the soft Spanish tones the associated with home, and a
sense of belonging, he was comfortable. When the language of school, and public became the language
of his home, his life changed. It took away the closeness the family had, the intimacy. Which is what
Rodriguez is trying to convey, throughout most of his essay.

English, can be one of the hardest languages to learn if one already speaks another.

In
Rodriguez’s situation, his family had moved into the United States, and spoke Spanish, which is
what he grew up with. He first learned his “home” language, and began, as a small child, to
associate Spanish with the feeling of home, belonging, and comfort. To take that language away
is to rob families of the intimacy and relationships they have with each other. In order to tell the
story of the change in his younger life, Rodriguez shares stories of school and home, wielding
narration to capture readers. In addition, a simple cause and effect mode is used, to describe his
actions ultimately leading to the elimination of Spanish in his household. With tools such as
these, the essay grips readers and tunes them into the drastic changes from Rodriguez’s
childhood.
To describe this childhood of his, Rodriguez uses narration, creating an image for the reader.
“For a second or two, I’d stay, linger there, listening. Smiling, I’d hear my mother call out,
saying in Spanish (words): “is that you, Richard?” All the while her sounds would assure me:
You are home now; come closer; inside. With us.” (Rodriguez 5), showing that during his days

at
school, the harsh language of English was constantly filling his ears, and he felt, almost attacked.
But as soon as he

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stepped up to the door of his family, and heard the soft Spanish tones the associated with home,
and a sense of belonging, he was comfortable. Richard was pushed headfirst into English when
he entered school, and he was not ready. He reluctantly spoke to the class and the nuns,
“Richard, stand up! Don’t look at the floor. Speak up. Speak to the entire class, not just to me!”.
(Rodriguez 6). He refused to cooperate, as he was barraged by the language and sounds of
English, and the stark difference between it and Spanish. This continued until it caused the nuns
came to his home, and asked his parents to use English at home instead. A simple cause and
effect relationship conveys Richards actions and the effect it had on his personal life with family.
When the language of school, and public became the language of his home, his life changed
drastically. It took away that closeness they had shared, and the intimate relationships he had
with his family members.