Summary Of The Achievement Of Desire By Richard Rodriguez

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The story that Richard Rodriguez weaves in his essay “The Achievement of Desire” is one that almost every dedicated academic student can relate to. In this essay Rodriguez brings forth the ideas of idolizing teachers, being embarrassed by parents, and how academic students are not always thinking on a higher level, but instead collecting ideas of other people and building off of them. He relates all of these ideas to his experience with education from primary school until well beyond graduate school.
I feel as though I was able to connect with Rodriquez on a deeper level when he admitted that he “came to idolize… grammar school teachers” and would stay “after school “to help”—to get my teacher’s undivided attention” (341-342). I can relate with this state because I have always connected better with my instructors than I did with my peer. I was constantly seeking their approval while aspiring to be exactly like them when I was older. Like Rodriquez, I would stay after school “to help”, which …show more content…

Rodriquez states that “I heard my father speaking to my teacher and felt ashamed” (343). While Rodriquez is ashamed of his parents due to their poor education and limited English skills, I feel the same way when my parents speak with my instructors due to their old age. Because my parents are older than average for students my age, it has been many years since they have attended classes which creates quite a generation gap. They become easily confused when conversing with instructors of complicated courses which embarrasses me. While I believe this is common for all students, Rodriquez makes a valid point when he states, “For their children my parents wanted chances they never had—an easier way” (344). In other words, parents want a better life for their children than the life they had. My parents remind me of this fact quite

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