The Myth Of The Latin Women By Judith Ortiz Cofer

As people age they will often still recall a good childhood story. A well told, meaningful story can go a long way when attempting to argue a point or convey information. In the essays, ''The Myth of The Latin Women: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria" by Judith Ortiz Cofer, "Gains and Losses" by Richard Rodriquez, and "Piecing It All Together" by bell hooks, the authors connect to the reader and create a better audience through their writing. Through the portrayal of a story the authors help the reader understand their point of view, they transfer information to the reader with better ease, and keep the reader engaged the authors argue a point or convey information more efficiently.
Initially, understanding an individual's point of view is essential to a discussion or argument. In the essay, ''The Myth of The Latin Women: I Just Met a Girl Named Maria" Cofer attempts to illustrate the effect stereotypes have in a Latina's life. Throughout the piece, she writes of her personal experience and how the positive side of being Latina is being downgraded by stereotypes, she writes, "We cannot change this by legislating the way people look at us. The Transformation, as I see it, has to occur at a much

more individual level. My personal goal in my public life is to try to replace the old persuasive stereotypes and myths about Latinas with a much interesting set of realities"(Cofer 42). After presenting her story and her point of view she introduces her solution in hopes it becomes the readers as well. She then continues to provide perspectives she writes, "I once wrote a poem in which I called us Latina's 'God's Brown daughters.' This poem is really a prayer of sorts, offered upward, but also, though the human-to-human of art, outward" (Cofer 42). Throughout her narrative she has captured the reader's attention through personal experience and real-life examples. She has provided the audience with a point of view that enhances her writing and potentially diminishes any excuse to think other than her argument.
On the other hand, authors use narratives to transfer basic yet important information to the reader with better ease. The audience's knowledge is key to the author. In the literacy narrative "Gains and Losses", Richard Rodriquez writes an argument against bilingual education programs in which it is all based off of personal experience. Through his narrative he provides the reader with information on bilingual education, he writes, " At school, words were directed to a general audience of listeners. ('boys and girls'.) Words were meaningfully ordered. And the point was not self-expression alone but to make oneself understood by many others" (Rodriquez 236). Rodriquez uses his story to provide information and insight in which it also supports his argument.
Last but not least, keeping the reader engaged is crucial to an author.

The author cannot ague a point or convey information without a fully engaged or entirely interested reader. In the essay, "Piecing It All Together" bell hooks keeps readers engaged through the childhood stories she utilizes to emphasizes the importance of culture. Bell hooks introduces the idea of childhood stories into her writing and says, "We tell stories about the ways we maintain a sense of worth and dignity in tolerable situations. I first heard such stories listening to Baba talk about living in slavery and beyond" (hooks 344). She strategically introduces childhood stories triggering the audience to engage. Once the reader is engaged she can effectively make her point by providing

information.
Many may say that stories are a part of how people lives and influence the way those lives are lived. A narrative can be an effective way for an author to connect to the reader. A connection between an author's work and the reader is key to a well written piece. Narratives create a better audience. Writers often argue a point or convey information though the portrayal of a story, a narrative.