Aria
Richard Rodriguez
Authors Argument:
Rodriguez argues that ones self identity can often be altered in the face of adversity. he also argues that ones personally family and traditional lifestyle can be completely changed when one is trying to become a member of the society of power. Rodriguez stresses that a person should keep their individuality no matter how they have to change their lives.
Quotes:
1."In an instant, they agreed to give up the language (the sounds) that had revealed and accentuated our family's closeness."
I picked this quotes because it made me feel sorry. Not just for Rodriguez, but for all people who speak different languages and have to change their tradition to be accepted into the society of power. it's not fair for people to have to change, but it is a reality. It's very diffrent being in the white majority of people, I will never have to change anything in my life to fit in nor will I ever knwo what it is like to give up tradition just to fit in.
2."That day, I moved very far from the disadvantaged child I had been only days earlier. The belief, the calming assurance that I belonged in public, had at last taken hold."
I know Rodriguez is expressing joy in the quote but I looked at the underlying tone of it and thought of how horrible he must have felt prior to that day. Not being able to speak, or hold a conversation, or express his own thoughts just because he wasn't speaking English. Not only does this sadden me it makes me angry at this power that white people seem to have. I guess the questions could go on and on, but I never seem to get an answer that quite fits my question.
3."But the special feeling of closeness at home was diminished by then. Gone was the desperate, urgent, intense feeling of being home; rare was the experience feeling myself individualized by family intimates. We remained a loving family, but one greatly changed. No longer so close; no longer bound tight by the pleasing and troubling knowledge of our public separateness."
It seems to me that there is a sense of new hope here, but no such great happiness. Rodriguez expresses how much tradition and family mean to him, and by loosing all of it he feels as if he has lost his family in a way. Now they are excepted into "public" because they all can speak English but they have lost the bonds their family shared because they were not excepted.
Questions/Comments:
I really enjoyed reading this, I got a firm sense of what it is like to give up what you think is right to become soemthing you never knew you had to be. Rodriguez shows diffrent sides to this whole situation. He shows what it is not to be able to talk in public because it is not a public language, he shows what it is like to be excited to be able to speak in public finally, and also he expresses what it feels like to loose ones personal identity. I really felt that his family enjoyed changing their language to English by the end but it all went wrong, they felt cast out again. By the end of the story all I coudl think about was, they shouldn't of changed to begin with.
Monday, September 29, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Talking Point #1 Goldberg
110 People Who Are Screwing Up America
Bernard Goldberg
Authors Argument:
Goldberg states that Kozol has too much of a liberal attitude towards the education system. Goldberg argues that Kozols attitude in the education system is highly used and that people don't only use the liberal system but the children leaving these education systems are being turned out with blinders on, and that liberal is the way to be.
Quotes:
1."They got there for lowering the level of civil discourse in this country -- or for their shameless willingness to destroy decent people."
I really enjoyed this quote because it shows how angry Goldberg is about the situation in which peoples morals are being subjected to change, and I really agree with him on that.
2."Once, it was understood by almost everyone that there is no free lunch and that you got yours, as the old commercial had it, "the old-fashioned way" -- you earned it!"
I'm not so sure that I agree fully on this, but in a way I agree. I'm not at the age yet that it truely is hurting my income paying for other people, but I know what it is like to have to work for my money and I think everyone needs to take the initiative to work.
Questions/Comments to share:
This article really did interest me. I thought it was quite entertaining about all the people we see in the media no a days get ripped to pieces. We all see them on TV and think that maybe what they have to say is worthe listening to but will reading Goldberg I began to think, wow maybe they don't really make sense. I was bored by the end because facts don't interst me as much as much as peoples views.
Amazing Grace
The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation
Jonathan Kozol
Authors Argument:
Kozol argues that peoples lives get ripped away from them when tragedy strikes, and illness or misfortunate event happens. He believes that no matter why a person is in the situation they are in they deserve a better life, that the poor, sick, or others deserve to have the same life as those who earned it, whether they did or not. He also argues that even though people live in poor quality homes and towns they deserve to have a good life, without the threat of robbery, shootings, or any other urban city behavior.
Quotes:
1.
"The $150 million spent to build the dazzling new structure..., is almost exactly the same as what they city spent in the same year to purchase the massive prison barge that it has moored at Hunts Point in the South Bronx, where it accommodates the graduates and dropouts of much less attracting high schools on six floating floors of prison cells"
The imagery of this really makes me think about how much money cities and states pay for people who have messed up in the world, rather than spending it on the people who barely can make ends meat.
2."'I am in hell an you are not and so I hate you and I have to try to bring you down to where I am.' I feel pity for them and fear because they're lost."
It seems Kozol is trying to see where these people are coming from and he feels their pain. I liek this quote because I feel the same way, I believe everyone can change how they act but sometimes people just get sucked into living their lives poorly because of the chances they've missed out on.
Questions/Comments:
I really enjoyed reading Kozol, it made me think about how it is to live in an un fair situation. Kozol points out the problems that reallt effect people and why they are in the situations they are in. I'm just confused as to what he was trying to say, that we as people need to change the way we are, or that the goverment and the authorities are the ones that need to take responsibility and change the way people live. kozol and Goldberg should sit down together and come up with an epic plan to get the world in a perfect place.
Bernard Goldberg
Authors Argument:
Goldberg states that Kozol has too much of a liberal attitude towards the education system. Goldberg argues that Kozols attitude in the education system is highly used and that people don't only use the liberal system but the children leaving these education systems are being turned out with blinders on, and that liberal is the way to be.
Quotes:
1."They got there for lowering the level of civil discourse in this country -- or for their shameless willingness to destroy decent people."
I really enjoyed this quote because it shows how angry Goldberg is about the situation in which peoples morals are being subjected to change, and I really agree with him on that.
2."Once, it was understood by almost everyone that there is no free lunch and that you got yours, as the old commercial had it, "the old-fashioned way" -- you earned it!"
I'm not so sure that I agree fully on this, but in a way I agree. I'm not at the age yet that it truely is hurting my income paying for other people, but I know what it is like to have to work for my money and I think everyone needs to take the initiative to work.
Questions/Comments to share:
This article really did interest me. I thought it was quite entertaining about all the people we see in the media no a days get ripped to pieces. We all see them on TV and think that maybe what they have to say is worthe listening to but will reading Goldberg I began to think, wow maybe they don't really make sense. I was bored by the end because facts don't interst me as much as much as peoples views.
Amazing Grace
The Lives of Children and the Conscience of a Nation
Jonathan Kozol
Authors Argument:
Kozol argues that peoples lives get ripped away from them when tragedy strikes, and illness or misfortunate event happens. He believes that no matter why a person is in the situation they are in they deserve a better life, that the poor, sick, or others deserve to have the same life as those who earned it, whether they did or not. He also argues that even though people live in poor quality homes and towns they deserve to have a good life, without the threat of robbery, shootings, or any other urban city behavior.
Quotes:
1.
"The $150 million spent to build the dazzling new structure..., is almost exactly the same as what they city spent in the same year to purchase the massive prison barge that it has moored at Hunts Point in the South Bronx, where it accommodates the graduates and dropouts of much less attracting high schools on six floating floors of prison cells"
The imagery of this really makes me think about how much money cities and states pay for people who have messed up in the world, rather than spending it on the people who barely can make ends meat.
2."'I am in hell an you are not and so I hate you and I have to try to bring you down to where I am.' I feel pity for them and fear because they're lost."
It seems Kozol is trying to see where these people are coming from and he feels their pain. I liek this quote because I feel the same way, I believe everyone can change how they act but sometimes people just get sucked into living their lives poorly because of the chances they've missed out on.
Questions/Comments:
I really enjoyed reading Kozol, it made me think about how it is to live in an un fair situation. Kozol points out the problems that reallt effect people and why they are in the situations they are in. I'm just confused as to what he was trying to say, that we as people need to change the way we are, or that the goverment and the authorities are the ones that need to take responsibility and change the way people live. kozol and Goldberg should sit down together and come up with an epic plan to get the world in a perfect place.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
About Me
HI. My name is Emily I'm a sophomore at RIC and I'm majoring in Secondary Education with a concentration in English. I love to read and I'm a really big dork. I worked at a summer camp this past summer and thats when I knew for a fact teaching was I needed to do with my life. I love coffee, and I'll always have one. I'm a hyper and fun person. And thats that!
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