Aria- Richard Rodriguez

Language is more than just a way to communicate, it’s a part of who we are. In his chapter, Aria, Richard Rodriguez describes how learning English changed his life, both for better and worse. Growing up in a Spanish-speaking household, he saw his native language as something private and deeply connected to his family. But at school, English was the language of power and success. His teachers made it clear that if he wanted to belong, he had to speak it confidently. Over time, he adapted, but that process came with an "unexpected" cost. At first, Rodriguez struggled to see English as his own. He felt like it belonged to the world outside his home, while Spanish was something that tied him to his family. His teachers pushed him to speak up, and he resisted, unsure if fully embracing English would change who he was. He no longer had the same deep connection with his parents, and home started to feel quieter, less like the comforting place it had once been. He became more confident in public, raising his hand in class, speaking clearly, and no longer feeling like an outsider. But even as he gained a sense of belonging in society, he lost something equally important, the closeness of his family. His parents struggled with English, and their conversations became shorter and less meaningful. He no longer knew what to call them, as the words he once used in Spanish felt too painful, and the English words felt unnatural. So eye contact it was. He recognizes that fitting into society means letting go of certain parts of your identity, but he also sees that as a necessary step toward independence but because of that, he lost his personal future to excel in a public culture.