Talking Point #2 (Rodriquez, "Aria")

I feel that Richard Rodriquez is saying that it is important for students that don't speak English as their first language, should be taught as soon as possible to be able to communicate in English or the language of the culture of power. But also Rodriquez says that the students should still learn to appreciate and recognize their native language. Some of this article reminded me of Lisa Delpits argument about culture of power. Rodriquez says that a student should learn the language of the culture in power if they want to succeed, but also they should not forget their native language.

1. "What I needed to learn in school was that I had the right and the obligation to speak the public language of los gringos." Here Rodriquez is talking about if he wanted to succeed then he was going to have to learn to speak the public language or the culture of power language of English.

2. "it would of pleased me to hear my teachers address me in Spanish when I entered the classroom...But I would have delayed...having to learn the language of public society." Rodriquez is talking about how he would of felt more comfortable if his teachers would have spoken Spanish to him, but this would have not prepared him for the real world.

3. "while one suffers a diminished sense of private individuality by becoming assimilate into public society, such assimilation makes possible the achievement of public individuality." This is saying by learning the public society language to make achievements possible, one is losing some of there individuality and this should not happen, I feel they should still recognize their culture.