Richard Rodriguez: An Introduction
Richard Rodriguez is one of America's most eloquent public intellectuals. He has written about religious violence around the world, growing public atheism in the West, and his own mortality. His book, Days of Obligation: An Argument With My Mexican Father, is a collection of autobiographical essays. It did not meet with the same critical acclaim as his previous books. In Days of Obligation, Rodriguez reflects on his Mexican heritage, his homosexuality, and the AIDS epidemic in San Francisco.
From Humble Beginnings to Academic Success
A native of San Francisco, Rodriguez was not from a wealthy family. His father had only a third-grade education and his mother worked hard to send her children to Catholic schools. He began elementary school barely speaking English. By the time he finished high school, he was an expert in Renaissance literature. He later went on to earn degrees from Stanford and Columbia Universities. Despite his background, however, Rodriguez refused to teach at these prestigious universities.
A Journey Through Baseball
After being acquired by the Orioles from the Houston Astros in June 2015, Rodriguez spent the rest of the season with the Norfolk Tides. In the spring of 2016, Rodriguez was invited to Spring Training with the team. On September 1, 2017, he was called up to the majors and reassigned to his hometown. After his time in Spring Training, he opted to enter free agency.
Exploring Childhood and Parenthood
In addition to writing about his childhood, Rodriguez talks about his struggle as a parent. Although he never explicitly states his motivations for writing his memoir, Rodriguez makes it clear that he wanted to write a memoir that would address these issues. But he refuses to tell his mother about the book and is very secretive about it.
The Power of Language
In his early years, Rodriguez's language skills were limited and he felt isolated. His classmates were mostly white and he was shy. His family taught him Spanish. His English pronunciation was limited. He was uncomfortable with the English language, but he did eventually learn to speak English and speak fluently.
Hunger of Memory and Beyond
The book, Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez, tells the story of the young man who started school in California with only fifty words of English. Rodriguez explores the power of language to separate his private and public life. In the process, his public self battles with his private self. Rodriguez also writes about his experiences in the American West. His debut novel, Hunger of Memory, was praised by critics and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. His second novel, Darling: A Spiritual Autobiography, was written in his family home. He has also written essays for many publications.
The Complexity of Autobiographical Writing
Hunger of Memory, by contrast, is a book of unusual reticence. Rodriguez writes in the first person and his voice is the dominant one throughout the book. Although autobiographical writing can provide direct access to one's thoughts and feelings, it is also difficult to give equal space to opposing opinions.
