Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez
Encyclopedia
Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez (ISBN 0-553-27293-4) is a 1982 autobiography
by Chicano
intellectual
Richard Rodriguez
. The book, written as several separate essays, narrates Rodriguez's educational history.
In general, Rodriguez laments that as he furthered his education, eventually finishing a Ph.D. in English Literature, he became increasingly alienated from his family. As his interests grew, his family's generally did not, resulting a diverse gap in shared interests. Having become fluent in the language of the intellectual community, he lost touch with the cultural values that he once held in common with his family. His autobiography also includes an instance where he turned down a potentially lucrative job offer due to the implication that it was extended on the basis of his race and not his scholarship. Between these two experiences, Rodriguez warns about the dual kinds of alienation felt in bilingual studies and higher education.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
by Chicano
Chicano
The terms "Chicano" and "Chicana" are used in reference to U.S. citizens of Mexican descent. However, those terms have a wide range of meanings in various parts of the world. The term began to be widely used during the Chicano Movement, mainly among Mexican Americans, especially in the movement's...
intellectual
Intellectual
An intellectual is a person who uses intelligence and critical or analytical reasoning in either a professional or a personal capacity.- Terminology and endeavours :"Intellectual" can denote four types of persons:...
Richard Rodriguez
Richard Rodriguez
Richard Rodriguez is an American writer who became famous as the author of Hunger of Memory: The Education of Richard Rodriguez , a narrative about his intellectual development.- Early life :...
. The book, written as several separate essays, narrates Rodriguez's educational history.
In general, Rodriguez laments that as he furthered his education, eventually finishing a Ph.D. in English Literature, he became increasingly alienated from his family. As his interests grew, his family's generally did not, resulting a diverse gap in shared interests. Having become fluent in the language of the intellectual community, he lost touch with the cultural values that he once held in common with his family. His autobiography also includes an instance where he turned down a potentially lucrative job offer due to the implication that it was extended on the basis of his race and not his scholarship. Between these two experiences, Rodriguez warns about the dual kinds of alienation felt in bilingual studies and higher education.