Rodriguez And The Scholarship Boy
In his essay "The Achievement of Desire," Richard Rodriguez writes about his experiences as a student. While writing about his education Rodriguez makes frequent mention of a conceptual personality archetype. Originally conceived by the author Richard Hoggart, Rodriguez identifies with "the scholarship boy" and thoroughly relates his experiences to the archetype. As defined by Hoggart in "The Uses of Literacy," the "scholarship boy" is a student who, despite an economically disadvantaged family, manages to develop intellectually, and achieve remarkable academic success and distinction.
In "The Achievement of Desire," Rodriguez makes critical observations of himself and of his earlier life, likening himself to Hoggart's supposed scholarship boy in most respects. In fact, Rodriguez's past experiences coincide with Hoggart's description. Hoggart writes that, "The boy spends a large part of his time at the physical center of the home, where the woman's spirit rules" (878). This is the case with Rodriguez as well, especially in regards to his relationships with his family, and mother in particular. He even credits his mother as the one responsible for driving him forward into his future, wanting a better life for her children; according to Hoggart, "The boy has to cut himself off mentally, so as to do his homework, as well as he can" (624). Rodriguez was often found in the closet, secretly reading novels. Finally, in comparing Rodriguez with Hoggart's "scholarship boy" Rodriguez, "[...] waited for them [the teachers] to tell [him] which books to enjoy" (625). This was an example of the problem with education suggested by Herbert Spencer. Rodriguez, similar to Hoggart's "scholarship boy," learned in the manner of "submissive receptivity instead of independent activity" (880). Rodriguez, the student, could have broken out of the scholarship boy mold if he relied on himself, his own thoughts and stopped believing his teachers...
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