Argumentative Synthesis
Education can be defined by how we as humans learn to interact with one another as well as obtaining the skills and perspectives needed to reach our full potential later in life. While education may seem straight forward, there are many ideas as to how it should be successfully presented. The authors, Pratt, Rodriguez, and Freire, all share my belief that educational freedom is vital to a positive classroom experience. Throughout this essay, I will be using their ideas to support why the system of education requires radical reformation. Richard Rodriguez was the son of Hispanic working class parents during the 1940’s. From a very young age he was fascinated by books. He would go out of his way to isolate himself from his family in order to read. Throughout his life, Rodriguez maintained his practice of isolation from his family and peers. At the end of his schooling, he discovered the error in his ways. While reading a passage from Hoggart’s The Uses of Literacy, Rodriguez found himself in the definition of a “scholarship boy.” “The scholarship boy is a very bad student. He is the great mimic; a collector of thoughts, not a thinker; the very last person in class who ever feels obliged to have an opinion of his own.” (Rodriguez 352) Throughout his entire academic career, he had mimicked his instructors rather than forming his own opinion. Without these skills, Rodriguez became immediately aware of his “miseducation.” While Rodriguez’s story is rather
When Rodriguez is in London, he reads Richard Hoggart’s The Uses of Literacy, and is able to see himself in the essay. We see that he gains a “sociological imagination” and that he realizes that he fits the definition of the “scholarship boy” when he says that he “realized that there were other students” (517) like him. Hoggart says that this type of student must be “more and more alone” (517) in order to succeed, and that this student must “cut himself off mentally, so as to do his homework, as well as he can” (517). Rodriguez shows us that he not only grasps what the “scholarship boy” is, but he also understands what the “scholarship boy” goes through because of personal experience. Although he agrees with Hoggart’s definition, Rodriguez also adds to the meaning of the “scholarship boy” by giving his readers the insight of exactly what they go through, how they think, and why they do what they do. For example, he shows readers that he is forced to be “more and more alone” (517) by writing about how his relationship with his parents is weakened, and how the books he reads makes him feel lonelier. This insight not only asserts Hoggart’s definition of the “scholarship boy,” but also lengthens and specifies it.
In Richard Rodriguez’s “The Achievement of Desire,” he compares himself to author Richard Hoggart’s “scholarship boy,” the type of student anyone can become. The “scholarship boy” is “anxious and eager to learn,” but is overbearing in his ways of learning and conveying knowledge (Rodriguez 534). Born as a son of two Mexican immigrants, Rodriguez quickly detached his life at school from his life at home. Hoggart helped Rodriguez to see near the end of his education exactly how harmful this type of lifestyle would become for Rodriguez’s learning. In my own experience, and specifically in my four years of high school, I tried my best to avoid being a “scholarship boy,” because that would prove detrimental to myself in relationships, my education, and my health and wholeness.
Rodriguez was oppressed by his books. He did not comprehend or appreciate the narratives he read. At a young age Rodriguez felt that it was necessary to read adult books rather than works written for children Freire labeled this as the, "'banking' concept of education, in which the scope of action allowed to the students extends only as far as receiving, filling and storing the deposits" (Freire 349). Rodriguez read the books for his teachers, so that he would become more like them. Rodriguez didn't realize, however, that he was becoming more of an automaton than anything else. He was not taking the opportunity to
We already know that there has been a precipitous decline in the study of liberal arts because many people do not value it anymore. English and history are now being pushed aside for math or science. Fareed Zakaria, an American journalist and author, in his article, “What's the Use of a Liberal Education?” writes, “Even President Obama recently urged students to keep in mind that a technical training could be more valuable than a degree in art history. Majors like English, once very popular and highly respected, are in steep decline.” This mindset is causing many people to turn away from liberal arts-based subjects, so they can pursue something that would “be more valuable”.
Christopher McCandless age twenty-two embarks on his greatest journey that will forever make him famous in his journey and death. There is the argument that Christopher was psychotic for going out into the Alaskan Wild so unprepared without any proper tools or materials. Also, Christopher should have told his parents where he was going so they would’ve known where to look for their son so he could be safer and might of had the chance to survive. What you have to understand that, Chris McCandless approached it the way he wanted to approached it because some say he is narcissistic and only does what he wants and it's true, he is but that isn't negative it's what he wants, and shouldn't we all be able to feel free to do whatever we wish. As the reader, you can pick the side you agree with and have your opinion on Chris. Christopher McCandless wasn't crazy or psychotic, but instead a true example of a person who did whatever he wanted to be filled with joy.
It is clear Ryerson University needs a better way to make education accessible to all their students. With the constant delays of the transit systems we have, and the rising costs to commute, students are skipping lectures. The best solution to this problem is starting VR enabled lectures. This will keep expenses low for students and save time that students struggle to find. VR enabled lectures are far superior to the alternative, which is living on campus. By living on campus expenses increase and you’re not in the comfort of your home. Also it is not guaranteed you will get approved to live on residence because of the limited beds available. Being a computer science students we already have the necessary knowledge to make this possible, as
UCM: CPSW received a call from Ms. Messerli reporting that she needs the lock number for her storage from foster provider family. She also stated that she needs the boy's cell phone back. CPSW reminded Ms. Messerli that this writer will ask the foster provider about the phone and storage numbers. CPSW reminded Ms. Messerli to focus on her recovery and not to disrupt her children as well as the foster provider and if she needs anyting to let the CPSW aware of it. Also, CPSW reminded Ms. Messerli not to contact or call both children until the theripist approves it. Ms. Messerli stated that she will try. Howerver, Ms Messerli sounded unhappy and really upset about not contacting her children Nick and Alexander.
Across the nation and world assisted suicide is an issue that has been gaining attention for several years. With famous cases such as Jack Kevorkian it has become a household term and everyone has an opinion. There are strong cases on both sides, but the bottom line is while it may sound good for the present, it is not for the future. Assisted Suicide should not be legalized in Alabama as the negative outcomes far exceed the positive outcomes in the areas of impact on society, politics and medical education
In Richard Rodriguez “Scholarship Boy” the audience notices several tensions throughout his experiences; and how they affect his upbringing to become the man he is today. Rodriguez’s two most important levels of tension were, his homelife home where he separates himself from his family while feeling a form of anger towards them. Rodriguez distances himself from his peers despite his educational success, nevertheless he thrives in his studies in the classroom. Since he is so dedicated on his studies he lacks time to interact with them because his free time is spent reading.
In the essay “Achievement of Desire”, Richard Rodriguez describes the difficulties of being a nonnative English speaker trying to fit into the mainstream American culture, while balancing life in the academic world and in the working-class. Rodriguez describes his education as a burden that caused many hardships throughout his life. Rodriguez was inspired by the British cultural historian Richard Hoggart’s “A Scholarship Boy”, and inserts passages and quotes throughout his essay to compare himself to the “scholarship boy”. The two authors had their own versions of the “scholarship boy” but they both showed similarities due to the fact that Rodriguez lived through the expiriences of the “scholarship boy” and Hoggart provided the definition.
Sexual thoughts pop in and out of most people’s mind, but especially teenagers, and there’s nothing they can do about it. It is normal for teenage boys and girls to experience this, more than ever when they are hitting puberty. The hormones in the body begin to act up and teenagers want to experience other things on their own. Males begin to grow pubic and facial hairs, and their voice starts to deepen, while girls’ breasts begin to develop and their body begins to take shape. After hitting puberty, teenagers are now at the point where they want to experience things. ‚Don’t go out there and get pregnant‛ a mother
In Mr. Siemiesz’s chapter he explained about the National Security Consequences of U.S Oil Dependence and how it could be fixed and changed for the best interest of the country; Mr. Siemiesz outlined specific points or steps the country could take to make those changes he outlined in the chapter. “Those major energy suppliers from Russia to Iraq to Venezuela have been increasingly able and willing to use their resources to pressure their strategic and political objectives. That these country’s are consuming less oil less then all of the other countries especially the United States. The Fact is that the U.S. makes up to
In the article, the Burning Question, the issue of biomass energy via wood pellets was brought to question. This subject has deeply divided scientists, primarily from the chemistry and environmental science disciplines, economists, and politicians. Currently the use of wood pellets for energy, under the European Union, is classified as a carbon-neutral fuel. The argument for this designation lies in the regeneration of trees to take up the carbon released from burning past trees. However, many scientists call foul, basing their argument on the substantial lag period between burning trees and the regeneration of them. This period has led many to worry that such actions will worsen the current global warming crisis. Biomass energy plants produce,
Times. http://www.nytimes.com.2008/02/19/world /americas/19iht-princeton.1.10175351.html Fitzsimmons, W. 2014. Time out or Burn out for the Next Generation. Retrieved from
It is often assumed that failure is a deterrent to achievement. Rather, failure should be seen as a motivator for a person to keep trying until the objective or aim of a particular mission is fulfilled.