Analysis Of Always Running By Luis Rodriguez

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Always Running Final Paper Today it isn’t difficult for a Chicanx or other minority to get a degree or create a prosperous life for themselves through hard work, but back in the mid-1900s, that was not the case. The American Southwest in the mid-1900s was not the most inviting or friendliest place for Mexicans and Chicanos. Many were born into extreme poverty or already came impoverished, many were degraded and sometimes dehumanized by racism, and many felt like they did not belong in the land of the free. Often times, young Mexicans and Chicanos had no choice. They had to resort to roaming the streets, doing drugs, committing crimes, and joining gangs in order to feel like they belonged and to give meaning to their lives. In his memoir Always Running, Luis Rodriguez tells the story of how he was …show more content…

According to Rodriguez, one of his first experiences in school was being put in the back of the classroom, being ignored and isolated. His first teacher basically let him “‘play with some blocks until [they] figure out how to get [him] more involved’” just because he did not speak any English (Rodriguez, 26). Often times, many teachers during this time did not know how to deal with Mexican or Chicano students who did not speak much or any English, so they usually were neglected or not favored over their white counterparts. Consequently, many young Mexicans and Chicanos grow disinterested in school (usually even drop out) due to the fact they are left out or not accommodated for. Rodriguez calls this type of education system, a “two-tiered” education system, where whites were given a better quality education compared to their colored counterparts. For Luis, school continued this way as colored students were not as privileged or treated as well as whites. Because of this education system and society, whites usually felt superior to their colored

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