Write a
well-developed essay of between one-and-one-half to three pages that draws on
the different perspectives of the two readings listed above to respond to the
following: Explain how bell hooks complicates or challenges Richard
Rodriguez’s ideas about the relationship between academic success and family
background.
Use this
explanation to support your own argument about academic success and family
background. Support your ideas
with analysis of textual evidence, such as quotes or paraphrases, from both
texts.
For most students, there is no one
they want to be prouder of their accomplishments than their parents. From
artwork taped to the refrigerator door to parent-teacher conferences, parents
are the most important people to support the educational endeavors of children.
But what if one’s parents do not support a child’s education? In Achievement of
Desire, Richard Rodriquez describes the difficulty of growing up in a working
class family and balancing it with the pursuit of his academic dreams.
Rodriguez chose to handle this dilemma by isolating himself from his family. In
keeping close to home: class and education, bell hooks discusses the importance
of maintaining a balance between family and academic success despite their
ambivalent support of her pursuits. Because family support has such a great impact
on students performance, every student must decide for herself how much involvement
family should have in her education. There is an important balance between family and education, although if
family connections hinder your education, then those connections should be
severed.
