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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
A 4 page essay that contrasts and compares 2 books. Eva Hoffman, in Lost in Translation, A Life in a New Language and Richard Rodriguez, in Hunger of Memory, make some very similar points concerning the psychological changes that are inherent in learning a new language and assimilating into a new culture. Both authors indicate that, as children placed in this situation, becoming bilingual required major changes in the way in which they perceived and defined the self, that is, their identity. However, while their narratives share this quality, Hoffman's book is much more oriented toward the difficulties entailed from a personal point of view, while Rodriguez's perspective is on the necessity of becoming bilingual in order to achieve full assimilation and an accompanying feeling of political empowerment. In other words, Hoffman is focused inwardly and Rodriguez is focused outwardly. No additional sources cited.
Page Count:
4 pages (~225 words per page)
File: D0_khhofrod.rtf
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Unformatted sample text from the term paper:
and assimilating into a new culture. Both authors indicate that, as children placed in this situation, becoming bilingual required major changes in the way in which they perceived and defined
the self, that is, their identity. However, while their narratives share this quality, Hoffmans book is much more oriented toward the difficulties entailed from a personal point of view, while
Rodriguezs perspective is on the necessity of becoming bilingual in order to achieve full assimilation and an accompanying feeling of political empowerment. In other words, Hoffman is focused inwardly and
Rodriguez is focused outwardly. During their first day in a public school in Vancouver, Canada, after emigrating with their parents from Poland, Hoffman and her sister underwent an experience
that is common to almost every immigrant - the teacher had difficulty pronouncing their names. Hoffmans first name, Ewa (pronounced EH-vah), became Americanized to "Eva," and her sister, Alinka became
"Elaine." Hoffman emphasizes that ones name is synonymous with how a person thinks of the self, their identity. This change of name is symbolic to Hoffman of the sense of
dislocation that she experienced. Without her native language, her homeland, or even her name, Hoffman felt that her identity had become suspect, fragmented. This fragmentation is expressed by Hoffman
in the form of dialogues that she has between her English self, Eva, and her Polish self, Ewa. One gathers from the context of these internal dialogues that Ewa speaks
in Polish. For example, the Ewa side of her personality wonders, "What jokes are your friends in Cracow exchanging?" to which the English self accuses, "...you prefer her, the Cracow
Ewa" and the Polish self, whom Hoffman perceives as her "true" inner being replies, "yes, I prefer her. But I cant be her. Im losing track of her..." (Hoffman 120).
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