Barrio Boy - 1441 Words

Alexandra Ortiz English 120 Professor DiFranco Essay #2 Sacramento Both Ernesto Galarza’s â€Å"Barrio Boy† and Joan Didion’s â€Å"Notes From a Native Daughter† write about Sacramento’s past. Both authors talk about Sacramento during two different time periods. Joan Didion talks about the mid-century and Ernesto Galarza talks about the early 20th century. Although both author’s perspective of Sacramento differs from era to era, there are differences in certain characteristics described by both authors. Galarza’s essay focuses on an immigrant point of view arriving into Sacramento versus Didion’s experiences as a native decedent of Sacramento. Joan Didion’s Sacramento is a very different place compared to Ernesto Galarza’s , for him it’s an†¦show more content†¦At the moment of its waking Sacramento lost†¦its character†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Didion 173). In other words, Didion is pointing out how Sacramento is becoming more immoral as urbanization and industrializati on occur. However, what is most interesting is how Didion expresses Sacramento’s loss of character through her own experiences. For instance, Didion describes her wonderful memories basking in the Californian sun, rivers, fields and valleys as a child, showcasing the real natural Sacramento. However, later on as a n adult when she returns to Sacramento, Didion finds that the Sacramento she has been seeking is no longer there, as a result of industrial development: It is hard to find California now, unsettling to wonder how much of it was merely imagined or improvised; melancholy to realize how much of anyone’s memory no true memory at all†¦I have an indelibly vivid ‘memory’, for example, of how Prohibition affected the hop growers around Sacramento†¦ (Didion 57) In the excerpt above Didion expresses how she was unable to reconnect with the California she grew up with because of all the changes it has suffered. She also mentions prohibition, which by definition is a reform movement that outlawed drinking because its effects on the home, in order to really capture how increasing industrialization led to the gradual loss of the traditional Californian way of life. She uses prohibition as an example to show how peoples ideas are shifting with the introduction of urbanization;Show MoreRelatedJoan Didions Barrio Boy1091 Words   |  5 PagesFrom A Native Daughter† and Ernesto Galarza s piece â€Å"Barrio Boy† both talk a lot about how life was like in Sacramento while they were growing up. In Ernesto Galarza s article, he writes about living in lower Sacramento and Didion s essay, talks about life in a different area of Sacramento, California. Ernesto Galarza s Sacramento is filled with a lot of Mexicans and other Latin American peop le living in a particular area of the city. Barrio Boy s Sacramento took place in around the 1910s-1920sRead MoreAnalysis Of Barrio Boy And Apollo 13775 Words   |  4 Pagesquestions is, â€Å"What drives us to undertake a mission?† Depending on the person, there can be many answers to this question. In the two texts, Barrio Boy and Apollo 13, the main characters were trusting to successfully achieve their goals. Not only were both the crew in Apollo 13 and Ernesto Galarza trusting, but they were brave and dedicated too. In Barrio Boy, Ernesto Galarza’s goal or mission was to learn the English language and become a good American. In Apollo 13, however, the mission was, atRead More Ernesto Galarzas Barrio Boy and Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club899 Words   |  4 PagesErnesto Galarzas Barrio Boy and Amy Tans The Joy Luck Club In both pieces of literature; Barrio Boy, by Ernesto Galarza and The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan; the authors portray families and their struggle with language barriers, even within their own families, adapting to the customs and routines of the North American society, and how the younger family members succeeded in school, work, and relationships. In Amy Tan’s book The Joy Luck Club, the theme of the American Dream, whichRead MoreBarrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza and A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca1774 Words   |  8 PagesBarrio Boy by Ernesto Galarza and A Place to Stand by Jimmy Santiago Baca are inspired to write an autobiography. Both of these writers defend, reclaim, identify and interpret the meanings of indigenous cultures, and memory. Galarza and Baca grew up in different environments and had different motivations to get their life down on paper for readers to know their life story. Ernesto Galarza was born in Mexico. He decides he wants to tell the story of his journey from a small village in Mexico, toRead MoreNotes From A Native Daughter And Ernesto Galarza s Piece Barrio Boy1091 Words   |  5 PagesFrom A Native Daughter and Ernesto Galarza s piece Barrio Boy both talk a lot about how life was like in Sacramento while they were growing up. In Ernesto Galarza s article, he writes about living in lower Sacramento and Didion s essay, talks about life in a different area of Sacramento, California. Ernesto Galarza s Sacramento is filled with a lot of Mexican and other Latin American people living in a particular area of the city. Barrio Boy s Sacramento took place in around the 1910s-1920s whichRead MoreMacarios Noche Buena1702 Words   |  7 Pages back to a small barrio in a distant province, to a particular time, to a certain Christmas day. He saw a little boy going to his godfathers. He was wearing chinelas for the first time; they were red chinelas. He ha d a jusi shirt on, and a small buri hat. The little boy kissed his godfathers hand. The godfather took a little drum from a package and gave it to the boy, together with a half-peso piece. The little boy was himself. He was hum playing boy, together with little boys dressed in the sameRead MoreThe Church Bus1588 Words   |  7 PagesThe church bus -- which had been named La Ranfla del Barrio, by the assortment of Mexican and Central American high school kids on board -- pulled up around 6:30 a.m. Most of the kids on board, had arrived around 5:30 a.m. Most of the high school seniors had never left their barrios, much less taken a bus to a protest. Marcy climbed onto the bus beside the high school students from subsidized apartments in San Francisco, muttering to herself – What the hell am I doing, now? She glanced aroundRead MoreNative Community Life in Invasion by Benjamin Percy and The Barrio by Robert Ramirez1090 Words   |  5 PagesBenjamin Percy he shows his anger towards others that come to his native town in Bend, Oregon because he feels some sort of invasion causing his town to become transformed by others. In â€Å"The Barrio† by Robert Ramirez he describes his barrio colorful meaning every house has its own story and he would not leave his barrio for any reason because he loves it. As a child you do many things that are horrible but you do them because you either do not care or do not know the consequences to their actions. PercyRead MoreThe Comedic Value of the Play, Pseudolus724 Words   |  3 Pagesnonchalantly dominating the leaders. He does not use his intelligence and abilities to favor himself, all that he does, he does for the benefit of others, although often the plans he introduces profit himself at the same time. Calidorus is the pretty rich boy that has no thought other than what he desires next. His only concern is freeing his love. He is rich, but has no power. Calidorus is pleasant and his moaning adds a lot of comedy to the play, but he is not a dominant character, never a driving forceRead MoreThe Characteristics Of Annie Johnsons Short Story809 Words   |  4 PagesAnnie Johnson have determination and never abandon their objectives, and diligently pursue them. In the short story â€Å"New Directions† it discusses about a woman named Annie Johnson, who is big-boned, and it is her goal to work to support her two infant boys. In the excerpt â€Å"New Direction† paragraph 7 it affirms, â€Å"Most workers had brought their lunches of pinto beans and biscuits or crackers, onions and cans of sardines, but they were tempted by the hot meat pies which Annie ladled out of the fat. She