Monday, September 18, 2017
Always Running Blog #1
After reading the opening chapter of Always Running, discuss how Luis's family ends up in the "barrios"(ghetto). What does it mean to you when the neighborhoods is described as "incubators of rebellion"? Who does Luis become involved with in the neighborhood? How does this set the stage for the rest of his life, based on the title of the book? How is this situation relevant today? Use textual evidence to support your ideas(write a maximum 200-350-word response). This is a blog, not an essay. I am looking for clear writing, authentic voice, and text-based responses.
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Maria Estela decided to move leave to the United States with her husband, Alfonso. Once here they find it difficult to survive or find a home in East LA forced to live in the ghetto. Both didn't have much to live off of, the father's degree didn't seem enough to get a job as a teacher and cleaning houses or being la costurera or even babysitting children was not enough. "Incubators of rebellion" sounds as the white society not allowing immigrants to set foot in their territory making it hard on them by rebelling against them throughout their hatred towards the Mexican immigrants. Luis tries to build relationships with the kids at school, but finds it difficult because he doesn't speak English fairly well making it hard for him to build friendships. Eventually this leads him to running away from the "Anglo", his already received beatings and witness Rano's beating by them. That's why he's "Always Running", running away from this community who cannot accept him because of what he is or what he looks like. Being a Mexican immigrant automatically excuses him from society's rights.
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DeleteI find your perspective of the term "incubators of rebellion" quite interesting as you applied it to the white community, rather than the Mexican community. I also rather like your interpretation of the title of the book and how his newfound friends are setting the stage for the rest of Luis' life. I did not think of the title as having any relation to the Anglo and how they bullied Luis and his brother, Rano, just because they are from Mexican origin. I found that particular scene to be quite cruel but it is also very realistic and the fact that this event did take place and how Luis Rodriguez went through all of this and can still muster the will to tell this story to the world.
DeleteI love your perspective on "incubators of rebellion" because it is a different side compared to mine. It is true that they seem to be rebelling against a white society and I was only able to notice that based on your post. We had the same ideas on the meaning of the title of the book. Rodriguez does is always escaping from society's "formal" look on how its members are supposed to be. He captured the book very nicely with that title. Tying in society and his inability to assimilate into it summarizes the entire chapter up. I love how you were able to sum it up, but being able to go into depth with your explanation will probably open up another broad vision just like the one you had with your perspective on the incubations. In addition, what do you mean by “Anglo”? It’d be very helpful and clear if you would clarify in depth what you see. Your views and thoughts on this chapter leak with passion and interest in this book. In your response, it is very strong and allows for peers like myself to really notices what is inside your head and your views on Rodriguez’s life.
DeleteIn the opening chapter of Always Running, Luis Rodriguez flashbacks to his earliest moments in life and the history of how he ends up in the barrios of Los Angeles. Their inabilities in the working industry and their ethnical background contributed to their move into the ghetto. Rodriguez was able to summarize their reason for staying in such poverty driven neighborhoods with the text, “What can a single mother of four children do in Mexico? … What good is except to starve.” They have no option but to strive in Los Angeles because they have nowhere else to go but these “incubators of rebellion”.
ReplyDeleteIn these incubators of rebellion, children are being raised in environments where they are exposed to violence, injustice, discrimination, and intense poverty. Here they are nurtured to defend for themselves and survive, even if that means breaking the law, aka rebelling against justice. But what if what we think is justice is injustice to them? Are they really rebelling or are we?
As Rodriguez grows these incubations, he becomes affiliated with kids with similar background: poor, Mexican, troublemakers, and lost. He even “made a friend”(28) with a kid named Earl who was introduced as a troublemaker in school. Being surrounded by such poverty, troubles, and arguments forces Rodriguez to really grow up. With the hint of the title, these conditions of his childhood have set him up for a life filled with trouble and grief. He will never know any other life but one that will try to protect his life. He most likely joined a gang for a family-like environment he never had growing up, for protection. The only life he’s known of is one where he is “just a ball”, “Bouncing outside. Bouncing inside. Whatever.” He needed stability and he would grow up to find a temporary one in a gang.
Nowadays, there are still kids growing up as immigrants trying to find a place in this world. They will not all assimilate easily and will try to find a safe haven that will only be temporary. That’s what Rodriguez is trying to prevent.
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DeleteI loved how you included how he saw the gang he affiliated with as his “temporary family” because it showed how he felt alone. He needed a home and even it was not permanent, he would have a place to go back to. I also saw them as his “back up” family and it is important throughout the novel. It can be seen that he tries to fit in all the time from school to his own home. Hopefully it changes as we continue in the novel. In addition, incorporating how you explained how he is “just a ball” was really interesting. I assumed that by mentioning how he was a ball meant that he felt controlled by his family. Since balls can easily be controlled, in my case I saw it as a basketball, his freedom with his family was limited. He was the one picked on by his brother and by other children. Moreover, he felt small and weak towards others and that was why he needed to join gangs. He needed to feel stronger than others so he cannot be controlled ever again. Finally, your perspective on immigrant was somewhat similar to my point of view. I saw it as multiple families of immigrants and not just the kids. Although, many kids today do still have trouble finding that safe haven where they can feel loved and wanted by their families. I see why they have to build their own families even if it is just temporary.
DeleteYour interpretation on the book was very similar to mines. Incorporating how you explained how Luis is "just a ball" was what I had thought in mind. Luis is around 9 or 10 years old but has an idea or already generalizes what goes on day by day. It's obvious he lives in poverty and decides to affiliate himself with others to have someone to fall bac on like a gang. Based on his age the parents might think he has no clue of the situation. The reality is that today's society does not understand that young adolescents understand what life throws at them. Luis is not taken into consideration he is just a "ball" thrown in and out in the situation. There's really not side of emotion from his part because he tries to evict the conflict. Whereas many kids today do the same and surround themselves with bad influences to relieve themselves from the problem. Poverty is an ongoing problem such as discrimination, a real case Luis family as dealt with ever since moving. Their ethnicity and financial situation counteracts with their acceptance in society.
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ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of “Always Running” by Luis J. Rodriguez, the author sets a foundation that depicts and foreshadows what the rest of his life will be like. The first chapter starts off with a brief introduction of the characters and a quick description of the setting. The author then includes a quote from his father that states, “I’ll never go back to Mexico, I’d rather starve here”. Through this quote, the audience can infer that the author’s family came from Mexico and is now living in the United States in search for a better life. However, the family’s financial status has made it hard to make a living which suggests why the family is always on the move. As the novel continues, it becomes evident that the family ended up in the “barrios” because of their financial instability and race. Throughout chapter one, Luis mentions how they “Changed houses often because of evictions” and how his father was constantly trying to find work (pg.30). The author also shares how he and his brother once got beat up for going to South Gate, an Anglo neighborhood,(pg. 24). To change the subject, when neighborhoods are described as “incubators of rebellion” they are often interpreted as a negative thing. For instance, incubators are enclosed environments that allow an organism to grow. The fact the the neighborhoods are portrayed as “incubators of rebellion” suggests that the neighborhoods incite the rebellious behavior. In a like manner, the title of the book allows the audience to infer what Luis’ life is going to be like. As I had mentioned before, Luis’ family was always on the move and as the novel continues and Luis gets older, I think that Luis will share his own motives for running. I believe that Luis’ family situation is still relevant today because some families more than others, face financial problems that may cause them to move to unsafe neighborhoods. These neighborhoods can eventually influence members of the family to take drastic measures for whatever motive is on their mind.
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DeleteI like your emphasis on the word "incubators". I agree with your reasoning on why they ended up in the barons and how neighbors can influence families to make drastic decisions.
DeleteA na, I really like the way you tell the story through your interpretations and along with it you give commentary.I also enjoy the way that you see the quotes and the story, the quotes you give hold potential to have lots of interpretations and you give a very supported view. You also throw in other factors such as title and present factors that only support what you write. I think my favorite part was where you argued that the reason for the title is due to the family's financial instability and that they are running to get away from poverty that they faced.
DeleteAna, I really agree with the fact that the author sets a solid foundation about how he has struggled in life , which eventually foreshadows what his life in the future will be like. I like how you pointed out how his family always seems to be unstable. I believe this is where the title comes into play. Like you had mentioned the family immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. , which can be significant to the title "Always Running", because that could of been the beginning to Rodriguez's never ending run. Moving on, I agree with your observation about Luis' neighbors playing a negative factor in his life. I like your analyzes on the words " incubators of rebellion", I do agree with the fact that the neighborhood symbolizes a rebellious behavior which will impact Luis' life in a large manner. Over all, I like the way you told the story through your point of view. You gave a lot of detail in such a good and informative way. I also agree with your explanation on why Luis and his family faced many barrios, for example one being when Luis' brother got beat up or his family constantly getting eviction notices. Once again I like how you tied in the title with the first chapter and evaluated both things.
DeleteI actually read the authors introduction , which is before the prologue and chapter one. Apparently , Luis ended up in a gang and lived a life of hardship until he started writing and pursued a better life. Unfortunately his son ended up in a gang and was sentenced to about 20 years but only served 13 years. I think the fact that the author had first hand experience makes the story feel very genuine and real, giving the book the atmosphere it has. When you mentioned the section where Luis and his brother got beat up by Anglo kids, I remembered how angry It made me feel. It just goes to show how much the author can manipulate the emotions of the reader
DeleteIn the opening chapter of the autobiography, " Always Running " by Luis J. Rodriguez, he introduced a recollection of his at the age of nine. The author emphasizes how his family was in bad place at the time, his parents arguing on whether to stay in the U.S or go back to Mexico. With the family in debt the tension stocks up within this family due to the frustration and overwhelming feelings set upon them. They ended up in the "barrios" because of the lack of stability. If they were stable, Luis's father couldn't keep the right state of mind and be smart with money. The author states, "My dad went nuts in Reseda. He bought new furniture, a new TV, and he had the gall to throw away the old black & white box we had in Watts" which you can interpret because he was never used to having money or stability it wasn't as easy to remain that way.
ReplyDeleteFurthermore, when the neighbors are referred to as "incubators of rebellion" it sets off a negative connotation. Most people would presume their neighbors are friendly and say hello to each other every so often, but with the author describing them in that manner shows his family isn't wanted there. Within other characters amongst the book, Luis is left to the side. For instance he states, "I found Rano's class with the mentally disabled children instead and decided to stay there for a while. Actually it was fun; they treated me like I was everyone's little brother" because his family was different compared to everyone else, nobody ever treated them equally. Making friends was tough due to this again, they were seen as different in a negative way. The author states, "So they just made it a crime to speak anything but English. If a Spanish word sneaked out in the playground, know djs were often sent to the office to get swatted or to get detention", these controversies all lead back to the family seen as different and nobody within that community wanted anything in their way amongst their beliefs.
Moving on, this situation is still relevant today because their are lots of families whom are financially unstable and they struggle and this leads to moving a lot just like Luis's family. When you're constantly the new kid in school it is easy to be the outcast. The decisions within families reflect upon them later on.
I agree when you say the children are out casted even in their own school a place that is there to help you become smarter. He even writes that the first day that he started school he went to a class where the teacher did not know what to do with him and that she often complained about not having enough room especially when they are giving her children who don’t even speak the language. He later gets moved to another class where he says the teacher looked nicer she looked upon him and told him “Okay, why don’t you sit here in the back of the class, play some blocks until we figure out what to do with you” (Pg.26) . This caused him to be withdrawn to the point where he would not even ask to use the restroom and instead he used his pants. Imagine that a child scared of learning scared of speaking out to avoid looking dumb and getting laughed at by his peers it is not supposed to be like this. Which later reflects on his joining a gang because he feels familiar with those around him he isn’t afraid of saying something because in a way they are all the same. Just like you said “The decisions within families reflect upon them later on” because now all he is looking for is stability and people who will not leave him.
DeleteYou have an interesting perspective on the idea behind his phrase “incubators of rebellion”. I interpreted the concept of the phrase fairly similar, something along the lines of the author’s environment being what causes rebellion. Your idea dives deeper into the concept of being different and being treated different for being different, which is a significant concept in the book. One main component of your writing that was different to the rest of the pieces that are posted is that you also focused in the father’s instability with money when he finally has a job he can depend on temporarily. The fact that he wastes it all in such a short amount of time does say a lot about the father himself, but not only that, also the family, since he is their only reliable source of income. If he is to spend so freely every time he makes a decent amount of money, this family is never going to progress. This actually can connect to the title as well, they are always running from problems, and never progressing from it, not learning from it. Running from solving their problems never solves them, which makes sense that they are ALWAYS running. They never learn and fall back into the same mistakes and the cycle continues.
DeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running" by Luis J. Rodriguez, the author describes to the reader significant events that happened to him when he was younger, which has shaped him into the person he is today. The Rio Grande wasn't the only obstacle his family had to face. There life's were a constant struggle of not belonging and over coming barriers. In the beginning of chapter one, the author indicated how his family was greatly discriminated for being Mexican. " Hey, get out of there-that's our seat." A white women said to them. "You don't belong here." Where the next words that came out of her mouth, this was only the beginning of the endless boarders they had to cross.The family had financial struggles, however they soon got back on their feet, at least for a little. The father lost his teaching job which ended in the family being in debt. Which was another barrier they had to learn to overcome. This was frustrating because they had no stable place to live in. Having no stable place to live in indicated that the family would often move from place to place.
ReplyDeleteThe author also shares how they were invisible." We were invisible people in a city which thrived with glitter..." This can foreshadow the obstacles he faced and problems he got into because he was in a country where everybody made it clear to him that this was not his country. Further more, the author, as a young kid was searching for stability and support. He was beat up for being Mexican, he was placed in the corner of the class room because the teacher didn't know how to communicate with him. He was receiving the attention he didn't want. Suffering of bloody nightmares, of bloody faces, of constant beat ups. He was not new kid in school,not being able to speak his language but being expected to communicate with a language he was not familiar with. He was a " bouncing ball" moving from place to place, not knowing who he was, not knowing his purpose.
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DeleteI really like how you analysis the obstacles Luis faced and how he felt separated . For example, the evidence of Luis feeling isolated in school ,because he looked and talked different. I feel that the teachers shouldn’t have given up on him so quickly and looked for another way to teach him. These examples show that his mom was not the only one to feel not welcomed . I also love how you ended your statement with the ball reference. Your analysis of this symbolism was different compared to mine , because I assumed it represented the constant moving and the way people would use him whenever they felt like it . However , after reading yours it gave me another perspective and looking back now makes a lot of sense to the theme and title. In addition, I thought it was interesting of you to include the quote of , “We were invisible people in a city which thrived with glitter.” It was interesting since when you hear glitter a lot of people assume shiny and glamorous which some people would describe California as glamorous. This indicating that the Rodriguez family has entered a new glamorous area where they didn’t feel they belonged in this society , because they were constantly ignored or pushed towards the side .
DeleteI like how you tell the story in your perspective and analyze the obstacles Rodriguez faced throughout the story. I also agree on the discrimination he and his family endured. The family experienced poverty and discrimination throughout the story because of his color. You also throw in other elements such as title and present elements that only support what you describe. This actually can connect to the title as well, they are always running from problems and never progress from it. Bearing in mind he has experienced a rough childhood with his family, it would make sense he would be introduced to a gang later on in the movie. Not only some of the kids were rough on him in school, but the teachers were also ignoring and not considering Rodriguez. The teachers would make him step to the side to play with blocks instead of attempting to teach him. The segregation and assault that was brought to his life lead up with him getting himself involved in a gang. This demonstrating that the Rodriguez family has entered a new area where they didn’t feel welcomed in the society because they were continually ignored and pushed towards the side where they would not fulfill their dreams.
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ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of the book “Always Running”, by Luis Rodriguez, the author gives the reader many hints of why his family ended up in the “barrios”. For instance, Luis’ father says “ I’ll never go back to mexico” and “ I’d rather starve here. You want to stay with me, it has to be in Los Angeles. Otherwise, go.” (page 1) This passage reveals to us that his family came to the United States from Mexico, in search for a better life. However, we later see that they could never find a home to settle in for a long time. Just because Luis’ dad was a principal in Mexico, it doesn't mean that they were going to be stable here. Overall, financial instability and their race was the main reason why they ended up in the “barrios”. When the neighborhood was described as “incubators of rebellion”, it gave off a negative connotation. Many looked at Mexicans with hasty generalizations, with most of them being poor, and in gangs. Luis found to surround himself with other kids just like him, and even some trouble makers. This set the foundation for Luis being “always running” because the society and conditions he was living in made him be in a gang to protect his family. This situation is relevant today because even still, many immigrants come to the United States, scared of what can happen that they eventually do anything they can to protect their life while living under the shadows.
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ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running" by Luis Rodriguez, he gives a quick preview of his life as a little boy growing up in el barrio. His family was always on the low income side and once moving up to Los Angeles where railroads and rivers separated whites from Mexicans, it would then shape a young boy's personality. That boy being Luis.
ReplyDeleteThe neighborhoods Luis and his family move around to are known to them as "incubators of rebellion" and it is called that for many reasons. Such as those neighborhoods are trouble or poor looking compared to those the whites live in. He compared the housing of the whites how and how he was "afraid to touch anything" comparing back to his home city with "goat smells" and "grassless yards"(23).
Luis then told stories of some of the neighborhood kids how they would beat him and his brother Rano. Showing how rough they grew up without anyone but themselves by their side especially Luis. Even education wise they couldn't learn anything because of their poor english speaking skills. "It forced me to be more withdrawn," his environment outside and inside of school was the same. No attention. No one who cared.
I feel as Luis grows up throughout the book he will be engaged in a gang. Since all he ever grew up around with was isolation and violence from his own family and others.
Many may relate to this now, since there are many families outside of the country possibly going through the same experiences as the Rodriguez family. The type of environment you live around may shape who you are if you let it.
DeleteI like your perspective among your interpretation and prediction with the character of Luis. Considering he has experienced a rough childhood, it would seem most likely that he would be introduced to a gang later on in his life The fact that you bring up the story of what had happened to Luis and his brother Rano how they would get beat up, supports your claim on it wouldn't be surprising if Luis were to engage in a gang. It gave me a different perspective on how Luis would become later on. I assumed he would of wanted a change in his life, to view it from a different point of view, a more positive one considering he had all this negativity in his life as a kid but your interpretation would seem the more realistic thing to happen because it is all he knows. Not only were the kids rough on him but even including the education system how the teachers would not even consider him. The teachers would set him off to the side to play with blocks instead of even making an attempt to teach him. The isolation and violence that was brought to his life all would lead up to your prediction with him getting himself involved in a gang.
The opening chapter of "Always Running" gives an extremely vivid detail of Luis Rodriguez's early life as an Immigrant child. The author's description of his Father's thoughts on leaving Mexico sets up the lengthy and troublesome future that Luis will soon have to endure in LA.
ReplyDeleteWhile diving further into the story there is a well established theme of poverty and separation between the race and class of people, Luis's neighborhood or the "Incubators of Rebellion" only reinforces that already existing negative aspect of life that Luis will have to concern himself with.
Along with this Luis finds himself with some additional "troublesome" company when he comes into affiliation with a gang. Luis's story, surroundings, and societal belief sets him up to join this gang as it offers some things that Luis has never really experienced, support, family, and the sense of relating to somebody. As insincere and seemingly harmless as this small gang sounds, it has the opportunity to sprout into something unimaginably dangerous and extremely detrimental. The direction that society tags him with based on his upbringings sets him up in yet another assumption and classification until Luis either finds a way to alter his path or fulfill the destiny that society has placed for him, although based on the novel's title, it can be assumed that Luis has changed his path, and has been and always will be running from the systematical categorization that society will try to chain him to.
In short terms,the relativity exists as long as separation exists,
as then we will never be one, but we will always be running, running to satisfy one side or the other.
In the first chapter of “Always Running,” by Luis J. Rodriguez, the author refers back to his past as he explains his journey that led him to end up in the barrios of Los Angeles. To begin the novel, a bit of family history and their relationships toward one another is introduced. It is discovered that his father was a principal of a local highschool, but had enemies that tried to remove him (page 15). Although the author’s mom wanted to stay in Mexico, she believed she had no hope in raising three children by herself. Throughout the chapter, the family has moved because of financial problems and discrimination against them. Due to this, they ended up in a neighborhoods that were referred to as “incubators of rebellion.” In these neighborhoods, children began to rebel against the law. These neighborhoods were often dangerous and dirty and in these neighborhoods, Luis meets his friends Jaime, Gabriela, and Earl (page 28). He begins to get affiliated with these troublesome kids because he felt he needed to protect his family and himself. As the chapter goes on, Luis changes his lifestyle multiple times since his family had to continually move to “new environments” (page 31). Although he moves many times, he stayed to be troublesome because he needed to feel superior and stronger than other kids so he would not get picked on. “Always Running” is a good choice of title since racial prejudice, social interactions, and family were big parts in the changes of his life that caused them to always be on the move. Finally, this relates to situations of today because many immigrants want to start new lives. They move to the United States to better themselves and their family. Along the way, immigrants receive setbacks that come from racism, financial instability, and adjusting to the environment in general.
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DeleteI agree with the you on the discrimination that Luis and his family endured due to their ethnicity as well as their financial issues. The family very much experienced the hardships of poverty and the lack of opportunity for People of Color, and overall minority communities. Although, I don't quite understand your interpretation of the "incubators of rebellion". Why do you believe that Luis felt the need to rebel against the law and what laws were they rebelling against? I think it might be due to the social restrictions created for minorities and the lack of opportunity provided due to their status here in the United States. Lack of work opportunity leads people to look for different ways to come up with money.
DeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running", the author Luis J. Rodriguez gives the readers an insight of events in his early years and how his family ends up in the "barrios" of East Los Angeles. To begin with, the author mentions how his dad was determined to find a job to support his family financially, but his ability to keep his job in the working industry was lacking. To add on, the family's race and society ranking played a big role when they had to keep moving from one place to another. On page 34, Rodriguez mentions how miserable his mom would be if she left back to Mexico because being a woman whom is always sick and having to work while taking care of her four children would not help the situation. When the neighborhoods is described as “incubators of rebellion”, it enforces a negative overtone because it shows how unwelcoming society is to people like his family. Within the neighborhood, it has been difficult for Luis to become involved in friendships at school because he could not speak english entirely well as others could, but he met a kid named Earl who was known for getting into trouble. Based on the title of the book, this sets the stage for the rest of his life because being a child surrounded by poverty and troubles, he never figured out a way to help himself build a better life. Therefore, the only life that he has ever known is the one where he considers himself to “just a ball”. To conclude, this situation is still relevant today because there are many families who face poverty and that causes them to keep moving to their next destination as they try to find a home in a welcoming society.
ReplyDeleteThe Rodriguez family decided to leave Mexico and move to the United States in order to escape the injustices Luis' father, Alfonso, was unfairly accused and served for. They ended up in the "barrios" since the area they stayed in did not provide shelters for the homeless, and it was difficult to find a well-paying job for their non-recognized credentials. In my opinion, “incubators of rebellion” means spawn of a violently resisting force. When a neighborhood is described as such, it means it’s a battle of “”superiority,” where whites intend to stay on top, doing whatever it takes to stay there. It was tough for Luis to acquire friends due to the neighboring kids always bullying him, his slight inability to speak English, and the constant repetitive process of moving made it a burden so. Although there was a lot of conflicting forces, he made a few friends like Jaime and Earl. Based on the title of the book, “Always Running,” Luis’ life will be a never-ending “running” from challenges he comes up to face. Once due to his inability to speak up, he continued to hold his pee and eventually peed himself to the point where he was either sent home or to the office. This situation is still relevant to this day because there are still some people who are “always running” away from their problems—away from necessary conflict in order to grow as the person they’re destined to become.
ReplyDeleteTo start off i really like how the first sentence gives the details of why the family is leaving Mexico and going to the U.S. I also like of using the fathers reason of leaving. The setting that you provided is really good in my opinion because you gave details like " did not provide shelter for the homeless.". That does show the setting to rough dirty and dangers. To add on what you what you said about " incubators of rebellion " i like the perspective that you took and i didn't see it like that but its a good side to see it. When you talked about how white people are above the society i feel you should use an example of it and how it was use to show how whites are on top. Also the way you talked about louis past you nice and how you showed how difficult his past was especially him getting friends and his english. Also the way you used the book title as an example is really great. I like that you said that Louis will run away from his probably whenever they appear. Also the example you used about today and how people who are growing up are they become destined they become.
DeleteLuis and his family end up in the ghetto because they come from Mexico and starting off from the bottom there isn't much they can afford. The neighborhood that he lives in is described as "incubators of rebellion" I believe this means that those people in that area are being contained from the rest of the other neighborhoods based on the stereotypical ideas of them being bad or cold blooded criminals so it's best to keep them closed in with their rebellion lifestyle to "protect " everyone else. For this reason ,people get the mind set that they probably are bad people and begin to do the things society thinks they do. Because of this Luis gets involved with the gang life in his neighborhood and hangs with people who are a bad influence to him. This sets the stage for more to come in his life and the title "always running " because he's going to constantly make mistakes that will continuously get him in trouble. This situation is still relevant today because many kids and people who grow up in poorer or "ghetto" areas like LA still act up and become brainwashed that this is the life they're supposed to live and there isn't no other way than the gang life.
ReplyDeleteI love your meaning of "incubators of rebellion" because i do agree that some neighborhoods are based off of stereotypical ideas. When you mention that "it's best to keep them closed in with their rebellion lifestyle to protect everyone else", did you mean that it would be best if those people were isolated from everyone else? What i had thought was, it was best to keep them closed in with their rebellion lifestyle to protect themselves from everyone else. In the opening scene it shows how Luis's family live in the ghetto and how it affects him personally because of all the gang related things surrounding him. In what ways have Luis got involved with gang life in his neighborhoods and who were a bad influence on him? Your perspective on how this situation is still relevant today is very unique because you mention how kids get brainwashed to live the way they are supposed to than living the way they want to. To add on, i believe that your writing is very good, but could you some work with providing textual evidence from the source. By doing so, it gives the audience a better understanding of what is going on or what you are trying to say.
DeleteIn the first chapter of the story “Always Running” , the author Luis Rodriguez recalls a time where his family was moving from place to place until they settled in a home in the “barrios”. The reason for all this moving is because the family was not financially stable at the time and they didn't have the best luck when looking for jobs. It was difficult to look for jobs in the U.S. because although Luis’ father had an education in teaching and became a principal at a high school in Mexico, that sort of education didn't exactly check out in the U.S. Also the mother could not find a decent job because of her English and her inexperience. When the neighborhood is described as “ incubators of rebellion” it means that that neighborhood has a certain reputation that isn't the best. It's almost as if the neighborhood is some kind of illness that the people don't want to get. Incubators in general are a enclosed apparatus that causes a controlled environment for premature babies when they are born. So maybe people just label this neighborhood a certain way to contain a certain type of culture or race. In this neighborhood Luis gets involved with a group of kids at school that make a gang for themselves. This sets the stage for the rest of his life because the way that Luis describes being in a gang is to always get into some kind of trouble. Sometimes when people get into trouble they try to find a way out of it or ignore it. This is when the title of the book can come in because since he gets into a lot of trouble with the gang he is affiliated with which may cause him to always run away from the troubles he faces. This type of situation is relevant today because many people today try to look for a place of belonging. They want to have support and care in their lives and the way they do that is to join a certain clique. Sometimes the certain clique they get into may seem to care for them but in reality it could turn out completely different.
ReplyDeleteIn the first chapter of “Always Running” by Luis Rodriguez, Luis explains that his family ended up in the barrios after his family came to the United States from Mexico due to hatred towards his father (Pages 14-15). Racial discrimination often led to segregation, as Luis talks about how Mexicans are treated outside of his primarily Hispanic community. The neighborhoods being described as “incubators of rebellion” leads me to infer that there was lots of backlash and hatred in these communities, making the minority population, especially children, wanting to rebel. In the neighborhood, Luis becomes involved with boys similar to himself, in the aspect that they are poor, Mexican, and disobedient, according to page 28. This sets the stage for the rest of his life as he becomes affiliated with people who have nothing and find pleasure in causing trouble and discomfort to others. This connects to the title, Always Running, because Luis will have to often find himself fleeing situations if he is out with troublemakers. This situation is still relevant today as there are large gaps between different racial and economic classes. This separation can lead to those living in poverty joining gangs and such, as they only have the influence of others that do the same. Higher class citizens are less commonly gang involved yet the division between different classes and races results in the same type of people joining gangs.
ReplyDeleteOverall, I liked your analysis. Although, I was confused on what you meant on "outside of his primarily Hispanic community." I agree with your definition of "incubators of rebellion," but why did you only focus on the minority group? Is it because they are treated much more worse compared to others? Also, I don't think I read anywhere that "boys like Luis," which are Jaime and Earl, are poor. Did you assume that they were because they'd have more similarities as such? I totally agree with you that the minority groups tend to rebel a lot more. I liked how you connected what Luis is going through to the events taking place to this day. I also liked how you included a brief elaboration of the current situations happening today. But I'm confused on why you related gangs. Is it because the book also revolves around gangs? Also, wouldn't you assume that the higher class people are the ones forming and organizing gangs, due to the reason why they are the higher ups? Connecting to the minority groups rebelling, which is why they join gangs? Or would you think that they join gangs for the sole purpose of economic reasons? I think you correctly grasped the concept.
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ReplyDeleteIn the first chapter of “Always Running” by Luis Rodriguez , we get a visual of Luis’ family and their relationships . The relationships they have with each other is one of the many reasons why the family ends up in the “barrios” . For example , “ Dad became determined to escape to the United States . My mother, on the other hand never wanted to leave Mexico; she did it to be with Dad.” (PAGE 15 ) Luis’ father had many enemies in Mexico and knew he had to leave before things got worse . In Mexico, Alfonso was a principal and involved in a “six-month study program for foreign teachers”. However , now in East LA he is struggling to keep a job , since his bachelor's doesn’t mean anything to the educational system. Luis’ family are constantly on the move which can indicate their instability is one of the reasons how the family ends up in the ghetto . On another note ,when they went to the park they struggled with finding a seat and when they did a woman came up to them and said , “ You don’t belong here ! Understand ? This is not your country !”
( PAGE 19) This right here shows us that people are not very accepting to people that are not their race . To continue , when I hear the words “incubators of rebellion” I feel that it means the neighbors where the one who ignited the fire of the rebellion that has slowly started to occur . In addition, the word incubator means enclosed apparatus providing a controlled environment for the care and protection of premature which is the opposite vibe the neighborhood is presenting. Luis at first is to himself ,eventually he makes a friend with Jamie and Earl.They would ventured out to the 103rd Street ,”by factories and railroad tracks playing dirt war with other kids .” (PAGE 29) Based on the title of the book , “ Always Running” suggests constantly moving and adapting to new communities that are not always welcoming of their race. This situation is relevant today since many people are not financially stable and have to find work in new areas they aren’t familiar with .
To begin with, I really like your analysis on why race and instability play a major role in this novel. Your evidence and reasoning on these topics allowed me to gain a greater perspective on the characters. As the story continues, I believe that these topics will remain relevant and will justify their actions. I also find your analysis on “incubators of rebellion” really interesting and I like how you drew a connection between the definition of an incubator and the neighborhood. Your interpretation for “Incubators of rebellion” was different than mine for the reason that I only based my analysis on the neighborhoods while you took into consideration the neighbors. I believe that your justification could have been stronger if you would have elaborated your statement, “The neighbors where the one who ignited the fire of the rebellion that has slowly started to occur”. I am a little unclear about what your analysis means in regards to the opening chapter however, I do believe that your reasoning will perfectly justify the effect that a poor, or ghetto, neighborhood can have on a person. Your examination for the title of the book complements your reasoning on why the Rodriguez family ended up in the ghetto and shows the consistency that you maintained throughout your blog.
DeleteIn the first chapter of “Always Running,” by Luis J. Rodriguez recalls the memories of his family at different times in the past was moving place to place until they end up in the “barrios” of Los Angeles. In the beginning, he mentions how his dad was having job to support the family, but there was always someone wanted to remove him (page 15). Then how his family ends up in discrimination and financial problems throughout the chapter when they moved place to place. When the neighborhood is described as “incubators of rebellion” means that everyone tried to against or picked out their family going with the strong rebellion. Later on, Luis become involved with in the neighborhood when he meets his friend Jaime, Gabriela, and Earl (page 28). This sets the stage for the rest of his life because of how he wants to protect himself and his family by being “stronger” and can’t let anyone take him down when he states “so much instability, of dreams achieved and the shattered, of a silence within the walls of my body, of being turned on, beaten, belittled and pushed aside; forgotten and unimportant” (page 33). Therefore, he considers himself as a ball, “bouncing in and out”. To conclude, this situation is relevant today because there are families that facing poverty and discrimination and they just want a welcoming society to live.
ReplyDeleteIn the the first chapter of "Always Running", Luis Rodriguez takes us on his journey of how he and his family ended up in the "ghetto. They started off in Mexico where we found out that Luis' dad was a former high school principal but had too many enemies who wanted him out because "being a high school principal is a powerful position..." (p.15) So his father decided after he got out of prison that he would move to the United States and Luis' mother followed because she wanted to be with him. Out in the United States they had a rude awaking when they found out that his fathers education would not get him the job he expected so they had to settle for what they could get and that was a place in the "ghetto". To me when the neighborhood gets called the "incubators of rebellion" means that society has decided to keep them closed off to the world because of the stereotypical way that they think of them as criminals and horrible people. Because of this Luis gets involved with gangs and people who influence him to do bad things. The title "Always Running" relates to this because Luis will constantly be getting in trouble and having to run away from the law. I think this situation is still relevant to today's world because kids who are raised in less fortunate situations than others are tempted or feel obligated to do something to be able to help their families and sometimes doing the right thing is not always the easiest way.
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DeleteI like how you related the "incubators of rebellion" to society, I actually thought of it more in the way of the kids being brought into gangs. When I read the word "incubator" I think of those boxes that are used to kind of guard the eggs of a bird before they hatch. I related that to an enclosed community which is the "ghetto" in this case. Maybe a lot of the kids that assume they're going to become gang-affiliated actually have a lot more potential to be something bigger. Although, they feel as if they are forced to become something they don't really want to be because of peer pressure or maybe even just the fact that their family might be disappointed. As for the title I completely agree with the perspective you got from it, I believe he is running away from some type of authority because of some trouble he has caused. It's not a good thing to just assume but he is most likely bound to be involved with some sort of violence or just defying laws or the authority. I also enjoyed your perspective on how it relates to today because it's true many children in families do think they have an obligation to help out their families no matter what the circumstances are. The fact of the matter is that there is probably millions of other alternatives that they could do to help out their family but then again it's about the culture of the family. If they are mostly gang related members in the family then they only expect Luis Rodriguez to become the same as them.
DeleteI agree with you on how you explain “incubators of rebellion”. I also agree with you on how you explain the title. To me “incubators of rebellion” means that everyone tried to against or picked out Luis’s family going with the strong rebellion. To be more specific “incubators” can be represented as the neighborhood when Luis’s family tried to move place to place to find a welcoming society instead of being discriminated, picked out and faced the problem of poverty. “Rebellion” here just makes this phrase more stronger in order to make the audience feel that how “strong” the neighborhood treated Luis’s family. I love how you predict the meaning of the title and it might be related to the book later one. In my opinion, the title “Always Running” means Luis later one in the book he will always run from the law because he did so many bad things that causes him in trouble but it also a way to protect himself and his family. However, it can also means that his family have to run place to place to find a home because the society abandoned them because they are different. It it true that kids who are raised in less fortunate situations always want to change their family in any ways and sometimes it just not the right things.
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ReplyDeleteIn Luis Rodriguez’s autobiography, “Always Running”, the first chapter opens with his first memory of the barrios. His imagery paints a picture that shows what the rest of his life will be like. Rodriguez has been exposed to discrimination, isolation and violence at a young age, and that foreshadows as something that haunts him as he grows up. No matter what he does, the world will always be unjust, so the best he can do is run. Run away from the bullies on bicycles that beat him and his brother up for no reason at all. Run away from teachers that completely neglected him and his language barrier and just let him play with building blocks in the corner. Run away from all bad events in his life, only to find himself encountering new, worse ones.
ReplyDeleteHaving such early vulnerability to these elements is what spikes his rebellious spirit. Living in the barrios were the “incubators of rebellion” for Luis, everything he experienced caused him to go against the society that has treated him so wrongly. Living the “cholo” life he goes into as the book processes, is a way to rebel against society and its conservative thinking, discriminating Luis and his family. The disapproval of Rodriguez’s ethnicity drives his going against society, since he disagrees with society’s acceptance of racism, isolation, discrimination, and violence.
After reading your take on the questions, I found it interesting how you connected the "running" from the title to the idea that Luis' only solution is to run away. Do you think there could be other mechanisms he could use to deal with his problems other than running from them? I don't really understand what you mean when you say "society's acceptance of racism," because the society on the other side of Watts was not accepting of the latino community. I can see where your interpretation of the "incubators of rebellion" can be depicted. Within the first chapter, Rodriguez tells us how there is a clear separation between the "aliens" and those who are born U.S citizens which are mainly caucasian. Those living in the ghetto are considered rebels because they are entering the U.S as immigrants. Overall, I think you have a good analysis and understanding of the first chapter.
DeleteIn the opening chapter "Always Running" an autobiography written by Luis Rodriguez talks about his child hood at just nine years old. In the beginning his family is in a car yet they are all separated. His parents are in the front of the car arguing about them staying in Los Angeles or leaving to Mexico. They always end up in the “ghetto" no matter what or how hard they tried. When everything seemed to be falling apart his father got a job as a substitute teacher at Taft high school they moved to a middle class white neighborhood. “He was like a starving man in a candy store” he wrote about his father but why would he not feel this way if he finally got the American dream. His father then got fired from his job due to it not being a permanent positon and the white children of course not learning anything because of his “Accent”, once more they are left going back to the ghetto. The neighborhood they live in is considered an “incubator of rebellion” due to them growing away from the protection they once had. An incubator is an enclosed apparatus providing a controlled environment for the care and protection of children from the outside world. Just as the children in that area they no longer want the protection or if they ever had any to begin with they start to rebel and believe they can create their own “protection” when all they create are problems. Luis becomes involved with Earl who is not going through the correct path causing problems at school and causing Luis to take fault for the problem he caused at school. Earl goes to Luis house and tells him “This is for taking the rap today” he rewards him a new set of marbles for keeping his mouth shut. Yet Luis sees this action as if he had earned a new friend, this builds an argument that he will keep quiet or do something for something in return or let alone for the feeling of not being alone. This still relates to today’s society in the way that some people still feel lost trying to be found no matter what the cost is. Even what people believe to see their will always be someone else to contradict you and make you feel like you need to fill up that void with whatever you can find and that is what Luis is trying to do by hiding the instability and loneliness he has.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning chapter of "Always Running", Luis's family ends up in the barrios due to the misinterpretation of what America held for the immigrants and minorities of that time. Luis's father stated "I'll never go back to Mexico" because he believed it held more opportunity for him than Mexico did and thought it would be easier to work his way up to a satisfying life. He had the credentials for a great life but knew he was underappreciated in Mexico while thinking he could do great in America. I believe that the neighborhood described as "incubators of rebellion" represents the population of minorities going against what others think of them by working hard and trying to achieve more. This intro sets the stage for the rest of his life because he ends up always staying in the same low class while moving houses and locations very frequently, which represents the title, "Always Running'. This situation is relevant today because people are still in this same situation today. This book sheds light unto the overlooked, hard life of a family that are stuck in repeating cycles of poverty, either for relatability or people unaware of this problem.
ReplyDelete-Nathan Ocampo
DeleteIn the first chapter of " Always running" the author Luis Rodriguez tells us his story of when he had to move to the ghettos in East Los Angles from Mexico as a child because of the enemies his father had to deal with (page 15). To me the phrase " Incubator of rebellion" depicts the image for the sense of proud will they had to rebel certain ideals during the time. Around his neighborhood he finds a group of others who deal with problems of their own and he feels more welcome in there presence because they understand him more then blood does and ends up calling them his group or family (page 28). Based on the title of the book, " Always Running" it refers to more then just a physical sense in this case. It represents his journey of how he felt always pushed. During Luis time gangs were a heavy part of the culture and even now we do have the same sense of bonds that run thicker then blood just not as hardcore as this time and I believe that it's a good thing to have a place as a sense of belonging even with the cons there is also a good amount of pros.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your way of seeing this first chapter. I am a little confused on what you meant about "incubators of rebellion”, what I got from it is that Luis and his family are proud to have to rebel against certain things. The way you said the title means his journey that he has taken his whole life really made sense and I never thought about it that way. I think the title also does hold a literal sense to just as much as the sense of representing his life journey because sometimes being involved with the wrong crowd will end up with someone in trouble or someone running away from trouble. Also when you talked about the relationships and the bond that blood runs thicker than water I agree that does really relate a lot to our time because many people nowadays go to there friends or people that they consider family with their problems or just for a sense of security. There is also another saying that i have heard a lot growing up which is an outsider will be there before your own family. That is true not all the time of course but sometimes and I believe that's how Luis saw it. He was in a hard time with nobody to really be there for him so he confined in the outsiders who were there. So overall you really gave me a new sense on how to think about the first chapter.
DeleteIn Luis Rodriguez's autobiography, "Always Running", he rewinds to the top of memory lane and the various events that occurred in his life living in the "ghetto". Rodriguez's family were immigrants from Chihuahua, Juarez, that wounded up in L.A. with the only people they fit in with, the Mexicans in the "ghetto". Being a Mexican it was difficult for them to find a stable job that paid really good so his parents can support him and his sibling. To add on, the relationship and characteristics of his parents were very distinct which played a huge role on the type of individual Luis Rodriguez came out to be. For example, when Rodriguez states, "Dad became determined to escape the United States. My mom on the other hand never wanted to leave Mexico; she did it to be with my Dad." (pg 15) Here it is evident that his mom is very loyal to her husband and would do anything to be with him. On the other hand, his dad probably didn't consider the feelings of his wife and where she wanted to live. Living in the type of neighborhood Luis Rodriguez's family moved into, it was the stereotypical gang neighborhood. Therefore it was thought that Luis Rodriguez himself would grow into that lifestyle. When hearing the words, "incubators of rebellion", I think if children who rebel. The word incubators makes me think of an isolated group of young kids and "of rebellion" meaning that they are rebelling against what is said to be the right thing. I believe the title, " Always Running" portrays that Luis Rodriguez will become apart of those gangs in the community and therefore means he will always on the run for have been doing something bad. This is relevant to today because many times a child learns the different perspectives of loving life from the type of people they are surrounded by and results into them becoming into the person they learned from.
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ReplyDeleteIn the first chapter of "Always Running" by Luis Rodriguez, He describes his current situation of being in a car with his family about to leave L.A. and go back to Mexico. He then begins to recall the events which led to his current situation. He starts to tell his story by talking about when his family moved from Ciudad Juarez to Los Angeles when he was two years old. When they finally managed to get into the U.S., they ended up in Watts which was considered the ghetto. On page 17, Rodriguez describes the Watts as, "a ghetto where country and city mixed." When Rodriguez describes his neighborhood as "incubators of rebellion", I see it as him describing the will of the Mexican people to achieve the "American Dream", which is the reason most people immigrated to America. Throughout the story, Luis becomes involved with two other kids, named Jaime and Earl. Jaime was a kid who had lost his arm as a toddler and Earl was a classmate of Luis who had pinned the blame of pulling a girl's hair on Luis which led him to get detention. Based on the title of the book, meeting these other kids sets the stage for the rest of his life as they helped him feel happy regardless of his family situation but always ran away from his problems and took refuge with his newfound friends. This can be seen on page 29 as he recalls the times when he would spend time with everyone and tell stories, as his final line is "We laughed." This is still relevant today as many kids and teens rely on their friends rather than their parents, for almost all of their problems.
ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running", Luis J. Rodriguez begins his narrative by describing his family history with imagery. To begin with he explains that his father was a principle of Mexico and his mother was a school secretary, but neither of his parents are able to find employment in the U.S. The unstable employment assembles Rodriguez's description of his childhood. Rodriguez reminisces of moving often because of the family's financial problem, feeling discriminated because of his ethnicity and lastly being pushed away for speaking Spanish in his school. To add on, Rodriguez describes his neighborhood as "incubators of rebellion", which implements a negative tone because it shows how excluded society is to his family. Furthermore, on page 33 it states, "so much instability, of dreams achieved and the shattered, of a silence within the walls of my body, of being turned on, beaten, belittled and pushed aside; forgotten and unimportant”, which represents how he wants to protect himself and his family by being “stronger." Therefore, he considers himself as a ball, "bouncing in" and "bouncing out." To conclude, this situation is relevant today and many families who face poverty. This has caused families to move destinations and all they want is to find a home with a welcoming society.
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ReplyDeleteLuis family ends up in the ghetto because his family wanted to escape from Mexico and the charges his father faced. They had no other choice than to be in the ghetto because it was all they could afford. In the third paragraph Luis father states "I'll never go back to Mexico, is rather starve here... it has to be in Los Angeles otherwise go" This was a last resort for them. Incubator of rebellion to me means, people that are on the inside pushing out the rwbels, or the unwanted. The unwanted being Luis and his family, they can be seen as rebels because of the way they live, it is so unnatural to the others in the community. Luis associates himself with a kid named Earl which is a not so good influence. Earl greeted him with "This is for taking the rap,today man" earl is a bad influence on Luis if earl is making Luis take blames. This sets the stage for his life because these are the people he will only be able to connect and affiliate with. Luis will be always running from these types of influences hoping for a better life. This situation is relevant to today, in the way that we are also trapped in cities or towns where we can only affiliate ourselves with the same type of people. People move away from their hometowns to get a new life and a new perspective of life, they find new people that are unlike them and people strive in those conditions more than when surrounded by the same type of people.
ReplyDeleteI like how you explain that Luis is seen as a rebel because it is "unnatural" to the white families of where he lives. Luis' family and himself are really not a danger or threat to anyone but it may appear that way and they can be labelled as rebels just because they're different. That is why the majority of the neighborhood want the family out. I also am intrigued with the concept of Luis not only running from his situation but to a "better life". I like that idea of him having a goal of where to be along with trying to get away. I lastly agree with your idea of getting trapped in a hometown where you only hang out around the same people, especially that it could work against you sometimes.
DeleteIn Luis Rodriguez’, “Always Running”, the autobiography begins with a memory of Luis and his family trying to leaving the “ghetto”. But as the novel proceeds, it is described how Luis and his family always ended up in “barrios” because of problems such as financial instability and race issues. Luis states, “When I was two years old, our family left Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, for Los Angeles.” foreshadowing that they were in pursuit of a better life(Page 14). However, coming to the states was not the turn over they were hoping for. Here, because they were struggling economically, they were always on the move, never really being able to settle down and adapt.
ReplyDeleteTheir neighborhoods are referred to as “incubators of rebellion” due to fact that they and many other families like them are being seen as the enemy, as the outsiders. They are trying to be contained as if they were animals and overall being alienated from the “white” population. Whilst living in Watts, Luis becomes involved with a group of kids who are similar to him. It is said, “ On days like that Rano, Jaime, Earl, and I ventured out onto the “third,”... Other times we played on rooftops and told stories.”(Page 29). The fact that they bonded so well together shows that Luis can easily become affiliated with people who feel lost in life, therefore hinting at the fact that he will joining a gang in the future in order to feel connected. The title of the book, “Always Running” connects to his life because it shows that Luis will always have be weaving his way out of troublesome situations. This situation is still relevant today because many people are always trying to free themselves from their problems no matter how long they have to run, as long as they can call themselves survivors they are content.
In your opening statement which mentioned foreshadowing, I was impressed with your perspective on the belief that his family was searching for a better opportunity. In fact, many families have come to the Los Angeles region looking for work, but unfortunately, living in a place like Los Angeles doesn't have the result one would hope for. I was reading your connection to his friends and I liked how you described their friendship and bondage through their similarities in backgrounds. I know from experience that we tend to connect to people who we see ourselves in. Also, your view on the correlation on the title to his life was unique in my opinion since I, somehow didn't interpret it the way you did. When I thought of a comparison, I didn't see it as running away from problems, but trying to run from his past. I depicted him trying to forget the struggles of his past, but always looking back no matter how far he got in life, but your point of view did let me see from a new angle. Unfortunately, I didn't quite understand what you meant by "many people are always trying to free themselves from their problems no matter how long they have to run, as long as they can call themselves survivors they are content." I understood it as people can't avoid having problems, but they still try getting away, yet the confusing part is what do you mean to consider one's self a "survivor" and how can it make a person "content"? In my belief, it is not possible to officially get rid of a problem since events which are tragic tend to stay with us, so I do not think people really overcome their problems due to having to live with the memory of it every day.
Delete-Ninette Bautista
The start you have said they come to seek a better life. In my opinion i believe this is true because in my opinion i have heard stories from my parents who came from Mexico to seek a better life. One of my parents and their family did actually come from Mexico to Los Angeles to try and find a better life. in the story we see all they find is struggles and racism and the examples you used opened my eyes to see how the way they treated them. your point of view of how you saw him running away from the past then his problems really opened eyes because i did not think that way at the start. Many people do run away from their past then their problems. to me though i think its a mixture of both. the problem they acquire can bring up the past which allows them to run so much, run so far. I think your point of view was great and i enjoyed reading your blog. thank you.
DeleteIn the first chapter of " Always Running " by Luis Rodriguez he shows the family situation right at the beginning of the chapter. It illustrates that the family in the car and how the dad doesn't want to go back to Mexico. it states " I'll never go back to Mexico" ... " I would rather starve here...." this shows that the dad wants to stay at a place safer for his family. The author shows things that happened to him when he was young that made him the person he is today. In chapter one the family had a lot of problems that happened to them for example when the white women said " You don't belong here". This shows how society is looking at certain races. On page 17 describes the city " A ghetto where country and city mixed. " I feel why some people come to this country is so they can have a better future and be successful. When Luis met the two kids Jamie and Earl and how Earl blamed louis of pulling a girls hair maybe foreshadowing that he we always runs away from his problems. Also he will probably use his friends as an outlet than his parents for help
ReplyDeleteIn Luis Rodriguez’s autobiography, “Always Running”, he gives a vivid insight on earliest memories living in the “ghetto”. Rodriguez’s family immigrated from Chihuahua, Juarez, where his father was principal until he “faced a pile of criminal charges, including the alleged stealing of school funds” (pg. 15). Once his father was found innocent, he was determined to flee to the United States and his devoted wife, also the mother of his four children, would follow him and be at his side. Being Hispanic during that time in L.A., difficulties soon struck. Difficulties such as being financially unstable, violence, discrimination, and not having a stable job. Also, Rodriguez had to cope with the fact that his parents never got along. His mother was always weeping to head back home to Mexico, and his father never showing emotion, he would never go back to Mexico, “[He would] rather starve here” (pg.13) than to go back to Mexico. But none the less, his wife is loyal and devoted to him. Luis Rodriguez’s family constantly moved from place to place, never having a stable place to call home. He and his brother sought refuge on the streets along with “troublesome” friends. Growing up in conditions like these, I would predict that “incubators of rebellion” is this isolated group that is growing in a rebellious environment in what we perceive as “wrong”. In this case, the isolated group would be the most influential: children. As for the title, “Always Running”, I believe it is a representation of Luis Rodriguez’s journey in life. He is constantly running, trying to find a stable home and not just being “a ball. Bouncing outside. Bouncing inside. Whatever” (pg.34). He is running, trying to find his place. This is relevant to today because it describes the society we have today. It is children trying to find their place, their stability, their but are influenced by those around them, and by the environment they live in.
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ReplyDeleteLuis and his family had a tough past. Coming to Los Angeles was a way for them to grow but as they got here soon they realized it is not great. The income was a problem and was one reason why they wanted to go back except the father. The father felt it was better to stay while the mom felt way more confortable back in her home town in Mexico. The mom had to go through so much racial problems, for example a day at the park with her kids a white American woman told her to get up and leave that she id not belong here. Luis too had problems finding friends and often would leave class early because he felt unwelcome due to him not to being able to speak English. So the mom was tired of it so she wanted to leave but soon realized her being sick and taking care of 4 children would be hard she decides to stay with the dad in Los Angeles but since the income is low they are forced to leave in the Barrio. The phrase "incubator of rebellion" tells me that they discriminated them and thought they were people in need that no matter what they rebelled against. We see this happenings teachers don't even want children in there classrooms that cant speak english and are forced to tell them that they can't speak their own language or eve be Mexican. Luis always had trouble making freinds since recant talk but he had his brother towards the end including2 other boys who he felt a little more comfortable. Always running to me from the first chapter that his whole life he felt like ab ll and that they always bounce always go. He feels like he's alway running from society from his seperation of his parents and soon maybe problems in gangs. This is relevant today because kids who don't feel welcome will think the best thing its find somewhere they do and that can usually be a gang.
ReplyDeleteI like your perspective on Luis’ family’s issues. Try to include quotes along your statements on the book so I as a reader can further visualize an image of state of where they are or may feel towards their tone. Other than that I enjoyed where you showed the way his mom felt about the situation. How she was tired of what was occurring to herself and her own children of how they were being discriminated. For example, like the neighborhood kids and even the own school they attended to help them learn at least English. I also want to agree on your point where you stated that some teachers, not all, are not willing to help those who speak a different language or want them in their class because they cannot communicate with the common language like others. I currently saw this on social media, of a white male teacher scolding a minority because they were unable to speak English and told him to “Go back where you speak Spanish if you don’t want to speak English!” I can also agree with your predication of his future of joining a gang. Like how you said the separation of his parents and always running from society brings him to isolation from those who are supposed to be guiding him to the right path, but instead it’s leading to a bad one.
DeleteIn the first chapter of "Always Running," the author Luis Rodriguez gives us an insight of his life growing up with social and economic struggles that impacted adolescent gang members. Luis and his family start off in his mother's homeland, Mexico. "... but all indications pointed to our going back to the land of her birth, to her red Earth, her Mexico." (pg.14) Luis recalls when his father had children with multiple women, but to his mother, that was the only love she's ever known." She was an emotionally charged, border woman, full of fire, full of pain, full of giving love. He was a stoic, unfeeling, unmoved intellectual who did as he pleased .." (pg.16) He explains how neither parent is financially stable and how he constantly had to move around because of it. It was difficult to make an honest living growing up when society is constantly discriminating his people because of their ethnicity and the primary language they speak. I believe that this situation still relates to today's society because there are people who are not able to have a decent job because of their race or the language they speak.
ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of “Always Running” by Luis Rodriguez uses imagery to describe his families history. Luis and his family ended up in the ghetto of Los Angeles because his dad was trying to escape Mexico because of the charges he was accused of, so the only way for him to start over was to move to a house that they could afford. In the third paragraph his father states, “I’ll never go back to Mexico,I rather starve here...it has to be in Los Angeles otherwise go.” This shows how determined his father was to leave Mexico a thing of the past. To me “incubators of rebellion” means the Mexican people doing whatever it takes to live the so called “American Dream” and make the most of their opportunities. Through the story Luis becomes involved with Jaime and Earl. Based on the title, meeting these kids helps him stay happy and forget about the everyday problems he is confronted with at home, his new friends are his place to run away too when home becomes to much too handle. This is relevant to today because kids would rather run from their problems and be around the people who make them happy, then too talk to their parents because they know they won’t even budge to make a change.
ReplyDeletein the opening of Luis Rodriguez' auto biography he starts it off with a memory from his past, not the earliest memory he has, but still a powerful memory to open the book with. the memory is of the Rodriguez family on their way towards union station, Luis remembers his parents arguing over how his mother wanted to move back to Mexico, while his father was headstrong on the idea of wanting to stay in the states. "Id rather starve here" is a direct quote in which Luis' father shows just how determined he is to stay in the country, he also goes as far as telling his wife that if she want's to be with him it'd have to be in the united states. The Rodriguez family was on the pursuit for a better life, since Luis was two he had memories of his family wanting to live a better life. With his fathers situation of being accused of a crime leaving him out of a job, it had made things harder for him to find work, living in the ghetto was all that they could have, and his fathers degree could not get them out of their situation. As Luis grows up in these "incubators of rebellion" he is met with children his age who are in a similar situation, with all these children being influenced by the violence and poverty of the ghettos, this path he was set onto leads him to the gang life. i believe that the title of this autobiography ties in with the life of Luis Rodriguez because he is constantly put in these situations where his only option is to run, either running mentally from a life he was led into, or running literally from the situations his life leads him to. This situation is still relevant to today because there are still many families who want to lead better lives, but with the way life is, when you start from nothing such as living in the ghettos it can be hard to build your way out of there because of the way people from an outside point of view see people from the ghettos.
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DeleteI definitely see what yo are saying, many families from Mexico and other countries come to the United States for a better life however they have to start from scratch as well as in some of probably not the best conditions like Luis's family. I personality believe this conditions still are the reasons why so many young people get stuck into gangs and bad situations because they lack the opportunities to prosper as they are seen as inferior most of the time. I understand your perspective on this as i had similar ideas to thi and as of the "incubators of rebellion" i would've liked to know what you thought of about that bu hey great job ! (:
In the first chapter of "Always Running," the author Luis Rodriguez opens up about his childhood in the ghetto. His family originally from Cuidiad Juarez, Chihuahua where his father was a high school principle but was arrested for alledly stealing school funds; But later arrested released after fighting the charges in court. Soon after he was determine to escape Mexico. They later moved to the states while birthing a child there to help create an easier citenzship. The family ends up in Watts where the majority is black people. They always end up on the move due to constant home evictions.
ReplyDeleteThe neighborhoods are described as the "incubator of rebellion," because the ghetto provides mostly a disclosed area of violence, drugs, discrimination, poverty, and much more of an environment no kid should worry about.
Luis' biggest companion and maybe aswell as his first enemy is his brother. His brother spent most of his time with Luis beating him, letting out his anger he build up from school. At times it would be too much for Luis that he even hid from him. "I recall hiding from him when he came around looking for a playmate" (21). He later begins to hang out with this kid from school named Earl; After an incident which involving Earl pulling a girl's hair but Luis taking the fault. Luis did not trust him at first, when Earl came by to visit his sister's home he did not want to come out to play with him. It relates to the title of the book because it does feel like he's always running, even as a young children. Whether it has to do with his brother, classmates or even teachers, he tries to stay to himself. Which can foreshadow his future. This situation is relevant today because it seems as if everyone now a days want to stay to themselves, no one wants to face the real world. Instead they just hid through their tiny computer screens to hide from reality.
I find it interesting that you connected the little details such as Luis running from his brother and friends, to later on tie it to the title of the book. I have to totally agree with the fact that he always seems to run even in his earliest childhood memories. Also, I believe that the description of “incubator of rebellion” plays a big factor in him always running even from an early stage in his life. Being surrounded by violence and, drugs, poverty, and discrimination, influences the minds of children. So not being able to speak the language, having to constantly move around and living in the environment he had been living in, I feel as if he felt that his only option was to run. Furthermore, I believe that your connection between the book and today’s society was accurate. Most do hide behind computer screens as a way of running, running to get away from reality and go into their own world. All in all, I agree with your interpretation of “incubator of rebellion” and found it quite fascinating the way you connected the title of the autobiography to his childhood memories. The overall interpretation of “Always Running” and the connection to today is very insightful.
DeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running" by Luis J. Rodriguez, Luis's father is portrayed as a man trying to achieve the American Dream. With one child being born "on the American side," and transitioning to legal residency, the family eventually moved into an impoverish area called Watts, due to real estate concerns. it was also one of the largest industrial concentrations, therefore people sought for work, but it was competitive. Moving to Watts was also a mandate which came from Luis's older sister, Seni.
ReplyDeleteThe term "incubators of rebellion" displays the beliefs within those who continue to see Hispanics as "aliens". Being latino was practially seen as a crime and it was believed that hispanics "dont belong"(page 20-21), which is seen both in school systems and in public parks. Clearly, the neighborhood is perceived as a "ghetto" place to live.
Luis becomes involved with Jamie and Earl, which may eventually set the stage of gang involvement between the friends. Today, children seem to be pushed towards gangs in search of a family-type of group or a brotherhood and it can be caused by problems within families that send kids towards violence.
I like the aspect that you get about the “incubators of rebellion” yet it does not only mean that they are considered “aliens” as you stated. Everyone that is a different race or culture is considered an “ALIEN” in the eyes of those of the opposite race. You have forgotten to mention that the “incubators of rebellion” is something that they are growing out of and into. Due to an incubator meaning the safety in one specific area is in a way creating a barrier to the outside world yet they are rebelling out of that. You see they are rebelling out of the safety of those who care because due to what is around them it does not seem to change unless you join them. I also agree with what you stated about his father about him following the American Dream as many due. He wrote “He was like a starving man in a candy store” located on page 31 when he describes him as if he was hungry for money for what can take him out of poverty and misery along with his family. With this quote he can describe his dad as a destructive child because he then adds that his mother was there to pick up the pieces as she always did as if she was the mother not the wife looking at every move he makes. The family moved back to where they started due to his dad getting fired from his job, “In Los Angeles, he was often no more than a laborer” he wrote showing us how you explained the way they don’t belong because society sees them one certain way.
DeleteI agree with your idea of Luis’ father being in pursuit of the American Dream. He did as many parents have done, he abandoned his childhood home, brought along his wife, and crossed the border. He did this not only to better his life, but also his childrens’. In my opinion, I think many people migrate to America looking for the American dream, but sadly end up in places where they are seen as you said, “aliens”. But I think this applies to many races, not just hispanics. So you see, I think these “incubators of rebellion” are created in various places around this country in order to keep different cultures out, not just hispanics. In addition, I agree with your statement in which you say that his friends may be the reason for his future gang involvement. Your friends have a big influence on the person you may one day become all because we want to fit in. If Luis is not receiving much attention and love at home, he will seek it out anyway he can, I know I would. We try to take the easy rode out in many situations, but sadly becoming affiliated with gangs and overall harsh violence, seems to always be the easiest and our only option.
DeleteIn chapter one of Luis J. Rodriguez's novel, "Always Running", the author begins his story by unrolling a bit of family history. Due to his family's unstable employment and his father's accusation of theft, they were forced to reside in Watts (the ghetto). His father was a principal of a local high school in Ciudad Juarez. After he lost his position, Rodriguez and his family transitioned to the United States; Gloria being born in East L.A helped make this move easier from "alien status to legal residency."
ReplyDeleteThe phrase "incubators of rebellion" reflect on the people living in the ghetto neighborhood. The word incubators could mean the houses or places that inhabit people of "rebellion". In other words, meaning a neighborhood that encompasses immigrants living in the U.S, which is considered not right. Entering school Luis becomes involved with a friend named Earl, as well as his older brother Jose. "For all this, Rano took his rage out on me," this quote highlights Luis and Jose's relationship as brothers. Both were involved in fights and faced with discrimination, and even quarrels between each other. Having confronted so much at a young age paved a path in which Luis would walk. From being jumped , oppressed, and dealing with poverty , Luis would have to learn to "run" from these things and try to succeed.
I agree, I also believe the phrase "incubators of rebellion" reflects on the people living in the ghetto. I also agree that the incubator resembles the homes of rebellious people. Usually people living in the ghetto are the most likely to get in trouble with the law, which could signify as being rebellious. I also believe the phrase is portraying the neighborhood is because the ghetto is mostly made up of violence, drugs, discrimination, and poverty environment. You also mentioned Luis being oppressed and dealing with poverty. Luis and definitely faced discrimination and poverty well living in L.A. In fact they had to move constantly due to his parents not having stable jobs, so they were always getting evicted. They later even had to move into Luis' older sister's home. Luis also been oppressed in his young life aswell. While in school he was told not to speak Spanish in class, just English. This topic is relatable to me because I've had classes where teachers would not allow their students to speak Spanish for any reason. I believe Luis' relationship with his brother Rano is really relatable till today, even with my own experience. When my brother and I were younger we both would take our anger out on each other as well. Overall I really enjoyed your perspective on this chapter.
DeleteI agree with your perspective on the "incubators of rebellion" I believe that the this phrase is towards the type of people living in the ghetto. Because the ghetto is known for more people that get into trouble. For example the ghetto is known for drugs and violence. Luis and his whole family did face a lot of discrimination through this chapter like he wasn't able to speak his native language and he did not really speak the language of the other students which was made out to be something that was bad. This cause him to not to want to speak up for anything, even something as simple as asking to use the restroom. An example for this is when Luis' mother gets called derogatory names for sitting on a park bench, and she did nothing but get up and walk away. As for the relationship between his brother I think it relates to today because there is still a lot of siblings who take their anger out on each other, whether it's about them or not. All in all I agree with your views on this chapter.
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ReplyDelete-Daryl John C. Donato
ReplyDeleteThe main reason that Luis and his family end up in the barrios is because they were never given the chance to actually settle down in East L.A., which resulted in them constantly moving around a lot. Not only that, but his father was also having difficulty in finding a job to support the family due to his credentials as a teacher not being taken seriously in America. To me, the neighborhoods being described as “incubators of rebellion” represents the resentment and bitter atmosphere that the book conveys of the barrios. Luis starts to make friends with a kid named Earl in the neighborhood; Luis took the blame for what Earl did to a girl in school and Earl went to apologize and to play with Luis later after in return. The title of the book being “Always Running” actually sets the stage for the rest of his life due to the fact that he never gets to experience the feeling of settling down in one spot; he never has the chance to rest, hence “Always Running”. Additionally, the metaphor of being a ball also symbolizes how, like a ball, he can only go wherever he is “thrown”, or guided, by whoever is in control at any point in his life. Unless there is something to stop his path, he will continue to go in the direction and influence of others, most likely for the worse. This situation is especially relevant to today because it deals with immigrants and the struggles and barriers that they face in America.
I like your perspective on "incubators of rebellion" it shows me a different view of the meaning, i did not think of this phrase as an environment. Your perspective on the title is also really good, it helped me have a better understanding of what the author was going through in life. The way that you said it set the stage for his life was great opinion, I can see how that would set Luis up for his life of constant running from problems such as “incubators of rebellion” I like how you used the metaphor of the bouncing ball and how someone has control over Luis. I can also see how Luis is being controlled whether it be by his friends, family or even his environment.These factors are things that also have control over people in the real world and i can see how there is a connection. In my perspective I see that the book is not only about immigration also about the barriers of a minority but also about the generalization they get. As well as how people are trapped in communities that turn them into a statistic and a stereotype. It seems that Luis and as well as others like him have no choice but to love in the ghetto and the barrios.
DeleteLuis Rodriguez's family past has been difficult. In just the first chapter we see how much of a challenge he and his family faces. The phrase that is used to describe the neighborhood shows how the others separated themselves from the Rodriguez family. They thought of them as different individuals who should not have been in “their country.” Throughout the first chapter, Luis’ family is treated with a lack of respect because of their race. We see an example of this when they go to a park and are asked to leave the bench they were sitting at. As Luis becomes involved with the problems that are happening within his own family it sets the stage for the rest of his life as he tries to escape what is happening. The problems begin to affect him because he doesn't think he has an opinion, no voice to be heard. We see the division between races, we see how people are going against each other because they believe that they are above everyone else simply because they are “American.” To this day we see how history will continue to repeat itself no matter what they promise to achieve in order to unite this country once in for all.
ReplyDeleteThe first chapter of Luis Rodriguez’s Always Running recounts the earliest memories of Luis' childhood in the barrios. Luis’ family end up in poverty because his family was unable to reacquire their wealth back from Mexico. This forces them into the barrios where they struggle due to the amount of violence and discrimination in Luis’ community. Through this, Luis becomes befriends a kid named Earl. Even though they had a rocky introduction, Earl provides Luis with some early comfort by playing games and sharing stories. An incubator can be thought of a place that allows growth and isolation from the outside. “Incubator of rebellion” can refer to feeling “invisible” from Los Angeles that thrived on ‘glamor’ (20). This can attribute East LA becoming a place that housed ideas that challenge the common image of Los Angeles that have deeply affected Luis and his family everyday. The title of the book itself draws questions to me. “Always Running” can refer to Luis constantly “always running” away from poverty and instability, but it can be considered that his early events had him ‘always running’ towards his gang life. He refers to himself as a “ball” that represents how his circumstances have played with him in the ups and downs of his early life. This can be seen today where many immigrants who have not have time to accumulate wealth and stability. This causes many of them, like Luis, to live in a state of poverty and are “always running” day by day to survive.
ReplyDeleteI think that your idea of the “incubator of rebellion” phrase representing the growth of Luis’ family being affected by the isolation from Los Angeles is really interesting. While I thought of it as more of a representation of bitter memories, I do see how the description of an actual incubator can figuratively apply to what Luis and his family are currently going through at this point in time. Another thing that I found rather interesting was your interpretation of the book title “Always Running”. As Luis tries to run away from poverty and instability, he ends up running towards his new gang life, which may very well have been Luis’ replacement to a structured and stable life that he never had. Also, I agree with your thoughts on how the ball representing all of Luis’ “up and down” circumstances and how it relates to today. In all honesty, the fact that this is still extremely relevant today is really unfortunate due to the book being written and published in the year 1993, which was about a decade ago. You'd think that this type of problem would've been constantly worked towards to create a solution, but it's pretty much getting worse by the day.
DeleteIn the first chapter of Luis Rodriguez's "Always Running" he recalls the early years of his childhood as he moved to the Barrios. He was forced the move to the barrios as a kid due to the fact that his dad, Alfonso, was unable to hold a steady job to provide for his family even though he had credentials to be a teacher at Mexico. On top of all that, they also moved because of discrimination and violence in the neighborhoods. In my opinion, the neighborhood is described as "incubators of rebellion" because the people believed that Mexicans were criminals, rebellious, and "didn't belong". (Pg 20-21) and with the neighborhood consisting of mostly Mexicans it was perceived as place where they grow up just to rebel and fight the "perfect world" the "Whites" built. Luis got involved with 2 of his friends, Earl and Jamie, who also face challenges and his older brother Jose because he was unable to make friends due to not being able to speak English. This sets a tone for Luis to join a gang of violence in the future so that he can be with people who he can relate to and feel welcomed in a society where he has been bullied and hated.
ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running", the author, Luis Rodriguez, provides a flashback that introduces his first memories of his life in Los Angeles. Due to the lack of work opportunities, Luis' family endures the poverty that led him and his family to become part of the "barrios", spanish for the "ghetto", which in the book are described as "incubators of rebellion". This symbolic interpretation of the barrios illustrate a profound reality in which the author and many other Mexican children, in particular, grow up in. The significance of these "incubators of rebellion", I believe interpret the controlled environments in which lower class civilians are kept in. With lack of money to support themselves and their families and the lack of opportunities provided by the state and government for immigrant people, or lower class/working class minorities, rebellion is then fabricated within them to redirect their future. Living in the ghetto leads Luis to become affiliated with troublemakers, such as Earl(28), who was described to cause trouble in class. With the book's title being "Always Running", I foreshadow that living in the ghetto influenced Luis' affiliation with people who as well came from lower class minorities that dealt with similar struggles as Luis, such as: poverty, being an immigrant from México, and feeling lost and lonely. This theme of instability and influence derived from living in the "barrios", I believe is still something that many children endure today. With the government still not providing sufficient support for low income families and lack of opportunities, it is easy to fall back in the wrong direction in order to seek a "better" life, allegedly. Feeling lost and alone can lead people to pursue things that might not provide the best outcome in the long run, but that temporarily ease their emotions. Thus, leading to gang affiliations, drugs, or alcoholism. Being part of a low income immigrant family, and have experienced living in the "barrios", I have seen people fall into these situations. It is a topic that is still extremely relevant today.
ReplyDeleteTo add onto your interpretation of “incubators of rebellion”, why do you think governments fail to provide for those living in poverty? This goes into today’s society where we see many people struggling to make a living, but there are many who live on the backs of the working class. Perhaps, these circumstance put communities like Luis’ in the position to rebel as a way to show those in power their struggles. With the power divided into today’s society that tends to only serve those of wealth, it has become impossible to make it out of the barrios. Thus, you mention that it has become almost inevitable that those living in poverty to seek a better life, we may attribute Luis’ situation to those who are extremely wealthy like in glamour LA that is mentioned. You mention how “Always Running” represents the different steps Luis took to making it to his gang life. I thought of it in a similar way, where Luis was depicting life events that led him “Always Running” to his gang life. In what ways can we build connections in Luis’ early years that show what ultimately led to his gang life?
DeleteYour analysis is absolutely amazing! To begin with, I completely agree with your initial statement in which you affirmed that Luis’ family was forced to live in the ghettos as a result of limited working opportunities because his father’s inability to work was the main reason as to why they were unable to live in a more stable and welcoming neighborhood. Your exposition of the ‘incubators of rebellion,” is interesting; it is exceedingly profound and in a way, conforms to my interpretation of the phrase. After reading the portion of your analysis in which you stated “ rebellion is then fabricated within them to redirect their future”,which achieves a negative connotation, I was given the ability to truly comprehend the manner in which you construed the “incubators of rebellion.”I can most definitely agree with you in saying that children continue to deal with instability and influences rising from living in the ghetto. I came to notice that you’ve mentioned the government several times, which is intriguing in many aspects. In agreement with your statement, I believe that the government fails to recognize the struggles of such individuals, and does little to nothing to provide assistance to those in need. What it fails to see is that providing financial assistance may decrease one’s urge to affiliate themselves with gangs.
DeleteThe book “Alway Running” by Luis J Rodriguez it's such an intriguing book. It makes me nostalgic because with each page images of the cities and streets I grew up knowing, pop up in my head. Luis refers Watts and cities like Watts as “incubators of rebellion”. I feel Luis uses those choices of words to suggest that the environment he lives in is for minorities that are seen as rebellions because of the color of their skin. At the time, people of color were generalized as criminals. So the upper class felt the need to separate themselves from the “bad people”.
ReplyDeleteIn the beginning Luis had no friends because he spoke very poor English. Sadly because of his language disadvantage his teachers did not teach him because they didn't know how to speak to him. Luckily enough for Luis later on he met a friend named Earl. Luis took the blame for Earl only because he couldn't speak to fend for himself. Weirdly enough they made a friendship out of it. That's some true homie stuff right there, to be honest.
Anyways, the title “Always Running” refers to how he is always on the move. On page 33 he states, “I've been a red hot ball, bouncing around from here to there” which goes off to how he has always been on the move since he has made it to Los Angeles. But I also feel this would imply to his future on how he will always be running whether it's from the cops, a gang, or reality.
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ReplyDeleteIn the opening chapter of "Always Running" by Luis Rodriguez, begins with his family living in the barrios. His father's intelligence had caused them problems which led them to flee to the United States, where they were driven directly to the barrios because his father's knowledge did not help him get well paid jobs as Luis states, "in Los Angeles everyone failed to recognize his credentials." Rodriguez describes the neighborhood as "incubators of rebellion" which means to me that he felt safe and comfort living in a harsh, unsuitable area that he would get a different vibe from the houses his mother would clean stating, "animal and mechanical smells which were absent from the homes my mother cleaned." During Luis' time in the neighborhood he encounters a visit from Earl who offers truce for taking the consequences of his actions. Luis would also hang out with any of his brother's friends that he would bring home. This shows that he doesn't display any interest in making friends but will take a chance if anyone comes near him. The title sets his life as his way of befriending anyone might cause him problems if he gets too involved and think they won't matter in the future. This situation is relevant today because people fail to realize any choice they make whether bad or good there will always be consequences that will affect their lifestyle.
ReplyDeleteRachel, although we all see things from a different perspective and are entitled to our own opinions, I believe that when Rodriguez describes the neighborhood as “incubators of rebellion”, he is not really talking about him feeling safe and comfortable. I do agree that the area could be considered harsh and unsuitable from what Rodriguez had stated, but an incubator is basically a place of and for growth, which leads me to believe that this harsh environment is only growing and expanding, rather than Rodriguez being safe and/or comfortable there. In addition, I do not believe his mom’s cleaning environment relates to this, despite it being true that those homes are very different from his, which is located in the barrios in Los Angeles. Your statement about Luis not really wanting to make friends on his own is a great point! Have you also considered that the few friends he has cause trouble? Earl became his friend because Luis took the blame for a negative action that Earl took, and Luis’ brother’s friends are likely problematic as well, considering Luis talks about how his brother enjoys causing pain! I really like how you connect the situation to today, talking about how people do not think before acting. It is important that people realize this, especially Luis who carelessly follows others, without making his own decisions.
DeleteIn the first chapter of always running Luis Rodriguez gives us a glimpse of one of his strong memories when he was a child. His family is unstable employment and his father being accused of theft they were forced to move to the ghettos, but father refused to move back to Mexico. Which shows the separation between the mother and the father seeing that they both wanted different things and seemed uncapable of compromising.
ReplyDeleteIncubators of revelation To me means that the lower class I looked on as "aliens. Latinos were seen as criminals and believed they did not belong which were seen in school systems, public parks parks and their neighborhood.
Luis becomes involved with Jamie and Earl. Who sets the stage for the rest of his life to violence and crime.
This relates to society now knowing that many families struggle with Provident property and not being able to provide for their families.
In the opening chapter of “Always Running” by Luis J. Rodriguez, the author sets a scenario that demonstrates and foreshadows what the rest of his life will be like. The first chapter begins with the introduction of the setting and a basic description of the characters. The author adds a quote from his father that states, “I’ll never go back to Mexico, I’d rather starve here”. This quote shows us the father doesn't want to have to go back to Mexico perhaps because he wants a better future for his family and himself. The problems the family faced financially can help us understand why the family always moves and why they end up in the “barrios”. As the novel continues it is clear that financial instability was the reason why Luis and his family moved so constantly and the lack of money lead them to live in the “barrios” as it was all they could afford at the time. This sets the stage for Luis’s life, as he has nothing but those examples around him to follow as he grows up and leading him to get involved within the neighborhood. The description of the neighborhoods as “incubators of rebellion” rise a negative connotation, as this indicates these neighborhoods are perhaps inciting violence,discrimination and faul conduct rather than trying to do something for the better of their communities.
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DeleteHey Ita! I had the same thoughts on the title "Always Running", it being a way of foreshadowing how he would probably always be running, physically and mentally. You adding the quote his father said is great detail, helps me understand what you're going for In your blog, If I was not aware of this book, you gave me a pretty clear description of the beginning of the book! You did leave out Luis's friend, earl, maybe you could've given alittle more detail on that topic. You also did leave out how this is relavent today ( me and you both homegirl), but I would've loved to hear what you had to say considering our similar views on the book. I love your input on "incubators of rebellion", I totes get you, I was thinking the same thing, that ghetto was seen as a neighborhood full of criminals. Anyways, that's all I gotta say! Awesome blog! Great job! Ttyl! XOXO, Gossip Girl!
DeleteIn the introductory chapter of, “Always Running,” Luis Rodriguez describes memories of his early years in America as a child of immigrant parents, which allows for the readers to further comprehend how his family wound up inhabiting the “barrios” of South Central Los Angeles. Upon arriving in America, Luis’ parents found it exceedingly difficult to become financially successful due to their lack of education and ethnic upbringing, which lead to their constraint of having to live in the ghetto. Rodriguez states, “ ...in Los Angeles, everyone failed to recognize his credentials...he was no more than a laborer,” demonstrating that they were inferior individuals in America, acquiring no ability and no opportunities to live the life they desired to live. Additionally, Rodriguez inquires, “But what can a single mother of four children do in Mexico? A woman sick all the time…” revealing that their inability to reach economic success in Mexico forced them to stay in America and live in such distasteful neighborhoods, referred to as “incubators of rebellion.” When making this reference, Luis is intending to say that the neighborhood in which he lives in is a confinement, a prison in which one is destined to rebel due to the violence and discrimination faced once living there. Luis becomes involved with individuals who acquire similar life circumstances as he, poverty stricken and mischievous HIspanics, such as Earl who “pulled the trenzas of a Mexican girl” in his class. His inclination towards making friends with children who showed a liking towards causing trouble sets the stage for the rest of his life by creating within him the desire to fit in, resulting in his involvement with gangs and issues with the law. In respect to the title of the book, Luis’ inclination towards breaking rules and causing trouble will force him to constantly run away from the law. Similar to Rodriguez, children who desire to “fit in” due to their differences in society, often choose to cause trouble or join gangs to feel as if they acquire a “home.
ReplyDeleteWithin the first chapter of "Always Running”, the author ,Luis Rodriguez, begins the passage by painting a vivid picture of his not so pleasant childhood. Luis describes his parents arguing in front of him and his siblings on where to settle down which would eventually lead to them living in the “barrios” or as the book calls “incubators of rebellion”. In my perspective the term “incubators of rebellion” symbolizes that those living in the area were raised in or are living in there are surrounded by a chaotic or dangerous environment.
ReplyDeleteLuis soon befriends a group of mischievous trouble making teenagers, which include boys such as Earl. He becomes situated with a local gang in hope of gaining the support and family that he lacked as a child. By learning that he began getting affiliated with his gang you can foreshadow that the remainder is going to be gang drama linked her personal all together .when it comes to the title “Always Running”,I believe that the situation of the book are still relevant to today due gangs still being around today causing problems within the communities and those who are affected are always trying to run from all the trouble and dangers surrounding them.
I really like how connected the incubators to being “raised” in the area because like children in an incubator they are there for a period of time and later go out to the world. Maybe next time you could add some quotes from the novel so we could read what you are talking about. Did you think that maybe the phrase “incubators rebellion” could signify something else such as being trapped in a bad area? The reason being is because babies are trapped in an incubator where they can’t go anywhere and in this case they are trapped because they really aren’t able to move because they aren't very stable.
DeleteI really like how you connected the gang as some sort of “support system” for Luis because they are usually seen as a negative group and they might consider Luis as “family.” In addition, the gang could also represent how others turn to other people when they don’t get what they need from others. In this case it could possibly be how he didn’t feel “safe” and always got into difficult situations. I see where you’re going with the analysis of the title of the book and I didn’t look at it that way and I found that very interesting.
Your interpretation of “incubators of rebellion” was interesting considering you said it was the environment that was dangerous to the people living in said area, however I slightly do not agree with
ReplyDeletethis statement because I believe it was society itself that was corrupting the good in newcomers, not simply people living in a hazardous area. I was guessing that the incubators was the environment in your explanation, and if so I do agree to an extent because I felt that the incubators was pertaining the people itself also known as society. However, i then thought that rebellion was also connected to the environment in your explanation considering it wouldn't make much send if the people that inhabit the are the ones who symbolize the term “rebellion.” When you stated that Rodriguez, “becomes situated with a local gang [for] gaining the support and family that he lacked…,” I agreed, because in the book Rodriguez mentions how his brother mistreated him and enjoyed seeing him in pain and it was obvious that he was having some family issues with his mother and father arguing. All in all, I agreed with many of your statement; including your prediction of what is to come next.