Page 168 - The Language of Composition 4e Teacher Edition Sample.indd

us
4
CLOSE READING
Identity
Key Passage. The highlighted text is a
rich passage suited for close reading. Stu- does this story mean? In December, I set out on a
dents can annotate this key passage in the
book’s digital platform, or you can print it to
book’
s digital platform, or you can print it to
Copyright (c) 2023 Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Uncorrected proofs have been used for this sample chapter.
be annotated by hand.
Distributed by Bedford, Freeman & Worth Publishers. Strictly for use with its products. Not for redistribution.
DIFFERENTIATION
Speaking and Listening
You might call students’ attention to the
sentence that ends paragraph 6: “After a
slew of stories in the national media about
Wilder’s all-Latino city council (including
one I wrote), Almazan was trounced in her
2019 bid for reelection.” Ask them to
challenge the claim (Almazan says her
gender rather than her ethnicity caused
more resistance, but the sentence implies
the reverse). Can they justify Tobar’s choice
in that sentence? How could they rewrite
the sentence to lessen the cause-effect
claim?
274
05_sheatlc4e_40925_ch04_170_315.indd
274
05_sheatlcte4e_46921_ch04_170a_315_2pp.indd 274
a
uldn’t v
ano t
old me he co
ot
and declared us a mystery, a conundrum, and a Anguiano told me he couldn’t vote because he
e b
c
e
ui
g
An
e he
was “only a resident.” But if he could have voted?
nonentity. As more than one commentator put was “only a resident.” But if he could have voted?
“Trump,” he said. It seemed he’d been influenced
it: “There is no such thing as the Latino vote.” “Trump,” he said. It seemed he’d been influenced
by his friends, many of whom own small con-
In one sense, this is unquestionably true. Like
In one sense, this is unquestionably true. Like 5 by his friends, many of whom own small con-
all labels, Latino is to some extent a fiction, a story struction businesses and feared a Democratic tax
all labels, Latino is to some extent a fiction, a story
struction businesses and feared a Democratic tax
we tell about ourselves. But what, if anything,
hike. “I would admit he’s racist; he talks a lot of
we tell about ourselves. But what, if anything, hike. “I would admit he’s racist; he talks a lot of
smack. I don’t think he’s fit for office,” Anguiano
does this story mean? In December, I set out on a
smack. I don’t think he’s fit for office,” Anguiano
said. “But the way the country is, you never want
nine-thousand-mile road trip across the country,
nine-thousand-mile road trip across the country, said. “But the way the country is, you never want
aiming to visit as many Latino communities as I
a lot of money taken out of your paycheck. I guess
aiming to visit as many Latino communities as I a lot of money taken out of your paycheck. I guess
everyone is looking after themselves.”
could, a solitary trek that would take me across
could, a solitary trek that would take me across everyone is looking after themselves.”
American individualism is a powerful thing:
the Snake and Mississippi Rivers, through icy des- American individualism is a powerful thing:
the Snake and Mississippi Rivers, through icy des-
You can use it to fill your wallet with honestly
erts and over lonely mountain ranges, and into You can use it to fill your wallet with honestly
erts and over lonely mountain ranges, and into
2 2
of the
quarantined cities where various dialects of earned U.S. dollars, and own a pedacito of the
quarantined cities where various dialects of
earned U.S. dollars, and own a pedacito
American dream. It can even persuade a
Spanish and Spanglish were spoken. I wanted to
Spanish and Spanglish were spoken. I wanted to American dream. It can even persuade a
find out whether a term that describes so many
Mexican immigrant to support a man bent on
find out whether a term that describes so many Mexican immigrant to support a man bent on
deporting as many Mexican immigrants as he can.
different people in so many different circum-
different people in so many different circum- deporting as many Mexican immigrants as he can.
stances still had something to say. . . . Latino identity, like those of other American
stances still had something to say. . . .
Latino identity, like those of other American
ethnic groups, is created by the attraction to and
ethnic groups, is created by the attraction to and
WILDER, IDAHO
WILDER, IDAHO repulsion from self-interested Anglo-Saxon
repulsion from self-interested Anglo-Saxon
74% HISPANIC
74% HISPANIC Protestant values. We see white people living an
Protestant values. We see white people living an
TRUMP 62%, BIDEN 28%
TRUMP 62%, BIDEN 28% orderly, safe, and affluent existence, and many
orderly, safe, and affluent existence, and many
of us want to be like them. According to a Pew
. . . [B]ack in 2015, Wilder elected an all-Latino
. . . [B]ack in 2015, Wilder elected an all-Latino of us want to be like them. According to a Pew
survey, 11 percent of people who could identify
city council, but no one really noticed—until a
city council, but no one really noticed — until a survey, 11 percent of people who could identify
as Latino choose not to.
reporter from Boise visited and told them they
reporter from Boise visited and told them they as Latino choose not to.
Anguiano told me there was one thing that
were the first municipality in the state to do so. Anguiano told me there was one thing that
were the first municipality in the state to do so.
bothered him about the Trump years: more peo-
Latino people in this part of the country are
Latino people in this part of the country are bothered him about the Trump years: more peo-
ple in Idaho telling Latinos they shouldn’t speak
proud of their roots but eschew identity politics. ple in Idaho telling Latinos they shouldn’t speak
proud of their roots but eschew identity politics.
Spanish in public. Why should it concern them?
Wilder, a town of about 1,500, is far away from
Wilder, a town of about 1,500, is far away from Spanish in public. Why should it concern them?
When you live with the contradictions of being
the urban centers of Latino political power and
the urban centers of Latino political power and When you live with the contradictions of being
expression. Their neighbors are, generally Latino, it’s possible to be an individualist immi-
Latino, it’s possible to be an individualist immi-
expression. Their neighbors are, generally
grant and still take pride in your culture. Angui-
speaking, a deeply conservative lot. “I know that
speaking, a deeply conservative lot. “I know that grant and still take pride in your culture. Angui-
ano was proud of Mexican cooking, as I learned
ano was proud of Mexican cooking, as I learned
not everyone agrees with me being here,” the
not everyone agrees with me being here,” the when I told him I was going to have dinner at a
when I told him I was going to have dinner at a
town’s Mexican-American then mayor, Alicia
town’s Mexican-American then mayor, Alicia
restaurant two blocks away. He frowned. “That’s
Almazan, a beautician by trade, told me in 2017. restaurant two blocks away. He frowned. “That’s
Almazan, a beautician by trade, told me in 2017.
more of a white Mexican” place, he said, sug-
“But it’s not because I’m Hispanic—it’s because
“But it’s not because I’m Hispanic — it’s because more of a white Mexican” place, he said, sug-
gesting one on the other side of the railroad
I’m a woman.” After a slew of stories in the gesting one on the other side of the railroad
I’m a woman.” After a slew of stories in the
tracks instead. When I visited this eatery a few
national media about Wilder’s all-Latino city
national media about Wilder’s all-Latino city tracks instead. When I visited this eatery a few
minutes later, I discovered it was a restaurant,
council (including one I wrote), Almazan was
council (including one I wrote), Almazan was minutes later, I discovered it was a restaurant,
grocery store, and meat market all in one. A
trounced in her 2019 bid for reelection.
trounced in her 2019 bid for reelection. grocery store, and meat market all in one. A
black road worker who entered remarked,
Near the hop fields on the outskirts of town, black road worker who entered remarked,
Near the hop fields on the outskirts of town,
3 3
“They’ve got real chicharróns here.” here.”
I met a twenty-eight-year-old employee at an “They’ve got real chicharróns
I met a twenty-eight-year-old employee at an
auto-parts store, Gerardo Anguiano, whose family 2 Spanish for a bit. — Eds.
auto-parts store, Gerardo Anguiano, whose family
came to the United States from Colima, Mexico. 3 Fried pork belly or pork rinds. — Eds.
came to the United States from Colima, Mexico.
274 12/10/22 2:37 PM
DIFFERENTIATION
Connections to Text
Smarsh’s essay “Country Pride” (p. 228) also
makes the claim that voters often follow their
parents’ views. Students might compare
Smarsh’s reminiscences in paragraphs
30–36 to Tobar’s conversation with Anguiano
in paragraphs 7–9. To what extent do
they agree on conservative politics?
chapter 4 / Identity
1/20/23 7:51 PM