First, to Martin Espada bilingualism means more than just speaking one language, it means to have the right retain your own identity while also having the choice …show more content…
Rodriguez describes “The believer, the calming assurance that I belonged in public, had at last taken hold” (Rodriguez 99-100). Although he could speak Spanish fluently, once he learned English and was immersed in it, Rodriguez felt more a part of the public and country. This shows that he believes being bilingual was learning a public language and being immersed in two languages. Also, Rodriguez illustrates how he and his family were not as close and he would not rush home anymore. He would come home to friends hanging out with his brothers and sister. This enumerates how Rodriguez lost something which was his closeness to his family, but gained something, that is that he had more friends and became a part of the