... not yet quite found a voice (Rifkind 3)." Since Alvarez brought the metaphor of language forth so boldly with her novel, it is necessary and appropriate to carefully analysis how her words portray her true self. "In English or Spanish? She wonders. That poet at Lucinda's party the night before argued that no matter how much of it one lost, in the midst of some ... for white people is somehow justified. And, maybe, just maybe, the Klu Klux Klan would like to see Ms. Alvarez get back on a boat. Someone should inform the talented writer that racism could swing both ways. It seems that her ...

• Word Count: 2799
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... student named Alyssa who is a first generation student from El Salvador and speaks very little English. She was very shy and held back when I initially met her. The second time I saw Alyssa, she was sitting in a circle with 4 other girls speaking Spanish. I don't think Alyssa knew that I understood spanish, but she was discussing her situation with her boyfriend. When Alyssa was done speaking ... Alyssa often needs more attention and repetition while doing her work because English is not her first language. While watching Alyssa, I noticed that while talking to Mrs. T, the teacher that ...

• Word Count: 1541
• Approx Pages: 6
• Grade Level: High School

... violated all of the treaties then in existence. Fifty-three Africans were purchased by two Spanish planters and put aboard the Cuban schooner Amistad for shipment to a Caribbean plantation. On July 1, 1839, the Africans seized the ship, killed the captain and the cook, and ordered the planters to sail to Africa. On August 24, 1839, the Amistad was seized off Long Island, NY, by ... the beginning of the movie Sengbe knows no English, but by the middle he learns some while in prison. A translator is found who helps Sengbe express his anger at the legal system that may free him, but will n...

• Word Count: 1316
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... fact, the financial burden of language "assistance" by the government is enormous. In addition to the ten billion dollars the government pays annually for bilingual education, governments spend millions to provide translations and other bilingual services. New Jersey alone spent $922,000 in 1998 on court translator fees (Samborn). Obviously, some bilingual services will still remain intact. Certain exceptions would be ... made. For one, bilingual education will still exist, but it would force English upon students at a very young age, and ... sought freedom. Our forefathers fought, bled,...

• Word Count: 1342
• Approx Pages: 5
• Grade Level: High School

... easy life. Imagine that a family of immigrants from Mexico has just settled into their American home. They are not in an area where very many Spanish speaking people live and they are not familiar with English. They are not sure what to buy in what stores or how to get the money that they have changed over. The father knows some basic words in ... their children in school and they also both need to get a job. Registering their children for school would definitely prove to be difficult. They would have to have some sort of dictionary to translate some of the words or there might be a tra...

• Word Count: 895
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... working in the United States. Born in Belize City, Central America, she has experienced both American and Central American cultures. I believe her ability to adapt would make her a great employee. My work as Nohemy's manager would be full of various tasks and learning experiences. There are many things ... Kay products and jewelry. Belize City is the only Central American city where English is the official language, so Nohemy is able to speak both English and Spanish (Encarta Encyclopedia Article, 2003). This skill allows her to work as a translator at the court house and other places in...

• Word Count: 891
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

Steven Spielberg's "Amistad" is centered on the legal status of Africans caught and brought to America on a Spanish slave ship. The Africans rise up and begin a mutiny against their captors on the high seas and are brought to trial in a New England court. The court must decide if the Africans are actually born as ... Africans were born as slaves then they would be guilty of murder, but if their being brought here from Africa is illegal, they had the right to defend themselves. This was not such a simple issue since the slave trade had been banned by treaties at the time of the Amistad inciden...

• Word Count: 487
• Approx Pages: 2
• Grade Level: High School

... have not been treated fairly. Slavery played an enormous role in the formation of Canada. Perhaps the first Black person to arrive in Canada was named Mattieu da Costa. He was a guide and translator with a French expedition led by Pierre de Gua, Sieur du Monts. This expedition established a colony called Port Royal ... demand of field, workers and servants did as well and in the year 1689 King Louis 12 of France allowed settlers to use slaves. In the early 1600's, British, French, Spanish, Dutch and Swedish settlements dotted the east coast of North America. The Europeans fought with each...

• Word Count: 2905
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School