When Rodriguez is in London, he reads Richard Hoggart's The Uses of Literacy, and is able to see himself in the essay. We see that he gains a "sociological imagination" and that he realizes that he fits the definition of the "scholarship boy " when he says that he "realized that there were other students"(517) like him. Hoggart says that this type of student must be "more and more alone" (517) in order to succeed, and that this student must "cut himself off mentally, so as to do his homework, as well as he can " (517). Rodriguez shows us that he not only grasps what the "scholarship boy " is, but he also understands what the "scholarship boy " goes through because of personal experience. Although he agrees with Hoggart's definition, Rodriguez also adds to the meaning of the "scholarship boy " by giving his readers the insight of exactly what they go through, how they think, and why they do what they do. For example, he shows readers that he is forced to be "more and more alone " (517) by writing about how his relationship with his parents is weakened, and how the books he reads makes him feel lonelier. This insight not only asserts Hoggart's definition of the "scholarship boy, " but also lengthens and specifies it. .
Rodriguez also shows us that he has gained the "sociological imagination " by writing about his appreciation and understanding of his parents' backgrounds. He tells us that his mother barely knew any English. Lived everyday as a typist, earned very little money, and supported her three children. His father received very little formal education in Mexico, until he left school to work for his uncle, and ended up in America with no high school education and a low-paying job. Although his parents were not educated enough to help him with his homework or support him with his education as much as they wanted to, Rodriguez finally realizes that his parents wanted to give their children the "chances the never had " (521).
