EN 102 1/20/2015
Michael Picora
Response to Richard Rodriguez Interview ARE HERITAGE AND IDENTITY INTERCHANGEABLE?
Absolutely not, Identity and heritage are two different things with a very distinctive definition. The meaning of the word heritage is deeply linked with past, loads of family traditions, roots and culture. The identity associates more with personality, own choices, opinions and mainly how we differentiate from other people in all aspects. Richard Rodriguez is an example of first generation of Mexican immigrants born in America originally from a Hispanic and Indian background. Richard heritage consist mainly on tradition and practices that had passed on from parents to children many generations ago. Additionally heritage is the bridge that connects the past to the present and helps individuals built its own identity. Richard Rodriguez identity strongly associates with the person he has become in life for example; Richard Rodrigues can be identifying as good father for his kids or an US Consul in Spain that have outstanding reputation of serving our country overseas, a famous writer or even a great journalist. A person identity is made of moral principles, own character and personality, moreover identity is the portrait to the outside world of whom we really are. Mentioned on Richard Rodriguez interview, Tiger Woods can be also used as a good example where heritage and identity have incompatible meaning. Few of us known that Tiger Woods heritage has a quiet of a mix from three different races Black, Indian and Asian, however Tiger Woods international popularity has nothing to do with the fact of his multiracial combination that compose his heritage, Mrs. Woods has become notorious and identify worldwide as the best golf player of the planet, and this is how his followers identify Tiger Woods. Heritage and identity has different meaning