Essay Critique" Workers" by Peggie Mcneil

Oh boy, whew! I just completed reading the Essay entitled " Workers" by Richard Rodriguez, and i must said, he wont make my favorite writers list. I found the tone of the essay rather pompous, the attitude condescending, the language descriptive in some areas ,and belittling in others. He displayed a flare for melodrama, and viewed the world through tunnel vision.



I say the tone was pompous because he made sure to mention that he was a student at Stanford.Then he went on to mention that the contractor was a Princeton grad. Another example he stated " It would be manual labor". He talked his about expensive hotels , his double breasted Italian suit ,and his custom made English shoes. He went on to said " my father was correct, I wont know real work". He stated how he visited a school in the ghetto , whereas, he seized up the entire student body as being " future less". He made no attempt to talk with the Mexican workers, although he too was Mexican, because he felt that he was better than them.



The attitude of the essay was condescending, and he appeared to be looking down on the poor and everyone he perceived as being poor . He thought the craftsmen were poor until he heard them talking about vacations and other things that the poor can't afford to do. He seemed disappointed that they weren't. He was shock to find out that some of them were college education and appreciated art.



The language of the essay was descriptive, especially when describing himself "the torso , the soccer player's calves and thighs,arms of a twenty years old". He describe the men hands as being hard, and some of the men as being rough. I said it was belittling because he italicized the Spanish words as if he was making fun of the language.



He display melodrama by stated such things as "and at last grasp desire" , and " desire uncoiled within me". Please, man, get a grip. The Thesis of the Essay is "I came face to face with the poor". Yes, he did come face to face with them, and he didn't like what he saw.