Growing up old

Growing up old
By Richard Rodriguez
The author starts out by explaining that in American the teenagers are taught to be old too early and are taught to live by themselves, to grow apart from their families. As he begins to discuss his topic he uses an example of a city, Los Angeles, as he explains this is the capital of adolescence. After this he uses another supporting example through which he was present. He saw a seventeen year old girl give her mother away, but this was her fourth marriage. He ends this example by saying, “The dry-eye daughter has seen it all before.” Then he changes to talk about the fact that he knows some children who actually carry knives or guns because the walk from and to school is more dangerous than many realize. He also sees how instead of the parents nurturing their children the bigger brother or sister is now taking that role. He explains that he knows a girl who stays home to protect her younger sister, who is being pursued by a teenage stalker. Not telling their parents because they do not know how they will react. As it turns out he makes a valid point, “‘Children grow up too quickly.’ American parents sigh. And yet nothing troubles an American parent so much as the teenager who won’t move out.”He finishes his essay by criticizing American literature which usually has a better beginning than end.