Question

What does Rodriguez mean when he uses the phrase "two names, two worlds"? What two worlds does his name represent?

Answer 1

Rodriguez's phrase "two names, two worlds" refers to the duality of his Hispanic heritage and his assimilated American identity, highlighting the cultural and personal dichotomy he experiences due to his bilingual and bicultural life.

Step-by-step explanation:

When Rodriguez refers to "two names, two worlds", he is highlighting the dichotomy between his private identity and his public identity. The two worlds his name represents are the intimate, familial, and cultural world of his Hispanic background on the one hand, and the formal, public, and assimilated world of American society on the other. Rodriguez feels his first name, in its Spanish pronunciation, connects him to his family and his Latin heritage, whereas his surname, when Anglicized, is associated with his outward identity in American society. This duality encapsulates the larger theme of cultural assimilation and bilingual identity.

Answer 2

He means that his name is both American and Dominican. His name represents the two worlds he lives in-- the world of a regular American boy and his cultural world of Spanish heritage.

They suggest two different cultures-- Jonathan is more European and Rodriguez is Spanish. He was raised in New York City, and also suburban Connecticut. He says he doesn't fit either of the stereotypes.