I, Rigoberta Menchu(Ocho)

1. On Page 165 in Chapter 23, Menchu writes, "Something I want to tell you, is that I had a friend. He was a man who taught me Spanish. He was a Ladino, a teacher, who worked with the CUC. He taught me Spanish and helped me with many things." She continues,"He taught me to think more clearly about some of my ideas which were wrong, like saying all ladinos are bad." Why is this revelation so important? What does it say about race issues specifically?

I think the fact that Menchu was able to recognize this shows alot about her character. After suffering that she and her family had been through at the hands of ladinos it would be easy for her to remain bitter and angry towards all Ladinos but instead she is able to see that even among them there are good people. Another person might not have even cared that there were good Ladinos but still be bitter towards them just because they are Ladinos. I think we see this a lot in the world today; people not being able to see past skin and race to the heart that lies inside. By Rigoberta realizing that not all Ladinos are bad it would open the door for her to work with those Ladionos who actually do have good hearts and who are also suffering from the war and work together to overcome their oppressors.

2.Chapter 24 titles alone gives you chicken skin: "The Torture and Death of her Little Brother, Burnt Alive In Front of Members of Their Family and Community". What is your reaction to the this chapter. Be real. Be honest.

This chapter was immensely hard for me to read. The description that Menchu gave of the torture that her brother and the other prisoners had to go through was beyond horrible. I can not imagine ever having to go through that kind of pain. I'm pretty sure I would just want them to kill me already. The soldiers showed absolutely no mercy. They tortured the prisoners only until they were almost dying but would keep them alive just enough to torture them more. What is it that causes people to act so evil? surely a person can't be happy when they are causing so much pain to another person. Sometimes I just don't get it. And the fact that the soldiers made the community watch as y burned the prisoners alive is absolutely infuriating. The heart ache that the families of the prisoners must have been unbearable. I don't know if Iwould be able to function after witnessing something like that.

3.) Menchu begins Chapter 25 with another quote from her father: "My father said: 'Some have to give their blood and some have to give their strength; so while we can, we'll give our strength.'" What type of charater foes Menchu's father exhibit?

I really like this quote by Menchu's father. He seems to be a man of great courage and of great love towards his family and community. I think what he means by this quote is that some of their people will have to give their lives fighting for freedom and he is saying to everyone else that while they are still alive they should do everything they can to help. He is a man who never gives up and he wants others to do the same.

4.) After reading Chapter 26 use your favorite wisdom or proverb from Rigoberta's father and explain its meaning to you.

There is one quote by Menchu's father that really stuck out to me. It goes like this, "Learning is difficult, but you learn and you do it." This quote seems really simple but I think it is very profound. This is sort of how I look at life. It isn't easy but you just have to keep going. When something hard comes your way you shouldn't shrink back but push forward even harder. When you mess up and feel like giving up instead rising up you just keep going. You learn and then you do and thats how you progress in life.