Close Reading: "Born in Argentina" by Romina Garber

Opening Discussion
1. Share your content, context and perspective questions:
Respond here:
Conext: How did the schools in Argentina differ from the schools in America?
Content: Why didshe take everything said in english so literally? Was it because it was a new language?
Perspective: Why was her perspective of school so harsh, for example she thought she couldn’t miss one day or the ap exam to get
citizenship in america?

2. Read the passage below from “Born in Argentina,” the short autobiographical sketch by Romina Garber. Prepare to discuss in small
groups where you see examples of thematic ideas surrounding hope, or a theme YOU see developing. Where do you see content,
context and perspective? Is there a text-self, text-text, or text-world connection that can be made?

“It’s the first “life lesson” I can remember learning, and still apply it today. Anytime something feels overwhelming -- Whether it’s my
schedule or my workload or my feelings-- I think of that ruler, and I break down whatever is bothering me into the smallest possible
parts. Then I address each piece individually, without letting myself think of the larger whole” (Garber 194).

3. Return from your breakout rooms and complete a quick-write in the box below. Share what ideas came up in your group
discussion. Consider including reflections on where you see yourself in relation to this story.

Respond here:
● This passage was very hopeful compared to the story as a whole
● One of the main themes of this story was sacrifice, and she gave up a lot just to get into harvard
● Also this story has a lot to do with expectations, whether its societal expectations or just self expectations
● I think I can relate to this story because I'm a senior in high school and throughout school and playing sports I've had to make
sacrifices, whether they were big decisions like where I'm going to school next or missing a family dinner to go to football
practice. I just feel like I can relate the most to the sacrifice theme because of where I am in life and what I have experienced.

4. Revisit the story. Chunk the story into plot points. Use the “Somebody Wanted But So” format to create a main idea statement.
● Who is the protagonist?
● What does she want? What does she do?
● But what happens? (or) Because this happened then this happened?
Share your: somebody wanted but so statement (Main Idea statement(s) here:
The protagonist was the author, Romina Garber.
She wanted to be accepted in as an american and wanted to fit and tried her hardest in school to do so.
She didn’t miss a day of school or a test because her teachers told her it was a bad idea.
She gets into Harvard, but realizes she took everything too literally throughout highschool. She was shooting down her dreams
because she thought she couldn’t do them.

5. Use your main idea to identify possible themes. And, brainstorm below in #6.
6. Make a list of themes you see throughout the plot of the story. (Consider where you relate.)
● Giving up on things before even trying them due to a preconceived perspective others have on someone
● Sacrifice
● Expecations
●
7. Highlight the theme above that you will focus on for your “close reading creation” on the rest of this document.

Close Reading Creation:

● Using the above theme, choose a passage from the story to demonstrate your annotation and writing skills.
● The passage should be long enough to clearly show the theme you've chosen AND where you can identify content, context
and perspective.
● Highlight the excerpt to show your content, context and perspective findings (as detailed below) and make notes in the
margin/ comment.
● Prove your theme to be true.

● Content : highlight & label details that show how character, setting, and conflict or figurative language/word choice develop the theme
● Context : highlight & note the places in text where the reader needs context to further understand the passage and/or your theme
● Perspective: highlight & note text to self, text to text or text to world perspectives that emerge and support your chosen theme

Annotations/Notes Passage Annotations/Notes

And in my moment of lucidity, I realized how foolish I'd been to ever let
others determine my worth. No matter what I do, or how hard I try, my dual
and always make me powerless to define myself, because people can
assign me the identity that best suits their narrative at any given time. I
 never should have accepted that I couldn't be president; I should have
decided that I would be the one to change that law. I never should have
accepted that I could either be an actress or go to Harvard; I should have
Natalie Portman-ed it and done both. I never should have tried to fit into an
existing and outdated system; I should have fought to modify that system
to fit me and everyone else like me. In today's America, we immigrants feel
an even bigger push to justify our presence in this country. But just as it
was with me growing up, this pressure isn't real; it's only perceived. It's just
what some small-minded and misguided people want us to believe. people
who are driven by their fear and not their faith. People who are afraid of the
change we represent. And these people know the only power strong
enough to hold us back is our own. Weare so powerful. I'm a girl who had a
hard time learninghow to read who somehow wound up writing a
best-selling book series in her second language and saw it translated into
eight others. Imagine what more 1 could accomplish if 1 directed that
power toward the world around me, toward those things I think I can't
change. Imagine what you can accomplish if you dare to believe in your
own power. Within each of us lies infinite potential. Don't ever let a label
take that away from you.

Written Analysis Response:

How does the author use content, context and / or perspective within your chosen excerpt in order to illuminate your chosen theme of ...?

Write your response below. Remember that your response should include:
 ● An argumentative claim (your first sentence - answer the question!)
● Two pieces of evidence & commentary on how each demonstrates your claim
● Attention to writer’s craft and use of language

Begin writing here…

The author uses perspective to highlight the theme of giving up on things before trying them due to a preconceived perspective others
have on someone. Throughout the whole story the reader can see how she is constantly not trying things or sacrificing things
because her perspective is to prove herself to everyone because she is just an “immigrant” and not an American. She feels like she
gave up on too many things and the reader can see that when it says “I never should have accepted that I couldn’t be president; I
should have decided that I would be the one to change that law. I never should have accepted that I could either be an actress or go
to Harvard; I should have Natalie Portman-ed it and done both. I never should have tried to fit into an existing and outdated system; I
should have fought to modify that system to fit me and everyone else like me”. As the reader can see she didn’t just give up one thing
here or there, she gave up and didn’t even try on life changing things like being an actor, or trying to be president and change the
world. It really shows how other people can change one's perspective on making decisions or even what they should accomplish.
Throughout the passage the reader can see that she gave up on so many opportunities that she wishes she hadn’t due to everyone
making her feel like she needed to prove herself.