Blog #10

  In this last chapter of Always Running, the reader sees the transition Luis Rodriguez goes through as he moves away from the gang life to becoming an intellectual. Luis Rodriguez realizes that there's more to learn about the world around him, besides the area and situations he is in. Rodriguez uses informal diction and symbolism to emphasize that the gang life is not as important to him as it was years ago. He strives to learn more about life, and matters that are important. He uses symbolism with, "I now looked on these matters with different eyes," to represent how Rodriguez's attitude and loyalty toward the gang life has dramatically changed. Rodriguez does not have literally, "different eyes", but a different mindset and perspective on the violence taking place toward Las Lomas. Rodriguez reflects on what Chente had told him during their talks which helped him realize that there's more to life besides staying and defending Las Lomas. Rodriguez uses informal diction to emphasize this life-changing moment where he realized that Las Lomas was irrelevant to the real matters happening around the world. He writes, "I turned it slightly to California, then cast down to a dot which claimed "Los Angeles." But there was no Lomas,". This description is important because it helps the reader understand how Rodriguez realized the little importance Lomas had in the world. He then uses diction like, "tiny" and "nameless" to emphasize the how Lomas is not as important as Rodriguez thinks it is. There is more to experience, discover, and learn out in the world, than what is directly in front of him. This moment helped Rodriguez realize that the whole world awaits him, and it helped developed his motivation to leave Lomas to discover new theories of life.