The main conflict Rodriguez addresses in The Achievement of Desire, is the challenge he faces within two spaces, the first space that he mentions is his family, the second, is himself as a scholar boy. Rodriguez, speaks about the importance separating from his family is, in order to achieve his main goal, of becoming an educated middle class man. Although, later on Rodriguez mentions that he begins to feel lonely at times, and misses the past. He refers to his education as a necessity, and something he has to obtain no matter what. Not only does Rodriguez value education so much that he creates a space away from his family, but he also seems to feel ashamed of his parents because of their lack in education. On page forty-seven he even states