Analysis of Gary Soto
Most people can recall their first kiss. Many times, this is a defining moment in our lives; a moment when we take one step closer to adulthood. The imagery in Gary Soto's "Oranges" reflects a time of innocence when we were preparing for future endeavors of emotional risk and personal identity. At the beginning of the poem, I get the sense that the boy is a little apprehensive in meeting his female companion as he states, "Cold and weighted down/With two oranges in my jacket." (Soto 3-4) Certainly, two oranges aren't going to weigh anyone down, therefore the image described must be the nervousness along with the anticipation of meeting her. "As I walked toward/Her house, the one whose/Porch light burned yellow/Night and day, in any weather," tells me that he has been thinking about her for a long time. (Soto 8-11) As she comes out of her ho
The oranges give the narrator "weight" and importance, and then they become a medium of exchange used to buy the candy. "The candy represents a seemingly unreachable goal, or material goods out of the reach of children. Although his courage is impressive, the risk was also a safe and intelligent bet: If the saleslady had refused to honor his orange for payment, he would still have the two oranges to share with the girl on their way home. " (White 121) On the walk home, the boy has a new confidence about himself as he takes the girl's hand. (Soto 45) As the narrator describes "I peeled my orange/That was so bright against/The gray of December/That, from some distance,/Someone might have thought/I was making a fire in my hands," symbolizes the new energy of confidence he has in himself, as well as his increased affection for his girl. use, some of that nervousness exits him because he smiles and even has the courage to touch her shoulder. We all have these defining moments in our lives that may lead to our ultimate successes or failures as adults. (Soto 13-15) As they enter into the drugstore and look at the candies, the boy is probably feeling for the first time a sense of maturity as he asks her what she wanted; because he's able to buy her something. In the end, our beliefs and actions are all we have; and only through mercy, will we achieve the ultimate goal. Either way, he proves himself and impresses the girl, which was the goal in the first place, and he is rewarded for his bravery by being allowed to hold her hand on the walk home. The boy's reference to the girl as "my girl," shows that he now feels in control.
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