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On The Subway Summary

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In “On the Subway” by Sharon Olds captures two different worlds in close proximity language, simile, and appealing to ethos. In the beginning, Olds points out the significance of the woman’s dark fur and the boy’s red hoodie. The boy’s red hoodie. The boy’s red hoodie covers his face that has that has a mean look; while the woman’s black fur implies wealth and high-status along with her briefcase. These two worlds are brought together when Olds reveals their identities that paint different portraits. Furthermore, Olds writes:”And he is black and I am white, and without meaning or trying and I must profit from his darkness.” This point of the poem presents a shift because readers realize the relationship. This woman states that
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Sharon Olds’ free verse poem “On the Subway” rests on the border of white and black, resides on the fringe of light and shadow. The poem contrasts the lives of two very different people, a young black male and a wealthy white woman. Through the use of brilliant similes and vivid diction the speaker of the poem, the white women, is able to recognize the stark differences between blacks and whites. The literary devices illustrate the tumultuous past that divides blacks and whites and the incompatible nature of the present. Due to the divergent face she sees sitting on the other side of the subway, the speaker begins to evaluate the importance of race in society.

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