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Stylistic Analysis Of The Poem Oranges By Gary Soto

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In “Oranges”, Gary Soto uses metaphorical language to make comparisons in this poem about the theme of love. Sofo uses metaphors towards the end of the poem when he compares the boys orange to a fire in his hands “I peeled my orange, That was bright [...] Someone might have thought I was making a fire in my hands”. (Lines 51-56, Soto). Oranges and fire have little in common other than their bright color. Soto’s metaphor compares the brightness of both the orange and the fire. The boy’s orange looks bright against the dark setting in his hands and when he peels the orange, the narrator compares it to a “fire in my hands”. The fire also stands for the warmth and love he feels towards the girl with whom he is walking with on their first …show more content…

The narrator recalls his first date with a girl when he was just twelve years old: He is carrying two oranges in his jacket when he picks her up and walks with her to the local drugstore. These oranges become symbolic of the innocent, young love he has for her “The first time I walked, With a girl, I was twelve, Cold, and weighted down, With two oranges in my jacket”. ( Lines 1-4, Soto). The orange symbolizes purity and the sweetness of their love. He initially carries the oranges to share with the girl as a gesture of his generosity and love for her. However, when he has to barter one orange for a piece of chocolate the sales lady immediately recognizes and understands the situation and generously trades with him. “The lady’s eyes met mine, And held them knowing, Very well what it was all About”. (Lines 39-42, Soto). The oranges not only symbolizes the love he had for his girlfriend but it also represents the love and compassion the sales lady shares with him. The orange allows him to make his girl happy. It allows him to have his special moment. “ I took my girls hand, In mine for two blocks, Then released it to let, Her unwrap the chocolate”. (Lines 47-50, Soto). Young love is innocent, pure and always inexperienced. Their love is as simple as walking together, holding hands, unwrapping candy and eating an orange. At the end of the poem the orange is associated with

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