The symbolism in, “The Jacket” supports the overarching theme: Be grateful for what is given. The boy in the story is ungrateful for the jacket his mother got for him so Soto is trying to get the point across that one should be grateful for what one is given because some people aren’t as fortunate. A person can’t be upset about what they have when there are other people who aren’t blessed enough to have it, beggars can’t be choosers. In the story, “The Jacket” Soto states, “I showed the cracks to my mother, who always seemed to be at the stove with steamed up glasses, and she said that there were children in Mexico who would love that jacket.” The mother feels that everyone should be grateful because people in other countries or cities might not have much to be grateful for. Even though one doesn’t particularly like or enjoy something, it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t treat it with respect or care about it. Soto expresses, “I pushed brownie away to study the tear as I would a cut on my arm.” In this quote, Soto is trying to say that even though the boy doesn’t think the jacket looks exceptional and he doesn’t appreciate it , but he still cared when the dog ripped a hole in it. The symbolism of being grateful represents the struggles the boy goes through with the jacket.
In “The Jacket” Soto uses an alley to set the mood of the story. Most people think of an alley is a horrible place, so Soto used it in the story to represent how the boy has a terrible attitude. In the