Vivid Imagery In French Fries By Jane Martin

“French Fries” by Jane Martin is a monologue that utilizes vivid imagery, both natural and environmental. The main character, Anna-Mae, talks about her love for a popular fast-food chain (McDonald’s), however, while reading, I found the monologue to be more than just a passion for the nationwide restaurant chain. While it is true that the monologue initially appears to only be talking about McDonald’s, upon analyzing further there’s a clear deeper meaning within the speech. Jane Martin’s writing, as well as the envisioned delivery of the monologue by Anna-Mae’s character, uses vivid imagery and metaphors to capture a deeper meaning than the words themselves convey. When introducing the brand to readers and listeners, Anna Mae uses the word “rainbow” in discussing the famous double-arched logo McDonald’s is known for. Although this is an accurate description of the logo if taken in a literal sense, there is a concealed meaning behind this word choice. Just before the use of “rainbow”, Anna Mae says she felt “bowed

She uses the words “light”, “star”, and “sky” (Martin 855), which nearly directly implies what she has been referring to all along. In one of her final statements in the monologue, Anna Mae says, “...it’s just a light in the darkness, like a star,...part of the whole sky, and it’s all McDonald’s, but part of something even bigger” (Martin in Mays 855). This is the first and only time in the monologue that Anna Mae’s character outright states that there is a bigger meaning. She finalizes the monologue by talking about dreams, which refers to Anna Mae having dreams of her own, along with the aforementioned sense of hope, light, and positivity in her life. These last statements in the monologue wrap up all of the points about Anna Mae looking beyond her struggles to find encouragement that keeps her pushing through the hard