What Is The Theme Of Seventh Grade By Gary Soto

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Has there ever been a time you lied to get in the favor of others? In the story ‘Seventh Grade’ by Gary Soto there’s a boy named Victor that’s now in seventh grade. Trying to impress his crush Teresa he fakes knowing French. Using the literary devices conflict, characterization, and foreshadowing shadowing. Gary Soto is able to teach the reader that lying and changing yourself for others will cause more trouble for you in the long run. My first literary device is conflict. Conflict will prove my thesis by showing how Victor only causes more trouble for himself when trying to impress Teresa. My quote is being said by the teacher and the narrator. The quote takes place when Victor raised his hand to impress Teresa when the teacher asks if anyone knew French. When the teacher picks on him then asks a question in French Victor didn’t know what to say. “The teacher beamed and said, “Très bien. Parlez-vous français?” Victor didn’t know what to say. The teacher wet his lips and asked something else in French. The room grow silent.” Using this quote the author can take the conflict in it to prove the theme by showing that Victor lying and trying to impress Teresa got him trouble by …show more content…

Characterization will prove my thesis by showing Victors mood after he embarrasses himself in front of the class and Teresa after lying. The narrator is the one saying the quote after Victor lies and tries to fake his way through not knowing French. “Great rosebushes of red bloomed on Victor's cheeks. A river of nervous sweat ran down his palms. He felt awful. Teresa sat a few desks away, no doubt thinking he was a fool.” Through this quote the author uses characterization to prove the theme by showing that lying got him nowhere but panicking to try and fix his lies with more lies. This shows that in the end Victor didn’t even believe that he impressed Teresa and that lying didn’t ever get him what he