Soto's Oranges. Expression of young love through the simplicity and fire of oranges - Essay Example

? Expression of young love through the simpli and fire of oranges August 13, Expression of young love through the simplicity and fire of oranges Soto's “Oranges” expresses some of the sweetest “firsts” in a person's life- the first date and the first love. It does not matter if this love is mere puppy love, as long as it encapsulates the challenges and joys of one's first young love. This paper identifies four elements that I find interesting in the poem, which are form, language, imagery, and theme. “Oranges” effectively depicts the universal theme of young love and its role in the emotional development of adolescents, using succinct language, non-rhyming and narrative form, and meaningful, contrasting imagery. The language of “Oranges” highlights the contrasts between several factors, the warm feelings of the boy and coldness of his surroundings, and the hesitation of a boy struggling to prove his worthiness for the girl of his dreams. The first contrast is the warm feelings of boy for the girl, which contrasts with the “cold” (Soto, 1985, line 3) December and its “frost cracking” (Soto, 5). The cracking frost further depicts the frailty of the boy's quest. This is his first date and he can either make the girl “his” or not. The language accurately shows the warmth of young love versus the coldness of the surroundings. The boy is apparently not fully disappointed by the cold weather that can ruin their date, because he remains feeling warm inside. The second contrast is between the boy's hesitation and his eventual victory. Initially, the boy seems unsure of what to do, especially as he walks feeling “cold” and “weighted down” (Soto, 3). The weather may be too “cold” for his date, who might balk out. However, he loses his uncertainty, when he wins the greatest challenge in this date, the provision of the expensive chocolate to his girl that is beyond his means. Another interesting element of the poem is its form. Soto deviates from the rhyming pattern of conventional poetry. He writes in a narrative style, like a short story, using a form that captures that precious and unforgettable “slice of life” (Wilson, 2002, p.1). Wilson (2002) notes that Soto uses “brief, succinct lines with very few dashes and commas and even fewer periods” to “emphasize the brevity of the experience: a moment in time...” (p.1). Wilson (2002) calls this technique “enjambment,” where thoughts are continued from one idea to the next, with bare pauses (p.2). This form underlines the excitement of the boy, especially since the poem is written in the first person of the adolescent. For instance, these lines remark on the quick transition of places: “A used car lot and a line/Of newly planted trees,/Until we were breathing/Before a drugstore. We/” (Soto, 18-21). They are in a used car lot and some trees one moment, and then they arrive at the drugstore the next. The “breathing” remarks on the underlying nervousness and energy from this walk. Thus, this kind of form effectively depicts the rush and apprehensions of a young person in love. Soto's use of images, instead of rhymes, to “unify” his poem also breathes new life into the theme of young love (Wilson, 2002, p.1). Young love is quite hard to express, especially its uncertainty and awkwardness. But the use of the frost versus the warmth definitively illustrates what it is like to love and show that love, without knowing what will happen. What can a twelve-year-old expect from a date, when he only has two oranges and nickel in his pocket? He is risking a great deal for this date- his ego and the chance of having “his” girl. The “frost” of December entails how a failed date can crack his heart, but he goes on anyway with a mixed sense of excitement, nervousness, and hope. In addition, the oranges feel, in the beginning, as something that “weighs” him down (Soto, 3). After all, maybe the girl will not even appreciate his thoughtfulness of bring some snacks for their date. The “oranges,” at this point, represent something that may bring him luck or bitterness. It is only in the climax of the poem when he uses his wits to use his simple orange to pay for his beloved's desired snack. From here on, the oranges do not serve as a potential block to his quest for love. It has become his strategic means to win the admiration of the girl of his dreams. Indeed, that orange acts as a supreme sacrifice, for he can lose face in front of the cashier and the girl. Fortunately, the cashier knows what it is all “About” (Soto, 42). The orange has a universal meaning; it is a common fruit that people from all walks of life can enjoy and the woman understands what the boy is also going through. Moreover, the image of an orange renders the vibrancy of a young person's life and the strength of his love. This orange stands for the juice of life and freshness of young love. It has bits and pieces that together provide a sweet and rewarding experience. Soto has maximized the multiple meanings of an orange to underline the simple joys and struggles of being in love. Finally, this poem offers a non-patronizing and ideal view of young love, as it helps people transition from adolescent to maturity. The young boy is compared to a hero with many challenges to surmount, before he wins the girl of his dreams. The first challenge is the cold, then the dog, and the final test is the payment of the chocolate. He did not “say anything” (Soto, 34), when the girl picks a chocolate that is worth a dime. He feels chivalrous, and he attempts to pay decently for the orange, hoping for some understanding from the woman. Luckily, the cashier understands the quest of the young lad. As a result, that simple orange payment results to a grand victory. The date becomes his girl, because he says he holds “[his] girl’s hand” (Soto, 47) before releasing it to open the chocolates. Evidently, the girl is impressed, as she lets the boy hold her hand. At the same time, the boy gains power over his girl, as he allows the latter to enjoy her treat. The orange has, furthermore, become strangely mythical as it looks like “fire” (Soto, 56) in his hands, while he peels it. It symbolizes the ring of fire from which he has gone through. He has, it seems, emotionally matured in the process of vying for his girl's love, because he uses ingenuity to pay for the chocolate. Thus, the orange stands for the “warmth” of winning the “rite of passage” to adulthood (White, 2005, p.124). “Oranges” peels that anxious, but wonderful moment of young love. It exposes the fresh and vibrant juice of loving and risking what one has for that love. It is about puppy love, but through the right form, language, imagery, and theme, Soto succinctly describes the struggles and victories of adolescent love. It further shows that young love can also be a stepping stone to maturity, as it develops the wit and character of the suitor. “Oranges” reminds people of the sweet innocence and purity of young love, and how the same truthfulness remains essential to mature love. References Soto, G. (1985). Oranges. Retrieved from http://edhelper.com/poetry/Oranges_by_Gary_Soto.htm>. Wilson, S.K. (2002). Oranges. Masterplots II: Poetry, 1-2. Retrieved from Literary Reference Center. White, J. (2005): Soto's Oranges. Explicator, 63 (2), 121-124. Retrieved from Literary Reference Center. Read More