Growing up can be a difficult thing because you have to let go of many things and realize the truth. From the stories, “Seventh Grade”, “Broken Chain” and the poem, “Oranges” all written by Gary Soto, uses dialogue to reveal different aspects of the characters. “Broken Chain” is about a boy who goes through a lot over a girl, “Seventh Grade” is about a boy on his first day of school trying to impress a girl, and “Oranges” is about a boy on his first date with a girl. The dialogue used in all three pieces of Soto’s work reveal some aspects of the characters, the dialogue used show how the boys are shy, lacks confidence and are looking for a sense of belonging. In the story “Broken Chain” by Gary Soto revels that Alfonso was very insecure about …show more content…
Teresa is “a girl he liked since they were in catechism classes”(Soto, 1) and he wants to have a relationship with her which would influence a sense of belonging with her. His first attempt to talk to her was when “he wanted to leave when she did”(Soto, 2) the effort he is using to gain one girl’s acceptance is outstanding, and shows how he wants to belong not as much with his peers but with Teresa. At lunch, Victor is “scanning the horizon for a glimpse of Teresa”(Soto, 2) Victor is looking for Teresa to maybe talk to her or just to watch her, Victor is too shy to talk to her because he gets all flustered just when he looks at her, so the most he can do is try to low-key impress her. When they get to French class the teacher asks if anyone can speak French, “Victor raises his hand, wanting to impress Teresa”(Soto,3) even though he can’t actually speak French, he lies to try to get her attention. Victor seems like, all he wants is Teresa to be his girl ad think he is cool. In the end, he gets an opening to spend more time with her and impress her with “the French he …show more content…
When they first started he could hear “Frost cracking beneath my steps”(Soto, 5-6) which shows that not much communication was happening. When you can hear frost cracking under your steps it has to be very silent for you to hear it which shows that he is shy and is embarrassed to talk to her. Later on, when they were walking he “touched her shoulder”(Soto, 16) this shows he is gaining more confidence after walking in silence for a while. He went from just walking to finally at least touching her even though they haven’t said anything yet, he is making progress to having a better relationship and more confidence with her. Then, after buying her a treat and leaves the store, he soon “took my girl’s hand”(Soto, 46) this shows that he has changed a lot through the poem because at first he wouldn’t even talk to her but now he is holding her hand like he should be doing on a date. Also, he started off calling her “a girl”(Soto, 2) to “my girl”(Soto, 46) this shows how he gained more confidence during the poem from calling her just basically like a random girl to calling her
The story “Broken Chain” by Gary Soto is about an insecure boy named Alfonso who meets a girl named Sandra who Alfonso invites for a date. The protagonist is Alfonso and the antagonist is Ernie, and the other characters are Sandra and Alfonso’s parents. This story takes place in a suburban neighborhood in California. What you need to know about the story is Alfonso is insecure about his personal apparent. As the story opens, Alfonso meets Sandra and her brother, and on the way to Sandra was invited by Alfonso for a bike ride.
Angela McEwan-Alvarado was born in Los Angeles and has lived in many locations in the United States, as well as Mexico and Central America. She obtained her master’s degree at UC Irvine and since then has worked as an editor of educative materials and a translator. The story “Oranges” was the result of an exercise for a writer’s workshop in which the author managed to mix images and experiences accumulated throughout her life.
Soto’s use of imagery serves as an aid to the reader to better understand the author’s perspective, which is that of a six-year-old boy. Prior to stealing the pie, the author uses imagery to describe his temptation to steal. “My sweet tooth gleaming and the juice of guilt wetting my underarms” (Soto 1). The imagery here illustrates both the irresistibility of the temptation to steal and the immaturity of the young boy as he can’t take his mind off of anything but what is in front of him. After stealing the pie, Soto
Throughout the story Soto feels guilty and seeks redemption because Soto steals the apple pie. His guilt is magnified when he thinks everyone knows of his sin, and starts to develop paranoia. The author’s attitude towards guilt affects how he is behaving. By using imagery and allusions Soto recreates the guilt felt by a young boy who has stolen an apple
Throughout the autobiographical narrative written by Gary Soto, many different literary elements are used to recreate the experience of his guilty six-year old self. Different elements such as contrast, repetition, pacing, diction, and imagery. Soto narrates this story as a young boy at a time when he seems to be young and foolish, Soto foolmaking mistakes, but at the same time hoping to learn from them. Soto uses each of these devices to convey different occurrences in the narrative.
Initially, Rios illustrates a young boy perplexed by a new-found maturity. As the maturation from childhood to adolescence begins, he is facing unfamiliar feelings about the opposite sex. An example of this is
Alfonso from "Broken Chain" is afraid that his image will hold him back from belonging. He feels that he doesn't fit in so he looks at people who have been accepted and tries to be like them through his appearance. In "Broken Chain" it states, "Alfonso
Gary Soto’s tone is filled with resentment for the evil deed he has accomplished. Realizing his actions and seeking forgiveness, this shows how innocent and spirit-minded he tended to be as a 6-year-old boy. It’s essential for people to sort their evil doings and aim to make up for them. This will make you feel better and not be loaded with torment and torture of disastrous ponderings.
Throughout the poem, a young boy's curiosity takes control of a relationship with his father, as it reveals his regretful combative past. The boy asks questions repeatedly from many different aspects including, “why we dropped the bomb on those two towns in Japan” “where is Saipan” “Where is Okinawa” “where is the pacific” (Fairchild 5-16). The questions stand as the absences of order and by all means, progress, no answers mean no progress. As the questions continue the speaker describes the father and says “the palm of his hand slowly tapping the arm of a lawn chair,” (Fairchild 7-8). The slow tapping equivalent the slow buildup of anger and fear. Following, the speaker's description of the father’s face as his son continues mindlessly is “wooden” as his eyes freeze “like rabbits in headlights” (Fairchild 6-7). So small and helpless
One major trademark of Gary Soto’s works is his use of the importance of family in his stories. Readers can feel and understand his passion and appreciation for family. Often, Gary uses family to tell stories about his upbringing and as a sense of pride in his stories. In A Summer Life, he says, “My brother showed me his palm, where a sliver had gone in quick as a stitch on a sewing machine when he climbed the rabbit hutch at the Molinas’ house” (Soto 14). This quote is an example of his close relationship to his family and his adventurous upbringing in Fresno, California. Later in A Summer Life, Soto says, “My face was hot, my hair sweaty, but nothing scary seemed to happen” (Soto 20). This quote once again shows that Soto had a very adventurous upbringing, and he enjoyed being able to go out and explore for himself at a young age. Soto’s family life has always been important to him, but his family life has also suffered heartbreak and adversity. According
In the poem “Behind Grandma’s House”, Gary Soto writes about an experience he had as a young boy. He speaks of himself as being a nerdy Spanish boy who wants attention. He screams out for attention by acting out in negative ways. Most know, to bring attention to one’s self, one can acquire it by acting negatively or positively, but negative attention brings punishment. Soto obtains his grandmothers attention at the end of the poem, but he may have regretted it. Gary Soto’s “Behind Grandma’s House” is a 1952 free verse poem that uses imagery to suggest the speaker’s perspective of the story.
One thing all human beings, have in common is the struggle for self identity. Children are raised by parents or guardians who have struggled and fought for their own identities. In many cases, parents are still trying to figure it out, while raising their own children. Such is the case with the characters in Junot Diaz’s, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. The theme of identity is conveyed through the characters’ Dominican culture, social standing, and in finding love. Oscar, Lola, and Yunior are three central characters in Oscar Wao, who’s Dominican cultural and family expectations were major obstacles as they struggled to establish their identity.
Gary’s Soto “Mexicans Begin Jogging,” describes an event that happened when he worked in a factory where illegal Mexican workers were employed. Although the poem is simple, Soto brings identity, ironic, drama, and imagery to his audience. The narrative reflects irony the speaker went through and the dilemma that Mexican Americans go through. The poems tone is ironic and not taking too seriously.
One thing all human beings have in common is the struggle for self identity. Children are raised by parents or guardians who have struggled and fought for their own identities. In many cases, parents are still trying to figure it out, while raising their own children. Such is the case with the characters in Junot Diaz’s, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. The theme of identity is conveyed through the characters’ Dominican culture, social standing, and in finding love. Oscar, Lola, and Yunior are three central characters in Oscar Wao, who’s Dominican cultural and familial expectations were major obstacles as they struggled to establish their identity.
Continuing in the theme of conformity; if the boys are united by their heteronomy, Cuellar’s castration, in contrast, is the source of his ostracism. His unfortunate accident is a wound that ‘time opens instead of closes’, and as the story progresses, Vargas Llosa juxtaposes the boys socially inclusive youthful pastimes of football and studying mentioned earlier in the novel with his comparatively solitary penchant for the ocean and surfing “a puro pecho o con colchón” (94) in chapter five. In this passage, his distance from the others is symbolised by the isolation of the sea; the narrator says the water “se lo tragó” (95) and later, the boys state that “se perdió” (96). Clearly, Cuellar’s failure to partake in the testosterone fuelled rituals of sexual maturity in the city has seen him shunned from the rest of the boys and resigned to hanging out with “rosquetes, cafichos y pichicateros” (96) instead – the modern, metropolitan outcasts. Evidently, Cuellar is incapacitated by this highly heteronormative lifestyle, as the inherent masculinity of the city is a fixed identity that will perpetually exclude him, or anyone else who cannot fulfil Peruvian societies idea of gender appropriate behaviour.