Discussion Topic
Analysis of symbolism and conflict in "Oranges" by Gary Soto
Summary:
In "Oranges" by Gary Soto, symbolism is evident in the oranges, representing warmth, hope, and the narrator's journey into adolescence. The conflict is both internal and external, as the young boy navigates his nervousness and desire to impress his date while dealing with the practical challenge of not having enough money to buy her the candy she wants.
What does the orange symbolize in "Oranges" by Gary Soto?
The orange symbolizes young love.
The speaker acknowledges the presence of the oranges when he first walked with a girl. He projects his emotions onto him. They become symbolic of the innocent, young love he has for her.
The first time I walked
With a girl, I was twelve,
Cold, and weighted down
With two oranges in my jacket
For the speaker, a dime is a lot of money. He clearly has the two oranges for them, but the girl wants chocolate. Since he only has a nickel, he uses the orange. He uses the orange to pay for the candy the girl wants, and the woman in the store lets him. She acknowledges that she knows “what it was all about.” The orange allows him to make the girl happy. It allows him to have his special moment.
I took my girl’s hand
In mine for two blocks,
Then...
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released it to let
Her unwrap the chocolate.
Young love is innocent, inexperienced, simple, and pure. The incident with walking together, holding hands, unwrapping a candy, and eating an orange demonstrates this. Soto captures a simple incident from a simple time with deep emotional connections.
What is the conflict in "Oranges" by Gary Soto?
The conflict in Gary Soto's poem “Oranges” is the nervous excitement and apprehension of a young boy on a date. This uplifting poem chronicles the events of the boy’s first outing with a girl. He is anxious about this first date, and the internal conflict about how it may or may not go is present throughout the poem.
It is a very cold day when he walks to the girl’s house to call upon her. Consider how he could have been discouraged by the weather but instead remains determined. The warm porch light on her house welcomes him. The frigid day represents the way in which the date might go, but the young boy has cheery, bright oranges in his pocket that help calm him. A dog barks at the boy until the girl greets him, and they begin walking; his internal turmoil is quelled for the moment.
They walk to a local drugstore, where the boy offers to buy the girl some candy. She is pleased and chooses chocolate; again, the boy gets nervous. The chocolate costs ten cents, and he only has five cents in his pocket. Consider how at this point, the date could have gone wrong and been very embarrassing for the boy. However, a kind saleslady recognizes the boy’s dilemma when he puts five cents on the counter, as well as an orange, and she graciously accepts the boy’s form of payment. Consider how the saleslady's actions help him regain his confidence and continue his date.
As the boy and girl walk from the store, the boy refers to her now as “my girl” and takes her hand in his. The date is going well.