Eszter’s Comments (group member since Mar 23, 2009)

Eszter’s comments from the 701 classwork group.

Gary Soto
Oranges


The first time I walked
With a girl, I was twelve,
Cold, and weighted down
With two oranges in my jacket.
December. Frost cracking
Beneath my steps, my breath
Before me, then gone,
As I walked toward
Her house, the one whose
Porch light burned yellow
Night and day, in any weather.
A dog barked at me, until
She came out pulling
At her gloves, face bright
With rouge. I smiled,
Touched her shoulder, and led
Her down the street, across
A used car lot and a line
Of newly planted trees,
Until we were breathing
Before a drugstore. We
Entered, the tiny bell
Bringing a saleslady
Down a narrow aisle of goods.
I turned to the candies
Tiered like bleachers,
And asked what she wanted -
Light in her eyes, a smile
Starting at the corners
Of her mouth. I fingered
A nickle in my pocket,
And when she lifted a chocolate
That cost a dime,
I didn’t say anything.
I took the nickle from
My pocket, then an orange,
And set them quietly on
The counter. When I looked up,
The lady’s eyes met mine,
And held them, knowing
Very well what it was all
About.

Outside,
A few cars hissing past,
Fog hanging like old
Coats between the trees.
I took my girl’s hand
In mine for two blocks,
Then released it to let
Her unwrap the chocolate.
I peeled my orange
That was so bright against
The gray of December
That, from some distance,
Someone might have thought
I was making a fire in my hands.








Multiple Choice
1. How much money does the speaker have to spend on his date?
a-ten cents

b-five cents

c-fifteen cents

2. What does the speaker do to impress his girlfriend?
a-He buys her chocolate.

b-He takes her out to dinner.

c-He takes her to a candy shop.


3. How does the speaker compensate the lady for his purchase?
a-He gives her two oranges.

b-He gives her two nickels.

c-He gives her a nickel and an orange.

4. How might readers determine that this poem's setting is from another era in time?
a-The woman in the shop accepts an orange as payment.

b-A boy bought candy for a girl.

c-The price of the chocolate was ten cents.


Short Answer Questions
5. In what way is does the speaker illustrate a proactive approach to a form of external conflict?

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6. How does the lady in the shop help the speaker?

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7. Why doesn't the speaker just tell his date that he has a spending limit?

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Poetic Techniques Short Answer Questions
8. A simile is a comparison between two things using the words "like" or "as". List an example of a simile used in the poem.

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9. Imagery is the use of language to appeal to the senses. List two examples of imagery used in the poem regarding the weather.

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10. Alliteration is the repetition of consonant sounds at the beginning of words. List an example of alliteration used in the poem.

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11. A symbol is a concrete object that represents an abstract feeling, idea, or belief. What do the oranges and chocolate symbolize in the poem?

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12. Form refers to how the words of a poem are laid out on the page. Discuss the form of this poem.

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