1. Oranges
By: Gary Soto

2. Learning Objectives As we study this poem you will learn:
The story of the poem
Be reminded of the following terminologies:
Metaphor, Simile, Symbolism, Climax
The themes that it explores is Love
Explore the significance and meaning of the orange
Read out the poem to the class in a group
You will also complete some mini tasks and a test and an assignment on the poem

3. Starter
Write about a time when you have had a strange encounter with a female who is either in or outside your family. What was strange about it? How did the both of you react? How did it eventually manage to end?
Have you or do you of anyone who has purchased an item and paid for it in a different form other than money? If so, describe what has happened that has allowed this to happen. How did the salesperson conducting the transaction react throughout the whole situation?

4. Oranges 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 nickel in my pocket,
And when she lifted a chocolate
That cost a dime,
I didn’t say anything.
I took the nickel 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
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. (Stanza continues into the top of the next column)

5. Mini-Task One: Your View?
Most poems have an idea or ‘story’ that the poet wants to tell his reader.
Mini Task 1
Task: In words write down what you think is the story of Oranges
Hint: Look at the 2nd column of the poem to sum up what happens.
Stanza: It is a series of lines in a poem that are grouped together.

6. Story of The Poem
The speaker in the poem recounts about the time when he first walked with a girl that he liked
He remembers carrying two oranges in his jacket. When he arrives, the girl then comes out, pulling on her gloves
The boy reacts by: A) Smiling and B) Touching her shoulder
The two couples then walk together and enter a local drugstore
At the request of the speaker, the girl decides that she would like to have a chocolate
She reacts to his question by: A) Smiling and B) Eyes lighting up
The speaker pays for the ¢ 10 chocolate using:
Nickel (¢ 5)
1 of the Oranges he holds
The saleslady reacts to the unusual payment of an orange by:
Just looking at the speaker
Understanding the situation that he speaker fancies the girl
The two couple then go out in the cold weather and the boy holds the girl’s hand
Significance: He assumes that he has ‘won’ her heart at this point
As the girl unwraps the chocolate, the speaker peels the other orange
The orange is compared to the fire, symbolizing the passion he has for her

7. Structure of the Poem
This is a, ‘free Verse Poem’ as there is no clear rhyming pattern
Free verse poems do not follow a particular pattern, rhyme scheme, or stanza pattern
It is NOT written in verses
Is made up of 2 stanzas, with 1 long and 1 short stanza
This shows that it is written with intention to highlight the climax within the poem
"The lady’s eyes met mine,/ And held them, knowing/ Very well what it was all/ About”  Climax
The salesperson was originally struck when presented with an orange as a form of payment. Nevertheless, after seeing the speaker and the girl he was standing next to, she realized he was trying to impress her
In essence, she followed through with the boy’s silent request for help and saved him the devastation of rejecting the orange in exchange for the chocolate

8. Significance of The Orange
The speaker may have brought oranges to share it with the girl
The oranges can be used as a form of payment, to make up for anything that might cost more than the ¢5 that he had
This is what actually happened
For the speaker, it represents both:
Wealth
Love
Contrast Object: The orange was bright in his hands and the day was gray and grim
At first, the orange seems to be a burden, but by the end of the poem, it symbolizes hope between the 2 characters

9. Important Points/Lines to Note
The speaker is meticulous and brave
Meticulous: Taking or showing extreme care about details and how things are planned (Definition)
He knows he might not have enough money, so he brought the oranges just in case
He is a risk taker, since they possibility of being denied the chocolate the girl has requested was quite high
Line: “Cold, and weighted down”
Meaning: It is winter, the oranges were heavy – perhaps a burden because he realizes he does not have any money
One can interpret the girl’s reaction in various ways:
She genuinely loves the boy and wants to be spoiled by him
She might have been shy, but was not intimidated for the kind of candy she wanted
Like him, she may have been poor and wanted to be treated to a snack
She is naïve and does not really know what is going on

10. Theme: Love
Speaker: It is obvious that speaker has great love for the girl he fancies since:
He picks her up from the house
Walks with her to the drugstore
Buys her the item that she requests
He took chance at possible humiliation by paying for the other half of the chocolate using an orange
To his luck, this worked
He sacrificed the little money he had and rather than eating the same thing, he instead chose to eat the other orange
Girl: The girl in return shows interest by:
Having him taking her out
Allowing him to touch her should and later holding her hands
Smiling and showing various facial expressions of approval
Eats the chocolate with him
Examples of love references:
“Face bright With rouge. I smiled, touched her shoulder, and led Her down the street”
“And asked what she wanted - light in her eyes, a smile starting at the corners Of her mouth”
“I took my girl’s hand In mine for two blocks, then released it to let Her unwrap the chocolate“
“From some distance, someone might have thought I was making a fire in my hands”

11. Literary Devices Metaphor – The orange’s indirect comparison to sun
Symbolism – Orange
Meaning: It is a symbol of love, passion and fury for the speaker. It has great value and is seen as just as important as money
Imagery: “We are breathing before a drugstore”
Meaning: It is so cold they can see their breath as they stand in front of the store
Onomatopoeia - “A few cars hissing past”
Meaning: The speaker emphasize that the cars are making a hissing-like sound
Personification/Simile – “Fog hanging like old Coats between the trees”
Meaning: The fog is being given the human attribute that it is around. The fog is also compared to a coat that hangs out from a tree to dry
Symbolism – “I was making a fire in my hands”
Meaning: This symbolizes the spark of the flame of a new relationship beginning
Metaphor – The orange’s indirect comparison to sun
Meaning: The orange seems to lighten the mood and the love between the two, during a cold and gloomy day

12. ‘Oranges’ Assignment Task: Rough Work
Task: Explain the strange actions of both the speaker and the girl in Gary Soto’s “Orange”. In addition, you need to discuss:
How the actions of the 2 characters relate to the theme of love
Its structure as well as its meaning
What you enjoyed about it
What you did not like about it
Words: words
Due Date: February/March ________.
Warning: Please avoid plagiarizing, otherwise you risk getting a zero
Task: Rough Work
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13. Academic Assignments – Broad Marking Rubric
Work awarded marks in the bands below will display most of the accompanying criteria
17-20
The assignment is at the upper end of the word limit.
It is a comprehensive, astute and accurate answer to the question.
Excellent knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There are frequent supportive references to the text.
There is a very good use of English with very few errors in SPG.
It conforms to MLA format.
12-16
The assignment is within the word limit.
It is a good answer to the question.
A good working knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There are some supportive references to the text.
There is a good use of English with a few errors in SPG.
7-12
The assignment is below the word limit.
It is a weak or inaccurate answer to the question.
Limited knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There are no supportive references to the text.
There is a poor use of English with frequent errors in SPG.
It does not completely conform to MLA format.
1-6
It does not really answer the question.
Very limited knowledge and understanding of the text is displayed.
There is a very poor use of English with extensive errors in SPG.
It does not conform to MLA format.
Comments: _____________________________________________________________
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