Symbolism in “Oranges” by Gary Soto

Oranges” by Gary soto tells the story of youth innocence and young love. Symbols in “Oranges” include The orange, winter and December. “Cold and weighted down with two oranges in my jacket(Lines 3-4)” represents how nervous the boy is and he does not know what to expect when is with this young girl. Lines 10 and 11 are about the porch light at the girls house that burns yellow in any weather. This could signify that the young boy pays attention and is interested in her and the surroundings. When lines 51-56 appear, the symbol of the orange becomes obvious. The orange is contrasted between the cold December and the young love because the orange stands out “against the grey of December”. The orange is a symbol of the love that is blossoming between the young couple and how it can be recognized from a distance. Even though it is winter and its cold and plants and things seem to be dieing, love is seeming to be growing and becoming enlightening between the boy and the girl. When the couple is at the drugstore and he does not have enough money to pay for her chocolate he gives the saleslady an orange. This then creates suspense for the readers because they are left to wonder if the salesperson will accept or decline his offer. In the end the salesperson accepts the orange because she knows how nervous it is to be in his position and she immediately picked up on his love for this girl.