The Grandfather is a short story by Gary Soto. The story is about a young boy who is trying to understand his grandfather’s life and death. The boy learns about his grandfather’s past and how he came to America. The grandfather tells the boy about his life in Mexico and how he worked hard to provide for his family. The boy also learns about the grandfather’s love for music and how he loved to play the guitar. The story ends with the grandfather telling the boy that he will always be with him.
The Grandfather is a heartwarming story that teaches readers about family, love, and loss. The story is told from the perspective of a young boy who is trying to make sense of his grandfather’s death. The boy learns about his grandfather’s life in Mexico and how he came to America. The grandfather tells the boy about his love for music and how he loved to play the guitar. The story ends with the grandfather telling the boy that he will always be with him.
Gary Soto does an excellent job of portraying the bond between a grandfather and grandson. The Grandfather is a touching story that will leave readers feeling emotional. Gary Soto is a talented writer who knows how to tug at readers’ heartstrings. The Grandfather is a must-read for anyone who wants to experience a powerful, emotional story.
“[Gary Soto’s] power comes from painting pictures that allow the reader to feel the wonder promise, and pain of everyday life” (Fabiano 185). Gary Soto’s writing goes straight to the heart of the Chicano experience, as seen in “The Grandfather.” His naturalistic style, simple language use, and firsthand experiences serve as a foundation for his work.
The poem is written in first person point of view which allows the reader to feel as if they are the speaker. The poem is also written in free verse which gives a feeling of how life changes and how there is no set structure. The poem’s form reflects the content because just like life, it has no set structure, and anything can happen.
Soto uses his real life experiences as a basis for his writing which makes his writing more relatable. The title “The Grandfather” is significant because it represents the speaker’s relationship with his grandfather. The grandfather is a symbol of hope and promise for the speaker. The grandfather is someone who the speaker looks up to and admires.
The grandfather is also a symbol of the past. The speaker wants to hold on to the traditions and values that his grandfather represents. The speaker also experiences pain and disappointment with his grandfather. The speaker feels as if his grandfather is trying to leave him behind. The speaker is conflicted because he wants to hold on to the past, but he also has to face the present and the future. The speaker’s feelings are represented in the poem through images and symbolism.
The first image in the poem is of a “dead tree” (Soto 1). The tree is dead because it doesn’t have any leaves. The leaves are symbolic of life because they are green and alive. The tree is also symbolic of the Mexican community. The Mexican community is often associated with trees because they are a part of nature.
The tree is also symbolic of the speaker’s grandfather. The grandfather is old and his time has passed. The second image in the poem is of a “black cat” (Soto 2). The black cat is symbolic of death. The black cat is also symbolic of the speaker’s grandfather. The grandfather is sick and he is going to die.
Naturalism is a style of writing in which the author captures a moment in time and makes it last indefinitely. Soto employs a naturalistic technique in his work “The Grandfather.” Soto considers issues such as marriage, parenthood, friendship, or making a livelihood (Fields 284) while writing. In order to make money, Grandfather moves to Fresno and works at Sun Maid Raisin for thirty years (Soto 6). Soto writes about ordinary occurrences without attempting to fluff anything up.
The truth is what he writes and the raisins are a big part of the story. The Sun Maid Raisin Company “was founded in 1912 by two enterprising young Spanish immigrants, G. Alberto Delgado and Manuel L. The Delgado family still owns and operates the company” (Sun Maid). The company has been around for over 100 years, so it is safe to say that they know what they are doing. The Grandfather in Soto’s story was very proud of his work at Sun Maid Raisins. The Grandfather had a strong work ethic and he was very proud to have worked there for thirty years.
Raisins are not the only thing that has been around for a long time. The story of The Grandfather has been around for a while too. The story was originally published in the anthology, The Apple That Ate Johnny Appleseed in 1995 (Soto). The Grandfather is a very timeless story because it speaks to the human experience. The story is about a grandfather who has to say goodbye to his family. The Grandfather is an emotional story and it is easy for people to relate to it. Soto does a great job of capturing the human experience in his writing.
The Sun Maid Raisin Company is a vital part of “The Grandfather”. The raisins are not just a minor detail in the story, they are a major part of it. The raisins represent the hard work and dedication that The Grandfather put into his job. The raisins also represent the family tradition that The Grandfather is a part of. The Sun Maid Raisin Company is a symbol of The Grandfather’s life and it is a big part of his story.
