Gary Soto’s autobiographical narrative “ A Summer Life” recreates the feeling of guilt Sota felt after stealing an apple pie. The feeling is recreated through the use of allusions, imagery, and lively diction. Throughout the narrative many allusions are present. One of the most prevalent is the allusion to God. Sota refers to God several times to demonstrate he was a religious child. This also shows the he knows the severity of his sin, and consequences for it. Another allusion Soto uses is to Adam and Eve.
Soto says “ I Knew an apple got Eve in deep trouble. ” He knew he did not want to end up like Adam and Eve, spending the rest of his life roaming the desert. By using allusions the author helps to recreate the harsh felling of guilt he felt as boy, stealing the apple pie. Another technique used in the paper is vivid imagery. Sota creates vivid imagery to describe everything he sees, hears, and feels after stealing the apple pie. The author vividly describes details of even the smallest magnitude.
At one point he even describes a squirrel “ forked into two large bark-scabbed limbs. ” Sota’s vivid imagery demonstrates that he knew everything going on around him, because the guilt made him pay close attention to everything happening. Also, Sota uses lively diction in his autobiographical narrative. Sota uses phrases like “ my face was sticky with guilt” and “ wet finger-dripping pieces. ” By using these phrases, the author creates a more intense feeling for the reader. The lively diction used by Sota immensely recreates the guilty feeling he felt as a kid.
Gary Sota’s autobiographical narrative “ A Summer Life” uses several rhetorical devices to recreate a feeling of guilt. Allusions are used throughout the passage to demonstrate the importance of religion to Sota. The imagery used, shows how guilt the author felt after stealing the pie. The lively diction makes the guilty feeling even more intense for the duration of the narrative. Gary Sota’s “ A summer life” uses Allusions, Imagery, and lively diction to recreate a feeling of guilt.
