Within the Black Hair collection by Gary Soto, there are two poems that, when compared, seem to be alike in hidden ways. “Oranges” and “Cruel Boys” appear to be about two completely separate topics, types of characters and settings. Regardless that it may not be obvious at first, the poems actually are quite similar to each other, specifically when it comes to the main characters. To begin, both of the poems seem to include younger people in them. In “Oranges,” it actually states that the boy, who is also the narrator, is 12 years old. The girl appears very quiet, so it is assumed she is near his age as well. The two characters in “Cruel Boys” are “on out way to becoming 8th graders,” and they have a first through six hour period at school,…show more content… In the first poem, the “couple” walks aimlessly toward a drugstore, simply to purchase some candy. The boy gives the reader a feeling that he is a little foolish, spending literally every last cent he has for the girl; however, it is a good foolish. The second poem starts off with the boys seeming to mean no harm to anyone, as the first few lines read, “First day. Jackie and I walking in leaves… pee-chee folders…” However, it turns into a typical young boy’s imagination of ruling the world with his best friend and being unstoppable by even the school administration and police officers. Therefore, it is shown that the two poems start off with them walking somewhere but instead take different routes from each other as they continue…show more content… For example, in “Oranges,” the main characters are a boy and a girl, whereas in “Cruel Boys,” the title gives it right away: there are two boys as the main characters. This makes a difference because the relationships are not alike. It is evident that the boy and girl is a type of romantic relationship, but the two boys display a friendship.
In addition, the previous difference drives the overall stories into two separate directions. “Oranges” displays a relationship that builds the entire meaning of the poem to be a caring, romantically-related storyline. “Cruel Boys,” in contrast, describes a relationship between two boys that are friends who will stick by each other even when things get serious, such as if the administration or officers show up. In addition to the contrasting elements these two poems have to each other, meaning is another one. The meaning behind the first poem is that even during the coldest, darkest times of the year, there can still be warmth and light, which can be provided by a person or a figure or object. Whereas, the second poem has a more immature feel and voice to it. “Boys will be boys” is a popular attitude that Soto writes within his work, as talked about in the article by David Wojahn called “Review.” In the article, Wojahn pulls another famous poem by Soto that displays the similar type of attitude that the characters in “Cruel Boys.” Although it may not be the exact same story, the main
