On The Subway Sharon Olds Analysis

In “On the Subway,” Sharon Olds brings two identities together. She develops their image by contrasting them. Through the use of imagery, tone, and organization, Olds is able to contrast the two people and come to a conclusion.
Sharon Olds begins her contrast of the two characters through the use of imagery. She states, “He is wearing red, like the inside of the body exposed. I am wearing dark fur, the whole skin of an animal taken and used.” Through this contrast, we are able to tell that the boy is ordinary, he is wearing red like anyone else wears red. The woman however is wearing fur. Fur is expensive; the fur gives her significance, almost making her superior to the boy in red. The boy remains ordinary while the woman is extraordinary.
Towards the middle of the poem, Olds uses tone to contrast the two people. She uses an uncertain tone when she contrasts what is power is like and what hers is like. Old states, “I don’t know if I am in his power—he could take my coat so easily, my briefcase, my life—or if he is in my power, the way I am living off his life, eating the steak he does not eat, as if I am taking the food from his mouth.” Olds uses her uncertain tone to develop her ideas of the power these two people contain. Again, the boy is made inferior, as his power only consists of him taking …show more content…
After all the contrast about the boy being inferior and the woman being superior, Olds states, “And he is black and I am white.” By organizing the poem in a manner that gives general ideas about the skin tones, such as the “ordinary” red and the fur, Olds builds up to her final statement about their color. This is her, giving her final contrast, the most important contrast. The organization is set to almost details leading to a main idea. This is where she comes to the conclusion that her white skin gives her privilege, it allows her to profit from the young black boy’s

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On The Subway Sharon Olds Analysis