The Asphalt
When Gary Soto describes the summer heat, he writes that the “asphalt was a soft, blackish river.” Comparing the asphalt to a river indicates that the heat is so high that it melts the roads.
Gary's Thumb
As a little boy, Soto squishes ants and compares his thumb to a bomb: “A bomb would be like a thumb, a shadow coming down.” This simile illustrates that an airman dropping a bomb does not care about who the people they hit, just like he does not care about the ants he kills.
Baseball, Stalk of Grass
As a child, Soto’s summers were full of outdoor activities: “Summer was baseball, and the wish to hit someone home. Summer was a stalk of grass hanging from a mouth.” Apart from its literal meaning, the baseball metaphor could also mean that he was looking for anything that gave him a rush of joy. The stalk of grass illustrates that he also liked to lay in the grass lazily and enjoy some quiet time.
A Sled of Loneliness
At one point, Gary Soto is followed by a stray dog. He writes that “We walked for a good mile, each of us dragging a sled of loneliness,” which illustrates that his feeling of loneliness weighs heavily on his heart.
The Shadow of an Angel
Having stolen an apple pie, Soto is overwhelmed by a strong feeling of guilt: “I got to my feet, stomach taut, mouth tired of chewing, and flung my frisbee across the street, its shadow like the shadow of an angel fleeing bad deeds.” This simile hints at his Christian education, with priests telling him about evil sins, and in this situation he feels he had committed such a significant sin that even angels fly away from him.
