n the following literature selections, individuals experience rites of passage in various ways:
"The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant" by W.D. Wetherell
"Oranges" by Gary Soto
from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
"First Lesson" by Phillip Booth (Standard course only)
"On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins
"Hanging Fire" by Audre Lorde
from My Forbidden Face by Latifa
"The Scarlet Ibis" by James Hurst (Standard course only)
"My Brother's Keeper" by Jay Bennett
from Riding the Bus with my Sister by Rachel Simon (Foundations course only)
Choose at least two of the selections above and write about the rites of passage that individuals in the selections confront. Provide evidence by including names of characters as well as specific details from the text to support your claim.
In "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant" by W.D. Wetherell, the main character, who remains unnamed, experiences a rite of passage involving both his love for fishing and his infatuation with Sheila Mant. Throughout the story, the character's love for fishing is established, and it serves as a symbol of his innocence and childhood. However, when he gets the chance to spend time with Sheila Mant, a popular and attractive girl, he faces a conflicting choice.
The character's rite of passage occurs when he is on a boat with Sheila Mant and realizes that he needs to choose between impressing her or saving the big bass he just caught. In this crucial moment, he decides to let go of the fish, recognizing that his passion for fishing will not impress Sheila. This decision symbolizes his transition from childhood, where his hobbies and interests were enough, to adolescence, where he feels the need to change himself to fit in and gain the acceptance of others.
Similarly, in "Oranges" by Gary Soto, the narrator experiences a rite of passage when he goes on a date with a girl for the first time. The narrator is a young boy who is nervous and unsure about what to do during the date. Throughout the poem, the narrator describes his anxiety about buying the girl oranges and candy, worrying about impressing her and not making any mistakes.
The rite of passage occurs when the narrator manages to navigate the date successfully. Despite his initial nervousness, at the end of the poem, he walks with the girl while holding her hand. This gesture signifies the narrator's growth and ability to overcome his fears and uncertainties associated with dating. It marks his transition from childhood, where he had no experience with romantic relationships, to adolescence, where he begins to explore and understand the complexities of love and interactions with the opposite sex.
In both of these literature selections, the characters face rites of passage that involve making choices and confronting their fears and insecurities. These experiences mark crucial moments of transition from childhood innocence to adolescence, where they learn to navigate the challenges and expectations of growing up.
In the literature selections "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant" by W.D. Wetherell and "Oranges" by Gary Soto, individuals experience rites of passage in distinct ways.
In "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant," the protagonist, an unnamed teenage boy, goes through a rite of passage related to his first experience with love and the pursuit of his passion for fishing. As the narrative unfolds, the boy navigates the complexities of teenage romance, symbolized by his infatuation with Sheila Mant. However, he also deeply cherishes his fishing hobby, which he sees as an essential part of his identity. The rite of passage occurs when the boy is faced with a tough decision: should he sacrifice his chance with Sheila Mant to keep his beloved bass or release it to impress her? This moment marks a transition from youthful infatuation to a more mature understanding of his values and identity.
On the other hand, in "Oranges" by Gary Soto, the young protagonist undergoes a rite of passage related to his first date and an exploration of his emerging independence. The story follows a boy who takes a walk with a girl he likes for the first time. Through vivid imagery, Soto depicts the boy's nervousness and eagerness to impress. Along the way, the couple faces challenges like cold weather and the boy's limited finances. Despite these obstacles, their date proves to be a transformative experience, culminating in a scene where the boy buys the girl a bag of oranges, a small gesture of affection that symbolizes his newfound confidence and willingness to take risks.
Both stories present significant rites of passage for their respective characters. In "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant," the protagonist confronts the internal conflict between love and personal passion, leading to a crucial decision that shapes his understanding of values and maturity. In "Oranges," the protagonist embarks on a first date, overcoming obstacles and embracing newfound independence, symbolized by the purchase of oranges.
Evidence from the texts, including character names and specific details, supports these claims.
To analyze the rites of passage experienced by individuals in the literature selections provided, let's focus on two of them: "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant" by W.D. Wetherell and "On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins.
In "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant," the main character, the narrator, goes through a rite of passage as he navigates the complexities of adolescence and first love. The story takes place during a summer when the narrator is fourteen years old. He becomes infatuated with Sheila Mant, a girl who is older and more socially popular. As the story progresses, the narrator realizes that his love for Sheila conflicts with his passion for fishing. He faces an internal struggle as he contemplates whether to impress Sheila by catching the bass he has been trying to catch all summer or sacrificing his chance to be with her by setting the fish free.
In this story, the narrator's rite of passage involves the transition from childish infatuation to a more mature understanding of his own values and priorities. The climax of the story occurs when the narrator makes the difficult decision to release the bass instead of impressing Sheila. This choice symbolizes his growth and the shedding of his naive desire for acceptance.
In "On Turning Ten" by Billy Collins, the speaker reflects on the rite of passage of turning ten years old, which signifies the transition from childhood to adolescence. The poem explores the bittersweet realization of leaving the innocence and simplicity of childhood behind and facing the complexities and responsibilities of growing up.
The speaker mourns the loss of childhood pleasures and wonders about the future, expressing a desire to return to a simpler time. Collins uses vivid imagery, such as the reference to the speaker's "childhood playground turning into a graveyard" and the mention of "a thousand darkened rooms" to convey the profound change and loss experienced in the process of growing up.
In both of these selections, the individuals confront rites of passage that involve coming to terms with the complexities and changes that accompany growing up. The characters in these texts grapple with the choices they must make and the new understanding they must gain as they navigate their way through adolescence.