Question

A rite of passage is a personal experience that marks a life change or transition. Some examples are: going on your first date, getting your first job, or having your first crush. Question: What is the rite of passage that the boy experiences in the poem?
Im struggling hard with this question, please help! the poem we were given was Oranges by Gary Soto, which you can read here: https://www.edhelper.com/poetry/Oranges_by_Gary_Soto.htm

Answer 1

The correct answer is going on a first date.

This Gary Soto’s poem, Oranges, describes the feelings of a boy going on a first date, most probably, for the first time in his life. That is the reason why we can say that the poem depicts a rite of passage, because this was a significant turning point in his life.

The first date is described as the first time he walked with a girl. He picks her up. She is wearing make-up. The physical contact between them is shy and gentle and he leds her down the street. He invites her a chocolate bar and the poet keeps on describing his thoughts an feelings to vividly recreate that passage from being a naive boy to a hormonal teenager.