Analysis on Soto, Milton, and Klovebach

 To me all works of literature share a common theme. That theme is life through the view of a person. In Milton’s poem we read about a guy who is blinded and trying to live his life. In Soto’s we read about the day in the life of some dad. And in Kolvenbach’s we read about people living religiously through faith and justice. 

 Out of the three pieces of work read, my favorite was “A Red Palm” by Gary Soto. This poem was my favorite not because of the meaning behind it but the use of words and metaphors in this poem. I did like the meaning but what really sold me was the wording. For example, one line was “dirt smiles under each fingernail”. The personification of the dirt in a realistic way has blown my mind. The meaning of this line is that the dirt goes under the persons fingernails, the way that our fingers curve makes it look like a smile. The way the author thinks about things differently really broadens my horizons.  

The ending of Gary Soto’s poem is one of my favorite endings that remind me of the movie Forrest Gump. In the poem it states how the dad wasn’t smart but is strong and built so he towers over his fields. Yet his son is smart since he tests him with a math problem. The two are opposite from each other. Likewise, in Forrest Gump his son, Jenny tells him, is smart one of the smartest in the class.  

Kolvenbach talks about the Church and how they regulate service and faith through their “rules”. Having faith and praising God isn’t about doing it publicly and bragging about how religious you are. But it's about your privacy of faith.