Rita Dove Adolescence-3

The poem, “Adolescence-III” by Rita Dove, is about a young girl who is growing up with a single mother. She works in the field with her mom, and they are poor. The main character, the poor girl, dreams of a better life, nicer things, and her “Prince Charming.” Rita Dove features multiple literary devices, including metaphors, symbolism, and paradox. To begin with, the author uses the device metaphor. In line 2, Dove begins an extensive metaphor comparing the girl to tomatoes. “The dusky rows of tomatoes./As they glowed orange in sunlight/ And rotted in shadow, I too/ Grew orange and softer, swelling out/ Starched cotton slip.” In these lines, the speaker is saying that she was growing up just like the tomatoes were. She grew softer and rounder like the tomatoes too. She was becoming a young woman. I think the author uses this device to help the reader to picture what the speaker is saying. The picture of round and orange tomatoes helps the reader …show more content…
Another example would be the use of the phrase, “Lengths of Dotted Swiss.” The author uses this uppity fabric to represent a wealthier and more luxurious life- a life that the speaker dreams of. Furthermore, the words, “Scarred knees in dresses,” is a symbol of childhood being overtaken by womanhood. It’s a perfect exemplification of the theme, “coming of age.” In like manner, Rita Dove uses a carnation, one that is “over his heart,” to symbolize love, especially love that she hopes one day to have between herself and a boy. Given these many examples, the reader can clearly see the author’s love for symbolism. Why did she use it in this poem? I believe Rita Dove used symbolism in “Adolescence-III” to convey a deeper meaning and really engage the reader. In conclusion, the author’s use of symbolism really adds to the meaning of this