The 4 Skinny Trees theme Prompt D

The author uses this extended metaphor because it helps to develop the theme of standing out with others, even if the rest of the world is fighting back; this was represented throughout the story through the narrator Esperanza comparing herself to the trees. One part of this extended metaphor contained a certain degree of personification, saying "they grow up and they grow down and grab the earth between their hairy toes and bite the sky with violent teeth and never quit their anger." This personification within the metaphor helped to develop the theme by giving them their own personality, as if all of them were actually fighting back with anger and with each other from being taken down, no matter what happened. Another part of the extended metaphor was Esperanza comparing herself to the trees saying "When I am too sad and too skinny to keep keeping... I look at the trees" and "4 skinny trees with skinny necks and pointy elbows like mine." She uses herself as the other end of the metaphor because it helps to define the theme and meaning by saying she uses the trees as a way too keep going, even if she feels like giving up. The final part of this extended metaphor was the ending to the story, which stated "Four who grew despite concrete. Four who reach and do not forget to reach. Four whose only reason is to be and be." This helped to finish the extended metaphor to describe the very unlikely chance that they would survive, yet they keep on growing and don't forget to "reach" or stretch out their branches, just like any other normal tree. Furthermore, the final sentence where it says their only reason is to "be and be" can be analyzed and the meaning of it can be inferred to mean that they are there to show then rest of the world it is possible to survive with others, even if the rest of the world is fighting back. These are the ways the metaphor helps to develop a them in the story.



Red = Thesis