Analysis Of Who Ate The Plums By David Seadaris

Childhood Memories

When we were children, we were very idealistic. Most of us saw life as black and white and see the path as straight and predictable. It is why the kids in the elementary school will still want to become a scientist, he or she cannot see the reasons why and they will not be dissuaded. The optimism and vivacity of youth is what keeps one going at that time. In the essay “Who Ate the Plums” by David Seadaris. The author writes about the time he was little boy and always thought he knew the type of poems he wanted to write. The author’s persona is that he has a comfortable adulthood, but he still looks back to his childhood with a reminder of regret.

Looking at the story, he reminisces about poems. The author starts by talking about the death of his mother and the box of knickknacks that she had left for him. In the box, there are letters from camp and college. He ships it around as he moves until he finds himself in Normandy. It is here that he opens the box and finds two poems in which he wrote in the fifth grade. These poems then lead him to the reflection and deep introspection.

Throughout the story, he seems to be facing contradictions and conflicts on who he is. For example, he talks about the love of reading books and the love of audio books. He admits that they provide different feelings, and he wants to experience both of them. He listens to podcasts while sitting down and reading books. It is a persona who might want the best of both worlds and will not settle with one or the other. He speaks of the self-righteous indignation in the ‘War’ poem being unforgivable. When he reminisce on the poem, he wishes that he is still the boy he once was. The boy that was conscious of the world and not who he has