Gary Soto The Pie Analysis

Gary Soto’s Sin Coming from a devout Catholic family, Gary Soto encountered the ultimate sin as a six-year-old when he was tempted by a delicious apple pie. But his guilt is expressed in more than just a frown; through his tremendous writing, Soto practically transforms his guilt into its own being. His attention to detail in each description demonstrates his ability to carry the reader through his writing, from the imagery behind his guilt sweat to the repetition of hearing the plumbing “howl”. In some ways, the readers themselves begin to feel guilty right alongside Soto. Written from the perspective of Soto’s childhood self, the story vividly details the sickening guilt that follows him after he steals an apple pie. Gary Soto’s use of

In such a short text, the plumbing is referenced three times and the shadows are referenced four times. Each phrase is immediately stated in the first paragraph, acting as a warning to Soto. The howls from plumbing symbolize God’s warnings to not steal the pie, whereas the shadows of the angels symbolize Soto’s potential for goodness (however, the shadow is merely potential because it is not tangible). As the story progresses, the references to plumbing and shadows repeat more and more, emphasizing Soto’s need for God’s help as he gives into his gluttony. By the last paragraph, Soto “[decides] to crawl underneath [his] house and lie in the cool shadows listening to the howling sound of plumbing” (47-48). While the biblical references provide insight for Soto to acknowledge the guilt he faces, the repetition of the howls and shadows provides readers a look into how Soto feels. When a person feels guilty, their minds tend to revolve around their wrongdoing. The repetition brings the sense that Soto’s mind is spinning from guilt, and he starts to relive all of his shame as he becomes more sinful. Everywhere he turns, he cannot escape from the shadows and plumbing that remind him to be a good Christian