In “The JacketGary Soto uses symbolism to reflect on the characterization and development of the narrarator. Soto seems to focus mainly on a jacket, which has several meanings throughout the story. The jacket is used as a symbol to portray poverty, the narrarators insecurity, and the narrarator’s form of self-destruction.Since the story uses a certain object, the Jacket, as the meaning of several issues, it primarily focuses on the narrarator’s poverty-stricken family. First of all, an example of the poverty is demonstrated when the narrarator complains that the jacket “was so ugly and big that I knew I’d have to wear it a long time”(paragraph 3). It is clear that his lack of money was a problem in which he would have to keep the jacket because he could not afford a new one. The narrarator then feels embarrassed and upset by the jacket by stating “I blame my mother for her bad taste and cheap ways”(paragraph 10). By mentioning his mother’s “cheap” ways he is conveying that he is aggravated because of his mothers option to choose bad and ugly clothes in order to save money. A final way that the jacket is used as a symbol for poverty is implicit when a dog in the story tears the jacket and the narrarator “… Scotch taped it close but in rain or cold weather the tape peeled off like Gonzalez 2a scab and more stuffing came out”(paragraph 10). The fact that the narrarator could not fix the torn part of the jacket can indicate that his family is struggling to afford money for themselves. These certain examples help portray the issues of poverty that the narrarator’s family struggles. The Jacket symbolizes poverty as well as the narrarator’s insecurity throughout the story.An example of the insecurity that is demonstrated in the story is mentioned when the narrarator’s teachers were of “no help, they looked [his] way and talked about ho...
