“Ode to an Orange” by Larry Woiwode Essay

Ode to an Orange by Larry Woiwode is an evocative essay that brought many of my memories back. I became part of the story by experiencing what the author was describing. Larry incites all of our senses with the sharp description of an orange that for most of us is simply another fruit. The smell produced when we squeeze it, and its spherical orange shape gives us the sensation of being there. This essay made me think about the different ways we look at an orange. Most of us are accustomed to the conventional way of seeing an orange. However, for some people an orange is a lot more than merely a fruit. The author emphasizes in the importance of an orange for him. One example of this emphasis is at line 10 when he mentions; â€Å"There was no depth of degradation that we wouldn’t descend to in order to get one†. This tells me that the author not only liked oranges, but that he was passionate about enjoying the flavor and texture of an orange. I think that the author feels in this way because the orange brings some of his most memorable times back. He clearly remembers the way her mother used to tease him and his brother. He emphasizes this by repeating his thoughts in the end. I enjoyed reading this story because I can relate with what the author writes. In the summers of my childhood, there was no better flavor than the originated by a cold orange juice. After reading this story, I felt a strong desire to buy some oranges and make a glass of cold juice, and the fact that is summer now; greatly complements it. Finally, this story has made me more aware of the ordinary things we have around us. Everything is an interesting topic for writing, and as the book mentions, we need to be more perceptive with our environment. Larry has a unique way to make us feel inside the story. He reminds me that before theaters and television was writing. We only need our imagination to create the most beautiful stories.