SOAPSTone Analysis of “The Jacket”

SOAPSTone Important Questions: Analysis:

Speaker Whose voice is telling the story?

Remember that it is not enough to simply name the
● Gary Soto was about 10 or 11, family doesn’t have a lot of money,
speaker. What can you say about the speaker based doesn’t appreciate the jacket however doesn’t want to bother his
on references to the text?
Mom about it, takes place during his middle school years, is going
through puberty and emotional changes, paranoid that everyone is
talking about him in a negative aspect

Occasion What is the time, place, current situations, context

in which the author is writing?
Be certain to discuss and record both the larger
occasion, that is, those issues or ideas that must
have made the speaker think about this issue, as
well as the immediate occasion.
● The issue during this time is that he doesn’t like the jacket his
mother gave him, and it’s the complete opposite of what he asked
her for
● Context includes current situations his family was dealing with,
Mom is currently tight on money

Audience Who is the intended audience for the piece? At

whom is this text directed?
● People who can relate with having to wear/keep something you
It’s not enough to say “Anyone who read it.” You don’t like because either there’s no other alternative or you don’t
will want to identify a certain audience by
describing some of its characteristics. want to hurt the person’s feelings who gave it to you

Purpose Why is the author writing?

The purpose could be purely a personal one; i.e. to
● The author is writing to portray a sense of guilt for not liking the
assuage guilt, to encourage action. But it could also jacket, longing for something that would make him “fit in”, anger
be directed at the audience; you will have to decide
what the message is and how the author wants this for his mom not getting him what he wanted and the jacket giving
audience to respond. him bad luck throughout his adolescent years

Subject Briefly state the main idea(s) of the piece.

You should be able to state the subject in a few
● The main idea is feeling that something you have gives you bad luck
words or a very short phrase. and you don’t like it at all, but there’s no other alternative and you
have to deal with it despite the situation

Tone What is the feeling or manner of expression used

by the author?
● Anger and despair of having to have something/do something you
Try to choose a description of the tone that fits the don’t enjoy because the situation you’re in doesn’t allow you to do
piece as a whole. Include specific words or phrases
from the text and explain how they support your anything else
statement.
- uses a lot of hyperboles and similes
- visual imagery (diction)
- cynical tone
- repetition (connotation--blame)