Green Chile Poem Essay Example
The Symbols and Significance of “Green Chile”
Jimmy Santiago Baca’s “Green Chile” is a poem of love and sacrifice, symbolized
in the course that there’s two types of chile peppers. The poet expresses that he prefers
“red chile over my eggs / and potatoes for breakfast” (Lines 1-2), but his grandmother
“loves green chile.” He states in his poem that “red chile ristras decorate my door, / dry on
my roof, and hang from my eaves” (Lines 3-4), resembling the red as a southwestern
mexican color used for festivities, however, the red peppers are not edible to many because
their too spicy and they are not liked by his grandmother. She would often cook dinner
with the typical Spanish side dishes, rice and beans; adding a combination of green
chile, which appeals unusual, more intimidating and strange, while the red chile is not as
intriguing. Although the “green chile” are not his favorite he eats them out of respect
towards his grandmother that raised him all his life and it’s part of his heritage in their
family.
The grandmother references the peppers to “her little prince (Line 35), which is a fantasy
to the author, her grandson. The peppers acquire on a existence of the image, in the
grandmother’s and author’s mind set. They’re “her sacrifice,” which leads the readers to
believe she considers the peppers as her own children and giving up her life to protect her
grandson and the rest of her dear family. The green chile is interpret by the grandmother in
the poem by a sensuality produce similar to a young flaming lover as she compares it to “a
well dressed gentleman at the door,” whom she tales sensuously in her hand, fondling oil
serpent and her mouth full of fulfillment. The author, red chile symbolizes strength and
history, while his grandmother prefers green chile which symbolizes their adolescence and
passion. The poet Baca makes a beautiful correlation with an inimitable significance in his
Jimmy Santiago Baca’s “Green Chile” is a poem of love and sacrifice, symbolized
in the course that there’s two types of chile peppers. The poet expresses that he prefers
“red chile over my eggs / and potatoes for breakfast” (Lines 1-2), but his grandmother
“loves green chile.” He states in his poem that “red chile ristras decorate my door, / dry on
my roof, and hang from my eaves” (Lines 3-4), resembling the red as a southwestern
mexican color used for festivities, however, the red peppers are not edible to many because
their too spicy and they are not liked by his grandmother. She would often cook dinner
with the typical Spanish side dishes, rice and beans; adding a combination of green
chile, which appeals unusual, more intimidating and strange, while the red chile is not as
intriguing. Although the “green chile” are not his favorite he eats them out of respect
towards his grandmother that raised him all his life and it’s part of his heritage in their
family.
The grandmother references the peppers to “her little prince (Line 35), which is a fantasy
to the author, her grandson. The peppers acquire on a existence of the image, in the
grandmother’s and author’s mind set. They’re “her sacrifice,” which leads the readers to
believe she considers the peppers as her own children and giving up her life to protect her
grandson and the rest of her dear family. The green chile is interpret by the grandmother in
the poem by a sensuality produce similar to a young flaming lover as she compares it to “a
well dressed gentleman at the door,” whom she tales sensuously in her hand, fondling oil
serpent and her mouth full of fulfillment. The author, red chile symbolizes strength and
history, while his grandmother prefers green chile which symbolizes their adolescence and
passion. The poet Baca makes a beautiful correlation with an inimitable significance in his