Comparing First Dates in Sottos Oranges and Wetherells The Bass, the

First Dates in Sotto's Oranges and Wetherell's The Bass, the River, and Shelia Mant Everyone is born with innocence and they gradually gain experience through lessons learned in life; some people may gain more that others. Not all lessons in life are dramatic or negative, some may be subtle, positive, or even life altering; however, no matter how small or big, they do alter one's perspective on things and help them to gain experience, which will be with them forever. These experiences may be gained through love, war, or death, but in some way or another they have changed one's point of view. The works "Oranges", written by Gary Sotto, and "The Bass, the River, and Shelia Mant", written by W.D. Wetherell, both tell about a boys first love and his first date. First loves and first dates is something that can be related to by everyone, whether boy or girl. These two works show that the outcome of a first date may not be what one expected, but in the end something more may be learned. In "The Bass, the River, and Shelia Mant", the speaker fell in love with a beautiful girl named Shelia Mant, which was the only thing that he loved more than fishing. He watched her everyday sunbathing on the dock. He watched her so much that he learned what mood she was in by the position she was laying. When the summer was almost over he got up enough nerve to ask her out. To his surprise she said yes. They went to see a band, however, since he was only fourteen they took a canoe. While rowing the canoe he had his fishing pole on the back, because he never left the house without it. Little did he know that Shelia thought fishing was dumb. So, during the entire canoe ride he is trying to hide the fishing pole, which is hanging o... ...h the speaker from "The Bass, the River, and Shelia Mant" did not have a great first date or love, he learned to be himself, not to change who he was so someone will like him. Although both speakers lost their innocence and gained experience in love and dating, they still have a lot more to learn in both. Innocence may be loss in a subtle or life altering way, negative or positive, but when all is said and done the experience gained will help one to succeed in life. Works Cited Lessing, Doris. "Through the Tunnel." Responding to Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, and Essays. Fourth Edition. Ed. Judith A Stanford. Boston: McGrawHill, 2003. 860-867. Wetherell, W.D. "The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant." Responding to Literature: Stories, Poems, Plays, and Essays. Fourth Edition. Ed. Judith A. Stanford. Boston: McGrawHill, 2003. 191-196.