Shoulders By Naomi Shihab Nye Summary

Friendship will thrive On the planet the human race can rarely find peace with one another. Right now, brave individuals risk their lives in wars around the globe. A never ending battles between friends and foes. Although, some individuals just want peace in life. “Shoulders” by Naomi Shihab Nye, tells the reader that individuals should care for one another through kindness and respect like a parent cares for a child. The poem does this through imagery, figurative language, and repetition. Throughout the poem, Nye uses imagery to capture reader’s array of senses. Nye starts out the poem by saying, “A man crosses the street in rain,” (1), which shows the reader what mood this poem portrays. Typically, rain shows the reader sadness, but the rain in this case just helps set the mood. She also uses the text so the reader can imagine a dad with a …show more content…
“This man carries the world's most sensitive cargo” (6). This simile shows the reader how his little boy seems the most important thing in the world and the dad should handle him with so much care and caution. Nye wants the reader to handle their friends with care and caution. Even though nobody's perfect, when individuals show friends they care for them, the trust and respect for the person increases. “No car must splash him” (4). This onomatopoeia helps the reader indicate that the father trying to get his son through traffic without getting soaked. The word “splash” helps the reader imagine the rainy puddles just waiting to soak an individual just like how life will throw different problems at anyone. Friends will always stay near, even if life's problems rain down. “He hears the hum of the boy’s dreams” (11). This line shows the reader how silent the boy seems. More often than not individuals that seem the quietest, will show that they are the most troublesome and in need of friendship. The figurative language helps bring Nye’s theme to