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Rite Of Passage By Sharon Olds Summary

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In the poem, "Rite of Passage", Sharon Olds depicts a mother's view of her child and of other children. The mother sees her child as a newborn by saying things like "specks of nutmeg on his cheeks" and "chest narrow as the balsa keel of a model boat". This perception of her child instills the idea that she raised a kind hearted and innocent kid. After this notion is stated, the son speaks of murdering a two year old. This creates a clear contrast between the mother's perspective and that of society's. The other children, upon hearing this, continue forward in celebrating his life as if the very words he spoke were of good taste. Throughout the poem, the mother refers to the children as " short men" and "small bankers", developing the notion

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