The Traveling Onion Interpretation

The text I chose to interpret was “The Traveling Onion” by Naomi Shihab Nye. This poem is simplistic in form. In my opinion this is what makes it so relevant and gives the reader a sense of understanding. In essence, the poem follows the travels of the onion. It travels far to come to the stew that I make. Yet so much of the onion is forgotten. The many small miracles are overlooked. Such as the cracking of the paper as it is peeled and the layers that fall apart as the knife cuts through it, revealing a history that only each onion can share. One cannot berate the onion because it causes tears, for tears are what should come when such a thing that is so mistreated and neglected. Instead we sit down to eat and talk about the aroma or the meat in the stew and we forget the onion which is now divided and now longer strong. Nor do we remember how far the onion has come and how much it has been a part of our lives. Instead, the onion disappears for the sake of others.

I believe that this text has relevant cultural value. Yes the poem speaks of an onion. However there is a deeper social context in the poem that I think speaks much larger volumes than the few lines represented. The onion in this sense is a metaphor or symbol to an idea that is grander than just the simplicity of onion and stew. Instead, I find that this poem represents the small, forgotten things in life. If taken out of the picture, then the entire weave would unravel and would fall to ground, broken, or in this case the stew would be missing a key element.

The beginning of the poem is simply to lift up those things that we take for granted. Though they are small and though they seem insignificant at first, subtle in nature, they demand appreciation. The second part, however, drives my conclusion home. “It is right that tears should fall for something so small and forgotten.” To this I find that we should lament over what has become of these things. Instead we should marvel at the simplicity of them. These could simply be the miracles of everyday life, those things that we overlook when they should make us pause. Instead we find that we focus on the grandeur and the flashy, showy, brilliant things in life. We focus on the outer experience or those things that are front row. In this case I see the meat and the aroma as akin to actors and movies. In my field of work I find that some of the most important members are those who stand behind the scene, overshadowed by the colossus of celebrity fame, yet key to the creation of a piece of art, happily falling translucently away for the good of the stew. So we must take joy in these small things. If we don’t take the time to appreciate the simple things of life then we are missing the joys inherent in life. It would be sad if we ended our lives without enjoying the small things we have experienced.

When we read this poem, think of how it can be applied to our lives. I open my computer bag and pull out my laptop, a pen, a highlighter, some paper, and my book. I neglect to appreciate what went into the making of each of those items. The ink from my pen may have come from India. The hard plastic from my highlighter was made in China. The paper was made from trees that were cut down all over the world, shipped, and grinded into dust. My book had to go through numerous processes of writing, editing, publishing, and printing to become the educational tool that I use it fore. The computer must be assembled after making each small individual circuit, key, pixel, and copper wire that send billions of tiny electronic signals. These things are forgotten, however, as I open them to write a paper or to study for an exam. For the grand picture to be realized, these small things must become the onion in the stew.

Each day we take many things for granted. We often find these to be unimportant. Yet, without them, vital parts of our lives would change. Often people find that they suffer for the greater good of others, much like Christ or the disciples. Many more have died for great causes, people who will never be mentioned in books or in history, yet these are the men and women who deserve greatness. They are divided and weakened so that the whole will become stronger. As Vincent Van Gogh says, “Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” Let us remember the small things. Let us give voice to those who cannot speak. As the traveling onion lays to rest, bring stew and heart to completeness, let us remember what sacrifice it made to give us such pleasure. Let us remember how far these small things have traveled to make our lives a little bit brighter.