Many people run into tough situations and hard times where they have had to persevere through their difficulties. In both texts, “Praying,” by Kesha, and Parrot in the Oven, by Victor Martinez, they share the idea that working hard and persevering through difficult situations will create good results. In “Praying,” Kesha figures out that she is better off without the other person who “brought her flames and put her through hell” and is stronger without him. Similarly, in Parrot in the Oven, Manny moves through and past some hard moment with his dad. In both texts, it is true that if you face your problems and defeat them, you will feel stronger and achieve more.
Themes in both texts were very similar. The idea of persevering through hard times, pushing through, not just staying stuck in those situations is present in both. Manny had to persevere and work through all the problems his dad was bringing into their family’s life, with his drinking problems and abusive behavior. In “Praying,” Kesha talks about the problems she had with someone in her life that she needed to just leave in the past. In “Praying,” it says, “And I don`t need you, I found strength I`ve never known…” She persevered through her problem with someone else to leave it in the past. In both texts, they clearly show that you need to work through your problems and move on with your life. Toward the end of each text, Kesha and Manny both persevered and aren’t suffering anymore. Kesha and Manny are both negatively affected by their problems but are able to find peace in the end.
Although both texts share the same theme, the two different texts have some differences too. In Parrot in the Oven, the main conflict for Manny is his abusive, alcoholic dad and the problems that get created from him and his behavior. But, in “Praying,” Kesha sings about a relationship with her boyfriend that tore her and her life apart. Another difference in the texts is that Kesha actually wishes the guy from her past to be well, while Manny seems to not really care what happens to his dad after all the problems he created. Also, in “Praying,” she tells her story and problems through her thoughts and songs, and Manny shows his readers his problems through actual dialogue and his actions. My last difference is when they resolved their problems. When Kesha resolves her problems, she faces them but is still dealing with the pain after the relationship. Manny faces his troubles too, but after his are resolved, he acts as if he doesn`t have any pain left, or if he does, it doesn`t bother him. The texts “Praying,” and Parrot in the Oven are both different and similar in these ways.
In both texts, Victor Martinez and Kesha show the importance of dealing with your pain to rid it from your life. After you look closely at the two different texts, Manny and Kesha show that each individual needs to face their fears except everyone does it in their own way. When you have more and more pain piling up from your troubles, are you going to let it keep growing up more and more, or are you going to face it and get rid of it?