Poquette has a bachelor's degree in English and specializes in writing about literature. In the following essay, Poquette discusses Coraghessan's use of imagery in "TheUnderground Gardens. "

The specific details of the life of Baldasare Forestiere—the Italian American historical figure who spent four decades digging a unique underground complex inFresno, California, in the early 1900s—are open to debate. As depicted by Boyle's short story, "The Underground Gardens," Baldasare is a hardworking Italian immigrant who comes toAmerica to make his fortune. Imbued with a strong faith in his abilities and a self-sufficient nature, Boyle's Forestiere perseveres even as his initial dreams are crushed and he must find the strength to follow new ones. He is a noble man who has admirable, even heroic qualities. This goes against the assessment of critics such as Denis Hennessy, who notes in his Dictionary of Literary Biography entry on B oyle...