Comparative:

In Tracing Suburban Desires by Cala Coats, and Julie Lechevsky’s Dandelion the dandelion is portrayed as a symbol of strength, resilience and hope. Lechevsky’s executes that interpretation by focusing on the dandelion’s ability to exist freely and independently from the society that attempts to destroy it. Similarly, Tracing Suburban Desires paints the dandelion as the “Gypsy of the suburbs” giving it mystical strength and a free spirit that cannot be stifled. In these texts, the dandelion is transformed into something admirable. Both authors seem to challenge a majorly held perception of the dandelion as a weed or something that needs to be removed. They both aim to make a case for why the dandelion is not only beautiful and strong, but a necessary symbol within American culture.
The pieces truly differ in regards to the implications the author’s choose to focus on. In Dandelion, the author viewed the dandelion as more personal, she wishes to become a dandelion and obtain it strengthen while in Tracing Suburban Desires, the author focuses on the impacts (both negative and positive) it have on the community. Lechevsky admires the dandelion for its strength to stick together and the feeling of freedom that it provokes. It is mainly about her and her view of dandelions. Coats see the dandelion as something bigger. They choose to explain the effect that dandelions cause on American Suburban culture such as, devaluing human investment, and generating an entire industry. However, both of these writings seem to come to the same conclusion regarding the importance of dandelion.