The poem, “My Father’s Love Letters” by Yusef Komunyakaa, shares a story about a dysfunctional family. The poet, Komunyakaa uses the first person point of view to describe the separation of his parents and how it affects each one of the characters. Through a son’s eyes, the narrator paints a colorful picture of his relationship with his father right after his mother has left them both in order to escape a life of physical abuse at the hands of his father. Through the eyes of the young narrator, the audience learns much about the characters and their painful history as a family. Through the clever use of poetic devices such as imagery, metaphors, personification, and an allusion.
Time drastically shifts the way one views the world and those he encounters. "My Papa's Waltz," by Theodore Roethke, and "Those Winter Sundays," by Robert Hayden, are poems which reminisce of the past and contrast how they felt about a specific childhood experience, and how that view has changed with time. Additionally, the painting "Father and Son Dancing," by Brian kershisnik, elegantly portrays an adult's perspective on an experience he had with his father. These wor after a long day of work in the familiy greenhouse: "The hand that held my writst/ Was battered on one knuckle," and "You beat time on my head/ With a palm cakedhard by dirt.
Every story consists of different elements, such as characters, plotlines, and settings. Nonetheless, many stories portray the same messages or ideas. “My Papa’s Waltz,” by Theodore Roethke, depicts a reckless father who is loved by his child, while “Those Winter Sundays,” by Robert Hayden, depicts a hardworking father whose child is indifferent to him. Though the poems depict exceptionally different childhoods, both contribute to the idea that perceptions of parents alter as one grows into adulthood. Both poems use harsh words and critical tones in order to convey this notion, however in “My Papa’s Waltz,” they signify the recklessness of the father and how the narrator perceives his father as an adult, while in “Those Winter Sundays,” they
In Staples short story “The Runaway Son”, the son’s life shows that how we were raised and how we lived in our childhood determines what type of person we become in adulthood. During the son’s childhood, he dealt with a lot of despair. His father worked numerous hours, was never home, and when
Although “Papa” may not be the most sensitive man around, but he is still to be a hero in his son's eyes. Referring from the title of “My Papa’s Waltz”, “Papa” does not seem like he’s being violent intentionally but not accidentally hurting his son. This poem also, symbolizes dance in the relationship of a father and
Roethke’s My Papas Waltz Many literary scholars, researchers and readers in general, driven by intrigue, have tried to dissect, analyze, and interpret the ambiguous meaning of Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz.” Their explications however, result in ambivalent, and sometimes controversial views. Some critics argue that “My Papas Waltz,” portrays the physical violence inflicted by a father to his child.
I have chosen Theodore Roethke's poetry, "My Papa's Waltz," for this discussion board. - The poem's use of imagery serves as its first literary component, and it uses sensitive language to create a clear visual image for the reader. We can see that the father's hand was described as "battered," while the hanging procedure was described using the word "waltzing." - Rhyming is the second literary technique utilized in the poem. The poem contains a unique form of lyricism.
The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke writes about this little boy who has an alcoholic father but has a darker turn. The father abuses the little boy, but the little boy is so innocent to the point where he sees the abuse as a waltz. In the poem it is a misleading waltz for the little boy. In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” Theodore Roethke uses a confused tone, dramatic irony, and personification to portray that the happy family can be a myth to many.
The romantic song, “Polka Dots & Moonbeams never made the swelling go down,” sung by Frank Sinatra reveals the dysfunctional relationship between his parents. Despite the abuse and separation, the poem discreetly suggests that the parents also shared happier memories in the past that the mother associates with this romantic jazz tune that was popluer in the 1940s and 50s. It shows how the father abused the mother time and time again. However, no matter how good their relationship was when they got back together to reunite, it was only temporary, like a song, because the damage was done and the beating continued. While the son disapproves the father’s abuse, he also admires his trades skills, “he’d look at blueprints/ & say how many bricks/ Formed each wall” in lines 30-32.
The relationship between father and son is one that is both sacred, yet complex as each side of the relationship faces hardships. This relationship between a son and his role model, a father and his child, is one, has its ups, but one must also know it has downs. In Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz,” Roethke’s use of ambiguity through diction allows room for the audience to interpret the text in a positive or a negative way, representing the relationship between a father and a son, which on the outside can be interpreted in an either positive or a negative way. Roethke’s use of diction creates an element of confusion for the audience of his poem.
In Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz”, the speaker seems to be an adult reminiscing his childhood through a metaphor of a dance. The poem suggests that the boy was abused and the mother stood by without doing much about it. Three topics that
Throughout “My Papa’s Waltz” and “Those Winter Sundays”, the author’s reflect on how their fathers were hard workers, although each memory is emotionally different. In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke remembers his father coming home from work and his hands “Was battered on one knuckle” (Line 10). Even though the father had a long day at work, the boy recounts him coming home and dancing with him. Whereas “Those Winter Sundays”, Hayden recalls his fathers hard work by describing his “Cracked hands that ached/
Theodore Roethke’s, “My Papa’s Waltz,” uses a great deal of imagery by using the metaphor of the word “Waltz.” A Waltz is a dance that has a step to every beat of the music, while in close proximities to the other dancer, there is not much change and it is in fact quite repetitive. Already we begin to form an image Roethke is trying to provide us by saying “My Papa’s Waltz.” His usage of the word “Papa” is quite informal compared to the word, “father.” It is only upon reading and analyzing the rest of the poem that we realize the struggle tied to the word.
In the poem, My Papa’s Waltz, the speaker, Theodore Roethke, writes about a father and son waltzing. Further investigation suggests there is more going on than a waltz. The poet utilizes figure of speech and a negative toned vocabulary throughout the poem. Thus, alleviating the reader of the harsh truth of an abusive relationship whilst never dehumanizing the father.
Diction has a strong affect on how readers interpret a passage. This is proven through Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz”. The poem presents a boy roughhousing with his father. However, some critics see the roughhousing taking place as abusive, due to the negative word choice displayed throughout the poem. The author set a positive and negative tone throughout the poem, representing the respect and fear he had for his father.
