Throughout the poem “Sign for My Father, Who Stressed the Bunt,” literary devices such as imagery, symbolism and setting are all different ways in which David Bottoms conveys the intricate relationship between a father and his son. This profound poem describes a boy who can’t stop looking at the center-field fence to learn about the all important, but not so exciting bunt. In this way, this poem is a prime example of the importance of selflessness. In “Sign for My Father, Who Stressed the Bunt, ” David Bottoms stresses the importance of selflessness and the fundamentals in baseball and in life through the use of effective imagery, powerful symbolism and a timeless setting.
The setting of the baseball field in “Sign for my Father who Stressed the Bunt” is revealing of important and major themes throughout the poem. By using words such as “rough” and “hand-cut” he establishes the setting of a rural baseball field where the majority of this poem takes place. Although time passes and the son gets older, the father still is trying and failing to teach his son to appreciate the bunt in the timeless “hand cut” baseball field. The son never seems to understand the father and his endless antics about the basics of bunting. The son comments, “I admired your style, but not enough to
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The bunt is a symbol of self-sacrifice for the greater good and not just for yourself. The home run is a symbol of selfishness and arrogance. Although home runs can help a team easily score runs in baseball, it can also be very risky and dangerous if everyone on the team is swinging for the fences. Every team needs at least one kid to do what is most important for the team, not just for himself, and in “Sign for my Father who Stressed the Bunt” the father is trying to help his son become that