Analysis Of Those Winter Sundays

In 'Those Winter Sundays' by Robert Hayden the author describes his hard working father working to looking after his family during hard times. The author describes a period in America during the Great Depression. Accordingly, when a man's duty as would be to provide for his family. Robert Hayden grew up in America great depression when food was scarce as was providing for one's family wasn't easy by far. The author seems to be reminiscing and appreciating his father for getting up early on Sunday. As noted in the first stanza his hands "were cracked from labor', or "no one ever thanked him," to drive out the cold.

In the first verse, the author starts off with "Sundays too my father got up early." This was a time in America where work was much harsher due to lack of the equipment and tools we possess today, so with "cracked hands" he strived to make sure that house was warm. In the poem the author describes the weather as "blue-black cold" his tone makes it seem as if he feels apologetic and appreciative, reminiscing and regretting not displaying enough gratitude as he would as an adult.
The author reflecting felt as if "no one ever thanked him." Looking back and realizing that the winter was so cold he "hear the cold splintering, breaking." Imagine chopping up wood. That takes a lot of energy, a lot of pain that caused "chronic anger" was hear throughout the house. Moreover, the author, a child, did not realize what it took to run a house as his father did. What does this say about the relationship between father and son? Hayden seems to feel sorry for "Speaking indifferently to him" as he states for not only did his father work all week, and keep the house warm on Sundays, he even polished his shoes"good as