My Papa's Waltz Literary Devices
Relationships are very complex. To an outsider looking in, it may appear to be an unhealthy, or maybe even an abusive relationship, when in actuality it is a healthy relationship. Sure, the relationship may be different, but still it remains a healthy relationship which is what is important. This describes the relationship between the father and the son in the poem “My Papa’s Waltz.” On the surface, the father appears to be a drunk, and the kid, somewhat skittish, or scared around him; however, one must dig deeper than the surface level to be able to comprehend and appreciate the love shared between the father and the son in this poem. Through the use of literary devices such as extended metaphors and similes, the reader can see that the
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The development, the organization, the melodic and rhythmic approach of this poem mirrors that of the waltz. The waltz is a very melodic and timed dance, and if the reader doesn’t know this, the father alludes to it by beating “time” on his sons head (Roethke 13). This poem is written with five quatrain stanza’s, with each stanza having the same a, b, a, b rhyming pattern. This poem is very well and put together and organized. The waltz is the exact same way. It is a dance done in rhythmic timing, and is done closed position, and with regards to dancing, closed position simply means that it is a dance that requires body contact, support from your partner, but most importantly, it requires one person to lead. The child mentions that his father “waltzed me off to bed” (Roethke 15). The father guides the child through the waltz just like how the rhyming pattern of the poem guides the reader through each stanza. The mother was present to see this waltz because she watched on with an expression that “could not unfrown itself” (Roethke 8). The father chooses to perform this intimate and loving dance with his son instead of his wife, showing that he must hold his son with high regards. The mirroring of the form and structure of the poem to that of the waltz shows that father and son share a special relationship that is full of
The development, the organization, the melodic and rhythmic approach of this poem mirrors that of the waltz. The waltz is a very melodic and timed dance, and if the reader doesn’t know this, the father alludes to it by beating “time” on his sons head (Roethke 13). This poem is written with five quatrain stanza’s, with each stanza having the same a, b, a, b rhyming pattern. This poem is very well and put together and organized. The waltz is the exact same way. It is a dance done in rhythmic timing, and is done closed position, and with regards to dancing, closed position simply means that it is a dance that requires body contact, support from your partner, but most importantly, it requires one person to lead. The child mentions that his father “waltzed me off to bed” (Roethke 15). The father guides the child through the waltz just like how the rhyming pattern of the poem guides the reader through each stanza. The mother was present to see this waltz because she watched on with an expression that “could not unfrown itself” (Roethke 8). The father chooses to perform this intimate and loving dance with his son instead of his wife, showing that he must hold his son with high regards. The mirroring of the form and structure of the poem to that of the waltz shows that father and son share a special relationship that is full of