My Papa's Waltz: Revealing Child Abuse
Rik Wyatt
English 1102 B
6 Oct. 2003
Revealing Child Abuse in "My Papa's Waltz" In Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz," the persona reveals an incidence of child abuse that happened earlier in his life. He divulges the occurrence of abuse through the use of certain words and noting the actions that go on during the "waltz." Through the use of graphic diction, Roethke informs the reader that "My Papa's Waltz" depicts an episode of child abuse. The persona Roethke creates discloses the incidence of child abuse to the reader by using particular words in his poem. The persona says "I hung on like death: / such waltzing was not easy" to show he is being beaten badly but is still alive (Roethke 3,4). He also uses the phrase "battered on
English 1102 B
6 Oct. 2003
Revealing Child Abuse in "My Papa's Waltz" In Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz," the persona reveals an incidence of child abuse that happened earlier in his life. He divulges the occurrence of abuse through the use of certain words and noting the actions that go on during the "waltz." Through the use of graphic diction, Roethke informs the reader that "My Papa's Waltz" depicts an episode of child abuse. The persona Roethke creates discloses the incidence of child abuse to the reader by using particular words in his poem. The persona says "I hung on like death: / such waltzing was not easy" to show he is being beaten badly but is still alive (Roethke 3,4). He also uses the phrase "battered on