My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke Analysis

Document Type:Essay

Subject Area:English

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However, at the time, the child seems to be fearful of his father and he can also smell the whiskey on his father’s breath. Even though the fearful feeling and the whiskey breath of the father does not show any positivity, a father dancing with his son is such an uplifting and joyful experience. This is what brings out the happy experience between the father and the son even though it might seem like a case of child physical abuse. This essay generally supports the idea that the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke displays a loving and happy relationship between the father and son and not physical abuse as it’s often misinterpreted. What really matters in the poem is the sort of feeling one is left with after reading it.

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“At every step you missed. My right ear scraped a buckle. ” Line 11-12). This is what mainly causes the misinterpretation that there is a case of physical abuse portrayed in the poem. However, the truth is very different. This is why it’s shown the father clinching the boy’s wrists and also trying to hit him where he misses and grazes his ear. He wanted to show his son about the toughness of matters in this world and that he should also be tough and ready to handle difficult things. Even though many readers misinterpret this as physical abuse by seeing the father hurting the boy, the truth is that the father had no intention of hurting the boy or making him suffer, but instead teaching him that a man has to be tough.

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The drunkenness is misinterpreted as though the father was abusing the boy because of his drunkenness. However, this is not the case. Even though this behavior is what the father uses to demonstrate his emotions and love towards his son, the mother being their helps contrast the power of the father. The tone of the poem is playful and provides an atmosphere that is kind of free from problems. This is shown by the way the child dances with his father in the house just before bedtime. What’s more, some of the words used like waltzed as well as romped show the informality in the experience which shows that there was no strictness for formality between the father and son.

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