My Papa Knultz Analysis

In “My Papa’s Waltz,” Theodore Roethke illustrates an image of a father-son romp around the kitchen that is both harsh in its play and delicate in its memory. Roethke illustrates the poem’s images from his own childhood memories. Roethke uses simple words to create puzzling phrases that could be interpreted in different ways. The poem is ambiguous due to certain word choices that have baffling double meanings. Roethke’s poem paints an image of his childhood interactions with his father. Roethke paints this picture by using ambiguity within a waltz-like structure.

Poetry is made to express the feelings, thoughts, and emotions of the poet. The reader can interpret the poem however they see fit. Critics are undecided about the theme of Theodore Roethke's "My Papa's Waltz." Some people believe that the poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. The more convincing interpretation is that it has a hidden message of parental abuse. Careful analysis of the keywords and each individual stanza back up this theory of child abuse by a violent and drunken father.

In the poem "My Papa's Waltz" written by Theodore Roethke, the interpretation of the poem depends on the readers`perspective. Some people think that this poem is one of a happy exchange between a father and son. Other people believe that this poem has a hidden message of parental abuse. In my point of view, the imagery and language, the symbolism, and tone in the poem gave me the impression of the love between the father and son, not of an abusive relationship.

After reading the first line of Roethke’s piece, My Papas Waltz, I automatically assumed this poem had negative meaning. The first two lines state, “The whiskey on your breath

“My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke sparks differing opinions within the minds of many. Roethke was influenced greatly by his experiences as a young boy. For instance, his uncle and father both died when he was the age of fourteen. “My Papa’s Waltz” is written in remembrance of his father after this dreadful occurrence. The author’s use of imagery brings light to the his adoration for his father. Notably, his way of stringing together ideas reinforces the fond memories they shared. Roethke’s captivating choice of words supports his purpose to make known the love he has for this man. While the subject of “My Papa’s Waltz” has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike, the imagery, syntax, and diction of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Theodore Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” to bring attention to the loving relationship he had with his father.

At first glance, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke is very intriguing as the poem is very ambiguous at first. Many people that read the poem at first believe it to be about child abuse, which is very easy for readers of the 21st generation to confuse as we see everything with a dark meaning behind it. The poem is about a boy who dances with his father, hence the name of the poem “My Papa’s Waltz”. Once the poem has been reread several times, we can take a closer look at what Roethke is really implying in the poem. Therefore, it becomes clear to the audience that the poem has a lighter meaning and has a more positive outlook than a negative outlook to the situation occurring in the poem.

Due to Theodore Roethke’s use of imagery, syntax, and diction, “My Papa’s Waltz” continues to spur passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike. Roethke uses these elements to allow the reader to recognize that he is reminiscing the intricate relationship he and his father shared. Although it is not essential, one could put the historical context into consideration. Evidently, there will always be individuals that see only abuse or a fond memory; however, we will never clearly know what his intention was in regards to the purpose of the poem. As a result, one must come to a realization based on the author’s use of diction, syntax, and imagery throughout the poem broken-down line by line; in order to fully

The controversial poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke has spurred passionate academic debate from professors, scholars, and students alike; the imagery, syntax, and diction of the poem clearly support the interpretation that Roethke writes “My Papa’s Waltz” to reminisce on a bittersweet memory with his father. His unclear commemoration has sparked a divide on what the true purpose of the poem is. Some may argue the poem’s purpose is to shine light on the subject of abuse, whereas others believe the father and son were sharing a moment while “roughly playing.” However, the more one examines this piece of literature, it becomes undeniable that the poem portrays a scene of a toxic father-son relationship. Although there are a

Theodore Roethke was born in Saginaw, Michigan in 1908 he was only fourteen years old when he lost his father due to cancer. He idolized him following him everywhere and anywhere, because he was his hero. Roethke spent a lot of his younger days working in a greenhouse with his father they practically lived there considering all the hours they spent together there. “My Papa’s Waltz” is just one of the many poems that the greenhouse is reflected in his writing. From the beginning of this poem in the first two lines presented in the introduction Roethke leaves us with the connotation of his father has been drinking whiskey and it has not been light drinking. He has drank so much that it has stained his breath to the point where it could make a young boy dizzy as it does with his son. By saying his son hangs on to him like death shows us that he has become dizzy by his breath and using the word death shows it is not one of the better memories he has in the vault of their relationship.

“My Papa’s Waltz” is one poem written by Theodore Roethke. Roethke’s style is unique, because he uses situational irony. This is a simple poem, created with four stanzas of four lines each, called quatrains. “My Papa’s Waltz” is the interpretation of an adult’s emotions. Roethke describe the relationship with his father. This poem is a monologue where the persona is an adult telling about himself and a particular situation by looking back at his childhood. The poem describes a typical moment in a family life, where the father has been drinking whiskey, the little boy seems afraid and the mother appears to be unhappy. Through this pome the persona who is now an adult expresses emotions of fear and love. Recalling the past Roethke tells how his alcoholic papa hold him and make a danger waltz. In “My Papa’s Waltz”, Roethke uses imaginary and metaphors to reveal his theme.

Child abuse is physical mistreatment that unfortunately happens to children everywhere around the world. In the same way, the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, describes and gives the readers an insight of what child abuse is like. The poem presents a relationship between a drunken father and his son. Therefore, the setting, sensory details, and word choice of the poem allows the reader to understand the violence the little boy goes through after his father returns from work.

“My Papa’s Waltz” is a poem by Theodore Roethke in which a young boy describes the actions of his father under the influence of alcohol. Like most children, the young boy has a naïve mind that observes his father's abuse differently. To the child, it is all a graceful waltz, but he is covering the truth with a happy illusion. This might come from the fact that he is a child and does not know enough or he knows too much and has to numb the pain. In “My Papa’s Waltz” Theodore Roethke uses dramatic irony, understatement, and hyperbole in order to express the idea that in order to numb the pain, one covers it with a happy illusion.

Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” illustrates a nightly ritual between a working-class father and his young son. In the first stanza a young boy holds tightly to his father. The second stanza describes a playful roughhousing between father and son. The fourth stanza shows again the boy’s unwillingness to let go of his father. Roethke’s AB rhyming scheme and waltz-like meter set a light and joyful cadence. The music of the waltz comes through in the reading and with it a carefree and innocent tone for the telling of the short amount of time between a hard-working father arriving home and the time when his son must go to bed.

The poem "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke is a moving representation of childhood spent in a working middle class family. The speaker of this poem is a man recalling his childhood, his father and his mother through the means of a waltz. The following essay will present a detailed analysis of the dramatic situation and speaker through the explanations of the various poetic tools used in this poem such as similes, choice of words and style.

Roughly 33% of children live without their biological father. When one has a father, it increases one’s social behavior and a child's overall performance. A father increases a child’s performance that is why Theodore Roethke wrote a poem called “My Papa’s Waltz” which demonstrated a young boy and his father waltzing around their home. In “My Papa’s Waltz” Theodore Roethke uses imagery, tone and word play to show a positive moment between a son and father waltzing around their home. Theodore’s imagery highlights how the son feels towards his father.