My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke

Improved Essays
In the poem, My Papa’s Waltz, by Theodore Roethke is about a young man with emotions of fear and unconditional love for his father. The imperfections of his father has never seem to bother him instead he tried to make great memories out of it. This poem showed emotions of fear and love through word choice, imagery and metaphors. Theodore word choice brings mixed emotions into the poem and how boy feels towards his father. The words “death” (line 3) and “waltzing” (line 4) in the first quatrain describes a serious and amusing atmosphere around him and his father. The image of a waltz shows the togetherness of the pair. Although, Theodore poem give readers a very confusing stands. The poem is can be seen from two ways which is sad or …show more content…
In this country today nearly 34 percent of all children are living in households without their biological fathers. A Fathers are a strong link that’s needed in a child life. Unfortunately, in today society they are they are a dying breed. Many people can remember things their father taught them as a child. Things one may have done learn in a classroom or with friends. Mackenbach, Joreintje D says “Parenting practices play a fundamental role in children’s emotional and behavioral development. Corporal disciplining practices have consistently been associated with adverse mental health outcomes, such as poor school achievements, behavioral problems, lowered self-esteem and delinquent behaviors [1–4].” Fathers taught values, self-confidence, respect people, and to always stand by something one believes in no matter who says otherwise. Children that grow up in home without their fathers lack a lot of necessary morals. Perhaps that is why more than 70 percent of all juveniles in state reform institutions come from fatherless homes. Few children are not born out of love and brought into a home with both their mother and father. They are raised by their …show more content…
Joachim Vandekerckhove says “Felt love may be defined as the degree to which an individual is receptive to loving signals in interpersonal interactions.” A Love is expressed through a variety of mediums. love maybe categorized into five basic categories: words of affirmation, quality time, giving of gifts, acts of service, and physical touch. Love is received and perceived by individuals on an individual basis. One might express/feel love through words of affirmation and their best friend could receive it through quality time. Everyone is different and that is what makes love so unique. Words of affirmation are a very common way to show love to someone. This type of love is shown on a sports field, in a classroom, or virtually in any setting. Verbal compliments, or words of appreciation, are powerful communicators of love. When one is expressing love through words of affirmation one should remember to stick straight to the point and to be clear and straightforward. Looking back upon one’s friendships and relationships, pictures of two people sitting together under the stars, or driving together for hours to reach a prized destination are common in everyday life. The main aspect of quality time is togetherness. Togetherness has to do with focused attention, but quality time does not mean that people have to spend every moment together gazing into each other eyes. It means doing something together and giving full

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    In “My Papa’s Waltz,” Roethke uses an extended metaphor, but uses different language to describe it as the poem is read. “My Papa’s Waltz” has the metaphor of dancing throughout the poem, more correctly, waltzing between a father and son. Everything from the description of the fluidity of the dance to the speakers feeling towards the dance helps create a stronger meaning behind the metaphor. Roethke uses dancing as a metaphor for the relationship between the son and the father, according to the son. Roethke is also able to create a unique atmosphere with his word choice.…

    • 930 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    The influence of two fathers: Charles Bragg vs. Westley Moore (contrast) Fathers are an important part of their sons' healthy emotional, physical, and mental growth from their first moments of life. Boys whose fathers love them and demonstrate that love in consistent, caring ways have fewer issues later in life with peers, (related to school and learning), and irresponsible, illegal behavior (htt). Charles Bragg and Westley Moore were major influences in their son’s lives because of their lack of presence, how they treated their mothers, and their affect as positive or negative role models for their sons. Though on the surface it may seem that Charles Bragg and Westley Moore had a lack of presence in their son’s lives; the difference was…

    • 442 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Imagine being a child that loves their father unconditionally. That love is more powerful than thinking of the harm he does is doing to you. “My Papa's Waltz” by Theodore Roethke can be interpreted in multiple ways. The poem could be interpreted as a parent abusing his child due to alcoholism or a child dancing with his father. In the poem, Theodore reminisces about his youth of tangled emotions of fear and unconditional love towards his father besides the imperfections his father has.…

    • 391 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Waltz, Rhythm, and Rhyme A waltz is a rhythmed dance of partners that twirl around a dance floor. If said partners are words that rhyme and rhythm, and the dance floor made of paper; literary works of a poet are created. Theodore Roethke was a poet that mastered this skill and created “My Papa’s Waltz.” The choice of words and meter of lines send your imagination on a journey envisioning what is unfolding from the words set forth before you.…

    • 1042 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My Papa's Waltz Diction

    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages

    While the subject of “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 describe the relationship between him and his father, and a memory they shared together. Roethke made the poem sound as if had two completely different meaning behind it. For example, it can mean that a father and his child are horsing around before bedtime or it can mean that an intoxicated father abuses his child. He wanted to see what us, the audience, had to say when reading the poem.…

    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Comparing and contrast of “Those Winter Sundays” and “My Papa’s Waltz” In describing “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke we see that both are reflecting on a childhood experience with their fathers. There is a showing of compassion and understanding in both poems yet fear is also described. The speakers are reflecting back on a past childhood memory with their fathers but we do not understand if they are pleasant or resentment.…

    • 820 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    He Loves Me In the poem "My Papa 's Waltz" written by Theodore Roethke, most readers believe that it is about abuse. Is it possible? Of course it is, it depends on who’s reading the poem and their interpretation of the poem. The use of language, diction, imagery, and symbols, along with the tone helps to influence how readers come to their own conclusion on what the poem is really about.…

    • 816 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    My Papa 's Waltz, by Theodore Roethke is a lyrical poem told by the narrator looking back on his relationship with his father when he was a young boy. It is an iambic trimeter written with an ABAB rhyme scheme. There is a definite mixed tone in the poem and depending on perspective, it can be read as light and playful, or dark and violent. The boy obviously cares very deeply for his father, but there are undertones of a darker side filled with abuse, violence and alcoholism. The waltz could be symbolic of something much darker than a delicate, beautiful dance.…

    • 834 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz" contains an element of mystery that surrounds the poem. The relationship between the father and son in the story, can be construed as either friendly, or abusive. However, the nature of the relationship between the father and son, is up to the reader to decide. This paper will show evidence from the poem and state both sides of the argument of whether the scene in the house is a fun party with a father dancing with his son, or a dreadful night of a father beating his son in a drunken fit.…

    • 745 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Readers of poetry usually understand that interpreting a poem often fosters disagreement. Theodore Roethke’s poem, “My Papa’s Waltz,” for example, generates frequent debate about the situation. This poem illustrates harmless play between a hard-working father and his young son. Not everyone who reads “My Papa’s Waltz” believes that the father is innocent and hard-working. There are many lines in the poem that can be portrayed in different ways.…

    • 527 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “My Papa’s Waltz Tone” “My Papa’s Waltz” is a poem that can be both interpreted as “bitter” and as “sweet”. Depending upon how one views it, there are both parts that represent “bitter” and also parts that represent “sweet”. The parts that are seen as “sweet” visually describe the boys affection to his father and also the bonding between the father and son. The parts that are seen as “bitter” visually describes the fathers appearance and his actions. The quote “Life is about change.…

    • 1032 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Fatherlessness in America Today’s society is crawling with vast amounts of different issues and problems. One of the major issues that many people face is the lack of a father figure in the household and in life. Author Louis de Bernieres once said, “In reality the world is as full of bad mothers as it is of bad fathers, and it is not the motherless children who become delinquent but the fatherless ones” and I believe that is one hundred percent true. About one in three babies born in the United States are born to a single mother each year.…

    • 1635 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    “My Papa’s Waltz” Abuse, Happiness or Both “My Papa’s Waltz” appears on the surface to be about a father abusing his young son, others may believe it's about the happy memories the young boy has with his father. Depends on your interpretation of the poem. Roethke expresses the meaning of “My Papa’s Waltz” through imagery, simile, word choice, and symbolism. The poem is told from the son’s point of view, so it highlight the happy times and the bonds the son has with his father. With this the poem expresses both the abuse and happiness.…

    • 638 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    While “My Papa’s Waltz” and “Those Winter Sundays” differ in the attitudes and tones of their speakers, they are alike in the complex family relationships and themes of familial love, masculinity and sacrifice, and nostalgic youth that they communicate to the reader. A close-reading of the poems, with special attention paid to the speakers and the ideas they are trying to get across, can end up telling far more about Theodore Roethke and Robert Hayden than they may like. The speaker in “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke is a small boy having a grand old time waltzing with his father in the kitchen before bed. His father is a little rough with him, keeping time on his noggin and accidently scraping his ear against his belt buckle on every…

    • 994 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    People describe love in many different ways. “Philosophers and poets have pondered the nature of this ever so ephemeral emotion for centuries.” “Victor Hugo states “Love is a portion of the soul itself.” St. Augustine describes it as “Love is the beauty of the soul.” Musicians like The Sweet say “Love is like oxygen.”…

    • 1003 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays

Related Topics