In "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke, the author reflects on his childhood experience involving his father while capturing the theme of abuse parental, through the use of symbolism and other literary devices. Particular characters are always considered in literature, particularly when examining the influence of a character's nature in a short poem, in relation to other characters. “My Papa's Waltz” is a modern poem inspired by childhood from the early 1940s that depicts a kitchen scene of a drunken father waltzing with his young son. The ambiguous form of the poem is presented from the perspective of the protagonist, the son, who remembers a childhood moment that brings both positive and negative results from an interaction with a father with awkward manners. In "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke, the author reflects on his childhood experience involving his father while capturing the theme of parental abuse, through the use of symbolism and visual imagery. This essay will explore the author's depiction of the loving but conflicted relationship between father and son, as well as how the events that occur inform the characterization of both subjects, expressed through the protagonist's point of view. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Roethke alludes to the symbolism of violence by alluding to Papa's aggressive nature due to his drunken state throughout the poem. Although there is no overt allusion to abuse, violent tension is depicted by the father towards his son. This theme can be represented in the third stanza where the son noticed a “beaten” knuckle on the hand that was tightening on his wrist. The negative term “beaten” generally implies hidden suffering in a situation where violence was present. As shown in the next line, the son describes his experiences where his ear would scratch a curl every time his father missed a step. This paints a picture of subtle but unintentional violence in a serious situation as the son is waltzed into the room by his father. Additionally, certain consonant terms throughout the poem, such as "knuckle and buckle", "dirt and shirt", and "breath and death", are generally associated with aggression, as well as the end of life, thus contributing to the symbol of violence within the poem. father's behavior. Roethke uses imagery to create an illustration of the events that occur during the waltz between father and son to create a clear understanding of their conflicted relationship. In the fourth stanza, the boy says, “You beat time on my head with a palm hard covered with dirt.” The term "palm caked" creates a visual interpretation of the father as a hard worker who tends to take out his anger on his son and, in some way, correlates with his aggressive and dominant nature. Additionally, the poet uses tactile imagery as the term “beating” illustrates the physical pain his son endures from the harsh and hardened hand, thus demonstrating both the abusive and negative connotation of the scene. The father who beats the measure on his head highlights the reality of the disappearance of his son's childhood following the testimony of his unstable father and the physical suffering at his hand. It can also be interpreted that the pace of time had caused the son to mature faster than he was supposed to in order to escape his father's violent character. Finally, the poet includes olfactory imagery when the boy describes his father's whiskey breath...