My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke

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The poem “My Papa’s Waltz” is written by Theodore Roethke. In my opinion, this poem is about a son (the author could be writing about himself) dancing the waltz with his father before going to bed. Theodore Roethke imaginatively re-creates a childhood encounter with his father, but also begins to attempt to understand the meaning of the relationship between them. The story begins off with the father having a drink to relax, which then leads off to the father swinging his son, Theodore, around the kitchen in a bearlike dance (waltz). The story then ends as the father carries him off to bed. The theme of the poem is family. This is the theme of the poem because it is a moment in the life of a family: a father and son dancing around in the kitchen as the mother is looking upon them. Theodore emphasizes how dancing with his father was difficult, yet enjoying in the poem. “Then waltzed me …show more content…

One literary device is a simile. The author wrote in the poem ‘but I hung on like death”. This indicates (in my opinion) how the son had too much fun dancing with his father that he had to hold onto him tightly because they were getting out of hand (acting crazy). Another literary device used in this poem is alliteration. The poet uses this to stress the various sounds and movements of the poem. Alliteration in the poem includes waltzing was, hand that held, and countenance/could. The last literary device is imagery. Theodore implies imagery in his poem through the senses of touch, sight, sound, and smell to appeal the readers. This will give the readers a better understand of the feelings explain in the poem. The sense of touch used in the story tells how the father cares for his son and shows love for him. The act of dancing with the son shows admiration of the father. “The hand that held my wrist, was battered on one knuckle”, shows how the father held the son’s hand during the dance instead of keeping

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