Monday, November 19, 2012
RR10
In "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke" there is two ways it can be viewed specifically what convinced me was " still clinging to your shirt". Because of the beginning lines "The whiskey on your breath/ could make a small boy dizzy" i first assumed his father probably is an alcoholic. Along with unpleasent words like "death" and "beat" it seemed like maybe his father was abusive and used the word "waltz" as a way to describe the occurrence of this experience happening in a repeated cycle somewhat like waltzing where the dancers go in circles. But then after reading it more i thought maybe his father did come home drunk but not in such a negative way. Suppose "but i hung on like death/such waltzing was not easy" actually means the child hung on to his father while he danced around in a waltzing style. Seeing it this way shows a more cheerful manner. Overall what i see more is the more optimistic side of it; to me it mostly seems like a drunk and playful father dancing his kid off to bed.
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Great post! I really liked your insight on the poem. i really liked how you said that the father coming home drunk could be portrayed but not in such a negative way. To me the poem was very dark and depressing and not very happy at all. You saw the poem in more of a cheerful and upbeat sort of way that i didn't see. It makes it more understanding of the sons and father's relationship as loving. That they are really dancing and it isn't abuse all of the time. I really liked your opinion!
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