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 other literary devices. Peculiar characters are always considered in literature, especially 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 early 1940s childhood that illustrates a kitchen scene of a drunken father waltzing with his young son. The ambiguous form of the poem is presented from the point of view of the protagonist, the son, who recalls a moment in childhood that involves both positive and negative results of interacting with an awkward and polite father. 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 yet conflicted relationship between the father and his son, as well as how the events that transpired shed light on 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 Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Roethke hints at the symbolism of violence by alluding to Dad's aggressive nature due to his drunken state throughout the poem. Although there is no explicit mention of abuse, the father portrays a violent tension towards his son. This theme can be represented in the third stanza where the son noticed a “bad” knuckle on the hand gripping his wrist. The negatively connoted term “battered” generally implies the hiding of suffering in a situation where violence was present. As argued in the following line, the son describes his experiences of his ear scraping a buckle every time his father missed a step. This paints a picture of subtle but unintentional violence in a serious situation as the son waltzes around the room next to his father. Furthermore, some consonant terms present throughout the poem, such as "knuckles and buckle", "dirt and shirt", and "breath and death" are usually associated with aggression, as well as the end of life, thus contributing to the symbol of violence to interior of the poem. father's behavior. Roethke calls upon imagery to create an illustration of the events that occur during the waltz between the father and his son in order to create a clear understanding of their conflicted relationship. In the fourth verse the boy says: “You beat time on my head with a palm caked in dirt.” The term “scabbed palm” creates a visual interpretation of the father as a hard-working man who tends to take out his anger on his son, and in a way it is related to his aggressive and dominant nature. Additionally, the poet uses tactile imagery as the term “beat” illustrates the physical pain his son endures from the hard, crusted hand, thus demonstrating both the offensive and negative connotation of the scene. The father beating time on the head highlights the reality of the disappearance of his son's childhood due to the experience of his unstable father and the physical suffering of his hand. It can also be interpreted that the passage of time caused the son to mature faster than he should have in order to escape his father's violent character. Finally, the poet includes olfactory imagery when the boy describes his father's whiskey breath. The son is able to provide readers with an insight.