What Is The Tone Of My Papa's Waltz

My favorite of the four poems is the third one, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke. The first line captures my attention because the speaker says “your” (1) as if talking directly to his father. The following lines in the first stanza form an unpleasant tone and mood as it is revealed that the boy had trouble with his father. The poem is easy to relate to because it focuses on the relationship between father and son. “But I hung on like death” (4) is my favorite comparison in the entire poem. “Death” automatically creates a weighty atmosphere because of the negative connotation immediately associated with the word. It also shows that the speaker will not soften his words as he talks about his childhood with his father just because they are family. In contrast, though, a …show more content…
He sort of makes her appear powerless in front of her husband’s drinking habits, like she knows speaking up won’t be beneficial to her. I noticed that the pronouns go back to you during the third stanza. I think this is the shift in the poem as it goes from waltzing around to physical abuse. I like the aggressive diction used in stanza three and four. They are like knives jabbing at his father, hoping to make him feel at least a little remorse for his immature actions. I still am not a hundred percent sure what “You beat time on my head” means exactly. Does time represent his childhood? He seems to enjoy dancing with his father, even if his father is abusive and lacks showing love to his family, which surprises me. Most people would not look back on an abusive childhood and remember the fun they had more than the physical abuse they experienced. The last line is also relatable. It reminds me of my childhood and when my parents would have to carry me around, and I wouldn’t want to be put down. I’m glad the speaker focuses more on the love part of his relationship with his father than the abusive