The Last Waltz

In Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz”, the reader is a shown a horrible experience, the beating of a child by his father told in a way of the beautiful dance—the waltz. Our poet tries to beautify it by making it a waltz. It has the same timing as a waltz, 3 4 time. Roethke uses language, imagery, and tone to set the theme of abuse. The tone of the poem sets the whole poem up. It creates the course of the poem. The first stanza of this poem set the whole mood of the poem. “The whiskey on…

One of the key points in the poem is that the term “waltz” is used beyond its meaning to symbolize the father’s positive, and negative aspects of an unfulfilling role as a parent. A waltz is described as, “simultaneous circular movements: each couple turns on itself, in a small circle, around its own center, spiraling around in continuous turns” (Yaraman, 1998). This connects to the father’s drunk behavior because the poem refers to it as “/Such waltzing was not easy/”, in which the father lacks…

Clark 1 Jessica Clark Professor Lampert English 1302 135 01 October 2015 Poetry Essay In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the narrator is remembering a childhood experience that involved his father. The character describes the relationship with his father by using expression and details. The characters feelings can be viewed in different ways, most people see him as a young boy being abused and neglected, and others see him as having a loving relationship with his father. The…

more people would take the initiative not to do it.’” Thompson’s last quote acts as evidence that although many teenagers participate, there are still some who do not fully agree. However, it is the majority who follows the new dance trends whether it is appropriate or not, and the controversies around the subject will remain. “This isn’t the first moral panic-induced dance craze directed towards teens (and it certainly won’t be the last)…

Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz" contains an element of mystery that surrounds the poem. The relationship between the father and son in the story, can be construed as either friendly, or abusive. However, the nature of the relationship between the father and son, is up to the reader to decide. This paper will show evidence from the poem and state both sides of the argument of whether the scene in the house is a fun party with a father dancing with his son, or a dreadful night of a…

The short film titled “Alike” by Daniel Martínez Lara & Rafa Cano Méndez, is a quick prologue or view into, the ever changing values of a young boy, and his father. Struggling between work and developing his sons comprehension of the world, and how things may seem different or bright for his son, but is a stark contrast between his father who is in the chain or working machine of work itself. That his son sees a ‘violinist’ in the park while his father and himself are walking, he notices how…

I have read Theodore Roethke’s poem “My Papa’s Waltz” several times, and every I tend to find new insights in it. It is the same old story where a father comes home drunk and mistreats his family. That’s what a reader would think after one reading of it. I expressed I can relate to the son and father’s relationship, along with some of the emotions expressed in the poem. As any poem that you read, it can interpret something different or the same depending on the reader. In the first stanza where…

I approached the doors of the Great Hall and my heart was practically beating out of my chest. All I could hear was “left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot.” Everyone seemed to know what they were doing, except me. I decided to sit and watch, but deep down inside I was trying to build up the courage to join in and accept the fact that I have two left feet. I felt like all eyes were on me because I was the only person in the entire room sitting, but I did not care. Nothing was more…

Country Line Dancing is the American Cowboy Country line dancing is a form of dance in which groups of people no matter their size, age or gender dance in lines while executing the same movements. The costumes associated with this dance are of a western style. The idea of the “American Cowboy” is often paralleled with line dancing. The sex of the “American Cowboy” is male and has the gender identity relating to masculinity; this figure is often highly romanticized. Although this dance is…

“The happy family is a myth for many.” Carolyn Spring. In “My Papa’s Waltz”, it may sound like a loving father and daughter dancing around the kitchen at first. But in reality, the author uses a lot of word choices that show there is an underlying theme to the poem. Violent words and phrases fill the poem in subtle ways to prove that some kids do fear their alcoholic parents. The first lines of the poem are “The whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy,” indicating that the…