Family Symbolism In Literature - 1134 Words

Symbolism Conveyed Through Works About Family In literature, authors often utilize symbolism, using something tangible or even a person to represent an idea. Whether interpreting a poem, short story, or novel, it is possible to identify symbolism if it exists, and most times allows a more entertaining experience for the reader. Through the unit entitled Family, many of the works that are studied contain literary symbols that can be interpreted. Specifically, this essay will discuss symbols in My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke, Sonny’s Blues by James Baldwin, and Daddy by Sylvia Plath. The first work studied in the family unit that contains obvious use of symbolism is My Papa’s Waltz by Theodore Roethke. In a poem with a name of a†¦show more content†¦Lastly, in lines fifteen and sixteen, this is the final dance of the night, as it s the child s bedtime, but he doesn t want to let go of his father s shirt just yet. This image, father whisking the kid aw ay to bed, shows that, no matter how tough the waltz was, this kid still loves his papa. Behind the joy of the dance and the father-son love in this poem, there s a hint of violence. While there is no indication of overt abuse, there are hints of violent tension throughout the poem. For example, lines one and two clearly establish that Papa is drunk, which is a situation that can-and likely will- lead to violence in any situation. This is expanded upon in line three, when the speaker has slipped in the inevitable end to violence – death. The child hung on like death. He s holding on to his father so hard that he s as inescapable as death. In what could be a happy poem about this father and son s relationship, we see death creep in to frighten us right from the start. In lines nine and ten, the father holds the son s hand to lead him in the dance but, because his knuckle is battered, this posture seems, if not violent, at least rough. Battered is an intense word to use for a k nuckle, and could imply some lurking violence. In line eleven, Papa doesn t seem like he s being violent intentionally here, but he s accidentally hurting his child. Perhaps the child is too scared to speak up and say ow when his ear scrapes his dad s belt buckle. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Great Gatsby And Harlem By Langston Hughes1089 Words   |  5 Pagesof literature to show their readers what it would be like to experience this time frame. Some examples of these works include The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald and â€Å"Harlem† by Langston Hughes. Both of these pieces of literature include literary elements to appeal to the reader’s senses and imagination. A prevalent theme that has been found in works of the roaring 20’s is the wealth that someone may or may not achieve. 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