A Reader

             A Reader's Reaction to "My Papa's Waltz"
             The poem "My Papa's Waltz" by Theodore Roethke is a "two tone" piece full of ambiguity. When readers approach this work they will arrive at one of two possible conclusions-that this is an adult's reflection of a memorable and joyous moment with his father or an unsettling description of child abuse, using waltzing as a metaphor.
             On the lighter side, the first conclusion is of a sweet memory, which has evidence throughout the poem. The title "My Papa's Waltz" gives a lighter tone to the piece. The word "Papa" is a warm and affectionate word for father. Also, "waltz" is considered a more "elegant" form of dancing, which is giving the poem a softer appeal. The adult remembers that his Papa had smelt of whiskey while trying to teach him how to dance. When waltzing, the individual recalls that they "[...] romped until the pans/ Slid from the kitchen shelf" (lines 5-6). The term "romped" is a light-hearted way of describing the "waltzing." When one envisions the word romp, as used in this poem, they see a father and son having a fun time, bouncing around the kitchen table. The mother frowns only because she sees her kitchen in shambles from the clumsy waltzing. The child is subjected to a "rougher" form of waltzing than what would be expected on the ballroom floor, but the memory could simply be when "silly Papa tried to teach me to waltz when he was inebriated." The child is then waltzed off to bed by his Papa after a difficult and playful dancing lesson.
             On the dark side, each piece of evidence that supports the first conclusion is refuted in various other lines. "The whiskey on your breath/ Could make a small boy dizzy" (lines 1-2) depicts a drunken father whose breath is causing his small boy to become dizzy. The child ...

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A Reader. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 06:48, March 29, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/96924.html