My Papa's Waltz, Those Winter Sundays, and Legacies
Children often become so wrapped up in their own tasks and obligations that they take for granted the simple acts of loving support given to them by their family and relatives. Many times this causes families to have problems communicating. Communication between children and relatives doesn't just happen over night; you must learn to establish a connection. Good communication can make or break a relationship. The following poems, "My Papa's Waltz," "Those Winter Sundays," and "Legacies," attempt to touch on the issue of "connection". In "My Papa's Waltz" and "Those Winter Sundays," the narrators reflect back on the memories of their boyhood relationship with their father. The experiences related are very similar because of the father's ability to communicate with his son physically, rather than verbally. The narrator of "Legacies" focuses on her reliance on her grandmother and emphasizes the importance of family traditions. Even though the three poems are composed and read very differently, the underlying message conveyed is the same, and each are valid first-hand accounts of "connections" between families."My Papa's Waltz," by Theodore Roethke, shows a connection between a father and son during a rambunctious dance scene
All older generations strive to pass on their traditions and wisdoms onto people who can still use them, and in the poem, Giovanni pays homage to her grandmother's wisdom and knowledge. The cold that Hayden describes in the house is a recurring hardship that the father must face in his life: "Sundays too my father got up early/ and put on his clothes in the blue black cold," (Hayden 1-2). As children, we are so self-involved. The most important statement that the speaker makes is in the last line of his poem, ". The father woke up early on his treasured time off from work to make sure that the house was warm for his son. Throughout this poem, Hayden uses the imagery and other forms of figurative language, as well as flashback techniques and a consistent setting, to paint a picture for the reader about the relationship between the father and son. "Legacies", by Nikki Giovanni, shows a connection between a grandmother and granddaughter. "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden deals with the connection between a father and son. The alcohol seems to take away the boundary between the father and son, and causes them to be affectionate and connect with one another. All his actions were geared towards making life just a little more pleasant for his family, but "No one ever thanked him" (Hayden 5). He describes how the father shows his affection for his son and how the son takes it in. This line also implies that the father is a hard working man. Giovanni does not feel any internal conflict, but she has a problem when her grandmother asks for her company. Though the father expresses his love by sacrificing his own comfort for the sake of his child, the child still does not understand the simple and stern love that the father shows.
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