Why as the reader do we get the sense that the boy or child in the story is afraid to dance with his father?  Upon reading the story, we see that there are many underlying problems than just an innocent dance between a boy and his father. There are many ideas and thoughts that the author gives us.  Perhaps the most implicit detail the author states is that the father has a drinking problem.  The piece of information that we are not given and are unsure about is the role of abuse that we only can make assumptions about.  We are about to dive in and uncover the real truth behind the father’s alcoholism and find cold hard facts to support what we think is true.

In the poem, My Papas Waltz, Roethke gives us several examples of the unstated fact of the father abusing the boy.  The first way that this is done is through the use of descriptive adjectives that describe the scenario the boy is placed in.  Roethke does a very good job with combining dark and gloomy words in order to set the mood to have a very sinister feeling.    In the first line of the poem, “The whiskey on your breath,” implies that there is an alcohol problem with the boy’s father.    Typically, when someone has an alcohol problem, they will become violent and aggressive and often abusive.  The next word we see that has a negative connotation is death.  The boy is describing holding onto his father like death which may mean his father is mean and hurtful towards him.  Normally, little boys do not describe their relationship with one of their parental figures with words like death.  He then goes onto say that his “mother’s countenance could not unfrown itself.”  This goes to show us that the mother is unhappy and frustrated with the whole situation.  We as the reader can see that the mother does not approve or like any of the father’s actions.  We also can see that by seeing his mother’s expression, this has influenced the child.  Lastly, we see that the child has his ear scraped by his father’s belt buckle.  This could be for us to infer that not only does the father use his hands to beat his child but also he uses a belt as a weapon.  The child is clearly terrified in this part of the story because this is where abuse is first hinted at.

The next bit of information we receive is the fact the father has a battered knuckle.  This could go to show us that the father is a fighting type and either likes to get into fights with people or he beats his loved ones.  Again, when Roethke states, “With every step you missed,” this shows us that the father is clearly intoxicated and is having problems trying to dance with the child.  The biggest thing perhaps is the mention of beating time onto the boy’s head with a palm caked with dirt.  This is the real meaning that we can see that the father is abusive.  He would beat the boy with the hand with the battered knuckle.  This is what made the biggest impression on me when I read the text.  

Roethke would not have put this bit of information in the poem if it did not have significant meaning.  When the child states that there was time beat on his head, that is to show us that the child is growing up fast and is not living in the best environment.  The child is aging due to stress prematurely.  The next part of the excerpt says that it is done with a palm caked with dirt.  This can show us that the father does something very blue collar such as farming or working in some sort of factory.  At the very end of the story, the child states that he was still clinging to the father’s shirt when he was waltzed to bed.  This could be for a variety of reasons.  I believe that the child was holding onto his father because he was so struck in fear.  

          After reading the story there are many red flags that are thrown up regarding the abuse of the child.  Roethke does not implicitly state that there is abuse going on but he hints at it in many different ways.  It is up for you to decide but the evidence is stacked and the answer is clearly there, it is just whether or not you believe it or not.      