Unfortunately, it is not an uncommon sight to see the lives of children with abusive parent). It is not being said that this is acceptable beyond any means, but children do not have any means of dealing with issues like this at a young age. Abuse could be in the form of physical, verbal, or other forms such as neglection that kids experience. The hard thing about this is that children naturally want love in which they seek from their parents, despite whether they are abusive or not. When they do not receive this kind of attention from them, that parent may set off a chain-reaction where their kids start acting out. It is hard to predict what a kid might do when he/she does act out, but most kids who do not have a safe and loving environment at home can be more influenced to do such things. To elaborate further on the idea, Theodore Roethke brings up what may possibly be a specific case of abuse; however, “My Papa’s Waltz” uses literary devices such as similes, symbols, harsh verbs and a change in tone to emphasize the life-long but hopeful struggle for a father’s love. 

Roethke starts “My Papa’s Waltz” by saying “The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy; / But I hung on like death…” (lines 1-2, pg. 90). To explain, he could use this simile to describe the way he is holding onto this father, but the meaning he insists is that the way he is holding onto his father is in the manner of not letting go emotionally. Death cannot be overcome in life. Even though there have been ways to prevent certain sicknesses and anecdotes to diseases posing huge threats to society, death prevail among everyone at some point. Again, the way Roethke uses this simile is to emphasize the devotion that the character in the poem shows his love and determination for his father’s love, much like the inevitable outcome of death. 

Roethke’s next use of literary devices was symbols. The waltz is a type of dance that has been known through time since it was first originated. However, the use of the dance in the poem symbolizes life itself. Upon further analysis, the structure of the poem symbolizes the three-quarter tempo of a waltz and remains consistent throughout the poem. The use of the tempo aids in the idea that the waltz between the child and his father is a life-long ordeal. Roethke notes on this life-long journey when he uses the “waltzed me off to bed” symbolism. Bed in this case meant the end of one’s life, similar to how one goes to bed and signifies the end of a day. Despite the hardship that the child endures, he still wishes for his father’s love even if he has to wait a life time – being his entire life or his father’s life. 

Another illustration of Roethke’s use of literary devices is his incorporation of tone for certain verbs. Verbs such as romped, battered, scraped, and beat are all harsh verbs in order to create an effect on the reader of despair (Roethke 91). Kid’s lives are not easy in the custody of an abuser, so Roethke harnesses this tone of despair to make the reader empathetic towards the victim. He emphasizes the struggle of the victim when he uses these verbs so the effect resonates. The victim still makes the effort for his father’s love through all of this, but the reader has a better understanding as to how hard this feat really is to accomplish. 

Finally, Roethke’s tone changes from start to the end and does so to emphasize the theme of the poem. Although this piece is clearly a poem, the poem tells a sequence of events like a story that starts with abuse and otherwise painful undertakings. It starts off when the boy smells the whiskey off of his father and gets into messy situations. All while his mother is unhappy about all that is happening. The “story” in the poem though takes a turn when the boy is “waltzed off to bed / still clinging to your shirt” (Roethke 91). This turn hits on the stories change of tone where it changes from ill-fated to hopeful. The boy is still clinging to his shirt which means he still hopeful about, one day, getting his father’s love and attention, thus backing the central theme.

To wrap up, Theodore Roethke in “My Papa’s Waltz” uses literary devices such as similes, symbols, harsh verbs, and a change in tone to emphasize the life-long but hopeful struggle for a father’s love. So it goes without saying that abuse is a major epidemic. It has to be recognized that kids are suffering yet also confused about whether they want love from their parents or (should) be aware that this is not healthy for their well-being. Roethke hits on the idea when a child is neglected and abused by a parent. Kids also grow up confused because they are young, which also means that they are not as experienced. Children are only in the process of gaining experience, and to do so at a young age, kids can be pretty naïve. So again, this chain-reaction is set off when children live their lives under this kind of stress. No child should be left to endure this kind of pain.
