
In “My Papa’s Waltz,” Theodore Roethke uses a waltz to represent the abuse of a little boy by his father. At first the poem seems to, in fact, be about a waltz yet through close reading one may argue that the father is an alcoholic and abusive toward the little boy. Due to Roethke’s usage of diction throughout the poem the reader may have reason to believe the father is of a vulgar and abusive nature. Through close reading the reader may also refer to the imagery and the key concepts of the events occurring during the waltz to agree that the father is abusing the little boy in the poem. 

Roethke imposes the idea to the reader that the little boy in the poem is being mistreated by an aggressive and alcoholic father through his choice in diction. The diction used by Roethke throughout the poem seems to be harsh and imply ideas or things that of are associated with aggressive behavior. The reader may imply a foul nature or vulgar behavior from the father due to the usage of words such as “death” (90). “Death” may begin to suggest to the reader that an event much harsher than a complicated dance is occurring between the father and the boy (90). Another example of the severe diction chosen is the usage of the word “romped” deducing that the dance was rough and not calm and fluid as a waltz would typically be (91). The words “battered” and “scraped” may also cause the reader to believe that injuries could have been caused during the waltz (91). Roethke is causing the reader to believe that the waltz happening between the boy and the father is more than a dance do to the usage of the words “scrapped” and “battered” due to the fact that such words would not typically be used when describing the waltz (91). By the usage of his diction, Roethke is able to convey the brutality of the waltz. He is able to connect the aggressiveness of the dance with the usage of his diction and cause the reader to better understand that the little boy is being abused. 

The readers understanding of the waltz being used in a way to describe exploitation may also be influenced by Roethke’s usage of imagery. Roethke is able to use imagery to portray the scenario of the waltz being rough and unmannerly so that the reader may better understand the situation more clearly. For example, he says, “The whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy,” which causes the reader to learn that the father is drunk and may also lead the reader to believe he is an alcoholic and is belligerent (90). He also uses it when describing that the dance was so rough that the “pans slid form the kitchen shelf” (91). Roethke is attempting to show the reader that it was not some harmless dance, that it was aggressive and as if the little boy may be fighting to be freed. Roethke also talks about how the mother’s “countenance could not unfrown itself” to describe the feeling of the mother (91). He is describing that she cannot appear to stop frowning as if she is upset of the act going on amongst the father and the little boy. This leads readers into believing that the mother is upset and helpless during the exchange between the father and the boy, causing one to further believe the complicated style of dance is only referring to a belligerent act by the father upon his son. Roethke is able to grab the reader’s attention and force them to suspect violent actions through his use of imagery and showing what is happening during the waltz, not only the surrounding but through the emotions of the mother to.  

Finally, Roethke also uses key concepts to convince the reader that the waltz is not your typically waltz yet an abusive act by the father. In the poem he says, “Such waltzing was not easy,” which may lead the reader into realizing that the waltz, being a difficult dance, is not actually a dance (90). He is using the concept that the waltz is a difficult dance to refer to abuse because abuse is a difficult event that occurs. Also he refers to it as “such waltzing” implying that this is a different type of waltz than your ordinary everyday waltz (90). Another example is when he says, “At every step you missed my right ear scraped a buckle.” (91) Roethke is referring to the concept that every time the father missed, he “scraped” the little boy (91). The reader may infer from this that the father has anger issues leading us back to the idea that he is of an offensive nature. The very concept that this was not an ordinary waltz and that every time a step was missed the little boy was injured is proof that the father was abusive and that the waltz was used to symbolize the aggressiveness of the father. 

Theodore Roethke used diction, imagery, and key concepts to influence the reader to believe that the father was in fact acting in an unmannerly way and not waltzing with his son. He used details to show the reader’s that there was a rough nature to the dance and to prove the father was belligerent. Roethke was able to prove to the reader of the unkindness of the dance to the reader’s through his use of descriptive comparisons with his diction, imagery, and key concepts that help to influence the reader’s knowledge of the truth behind the waltz. 
