My Papa’s Waltz - That's not just coke in Dad's glass

681 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Parents-children relationship

My Papa’s Waltz - That's not just coke in Dad's glass

Some define alcohol abuse as "the recurrent use of alcohol to the extent that repeated use results in an inability to fulfill normal role functions, or presents legal or social/interpersonal problems, or creates a hazard to self or others" (Suppes 339). While most people seem to drink in moderation, others have a hard time drinking responsibly. Sometimes alcohol abuse can lead to physical abuse, mental abuse, loss of a job, alcoholism, or the breaking down of relationships. In "My Papa's Waltz," we see the detrimental effects of alcohol on a father/son relationship. Papa does not abuse his son, however his repeated drinking creates a gap in their relationship.

In "My Papa's Waltz," we see no evidence of any physical abuse. His son, at this age, adores him. Together they "romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf" (Roethke 5-6). The young boy does not want to let go of his father; he admits, "I hung on like death" (3). Then, he explains he still clings to his father's shirt even while...

Show More
Related

  • Percussion Essay

    778 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ums in the percussion section. It does not have a definite pitch like the timpani. (Jason) Bass drums cannot be tuned like you can tune the timpani. Concert bass drums usually have loose heads that vibrate more for a darker tone. Drums aren’t the only types of instruments in the percussion category; they are just a couple of the instruments that fall into the untuned percussion category. These untuned drums are used for rhythmic patterns of the composition. These untuned instruments don’t have a distinct note, but they only make one sound, and that is the sound this stick with. Untuned percussion instruments are not the only instruments that are played in the orchestra. Tuned percussion instruments are instruments that have distinct notes that you can play. Marimbas are tuned percussion instruments; they have four to five octaves of notes from A natural, to G sharp.

    Read More

  • Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

    1044 Words  | 3 Pages

    The need for affordable, efficiently produced meat became apparent in the 1920’s. Foer provides background information on how Arthur Perdue and John Tyson helped to build the original factory farm by combining cheap feeds, mechanical debeaking, and automated living environ...

    Read More

  • Junot Diaz

    1565 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the poem “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, the speaker is reflecting on a childhood experience involving his father. Some people assume that this poem is about a happy relationship between a father and son while other people assume that this poem emphasizes hidden messages of parental abuse. In my

    Read More

  • The Glass Castle Alcoholism Essay

    1171 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the article “Children of Alcoholics” produced by the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, the author explains the negative effect of parental alcoholism on their children’s emotional wellbeing, when he writes, “Children with alcoholic parents are more likely to experience symptoms of anxiety and/or depression, antisocial behavior, relationship difficulties, behavioral problems, and/or alcohol abuse. One recent study finds that children of drug-abusing fathers have the worst mental health issues (Children of Alcoholics 1). Walls reflects upon her childhood experiences in which her father would become drunk and not be able to control his behavior, as she writes, “After working on the bottle for a while, Dad turned into an angry-eyed stranger who threw around furniture and threatened to beat up Mom or anyone else who got in his way. When he’d had his fill of cussing and hollering and smashing things up, he’d collapse” (Walls 23). The Walls children, who frequently encounter their father’s abusive behavior, are affected mentally in the same way that national studies have shown. Jeanette Walls describes how, after drinking, her father’s behavior becomes cruel and intolerable through his use of profanity, threats, and angry, even violent, actions. In a conventional family, a parent has the responsibility of being a role model to influence their children in a positive way as they develop. Unfortunately, in the Walls family and other families with alcoholic parents, children are often subject to abuse and violence, which places them at risk, not only physically, but mentally. Rex’s irrational behavior when he is drunk is detrimental to the children’s upbringing, causing them to lose trust in their parents, have significantly lower self-esteem and confidence, and feel insecure. Rex’s behavior contributes to Jeanette’s

    Read More

  • Imagery in My Papa’s Waltz

    703 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poem "My Papa's Waltz" uses imagery by especially appealing to the sense of touch. The sense of touch also helps the reader to better understand the abusive father theme. The third stanza concentrates on the actual act of abuse. The author, Roethke, describes the battle wounds on the father and son that are inflicted by the father. The father's hand "was battered on one knuckle" from hitting his son with a belt (10). This is apparent because the son's "right ear scraped...

    Read More

  • Dancing around the Truth of My Papa’s Waltz

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poem, “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, is about a boy reminiscing about an incidence with his father. From the beginning, this poem states the conflict between a father and son involved in a rambunctious dance, but as it continues, the story suggests the dance may actually be a physical altercation. Within the line, “Such waltzing was not easy,” is the proposal this is not a singular incident, but rather a routine ritual between the boy and his father (Line 4). The speaker is an adult recollecting, to himself as the audience, a childhood memory of an incident with his father. As the poem opens, the child recalls his father engaging in act of the drinking whiskey to the extent that the fumes of his breath made him dizzy or lightheaded, as if the adrenaline coursing through his veins from wrestling or struggling with his father wasn’t enough to make him unsteady. The child is hanging on to his father as a way of protecting himself from the assault being inflicted upon him. When the narrator states within the simile, “But I hung on like death,” death symbolizes a force inescapable and not able to release its grasp (3). As the poem continues, the speaker uses the term “romped” to describe the movement within the waltz. A waltz is an elegant, flowing type of dance and one does not “romp” through a waltz. The two participants are causing such a ruckus, the mother’s pans slide off a shelf in the kitchen. As the mother looks on, she is silent with only a frown as an expression of her disapproval. The speaker states his father’s hand “was battered on one knuckle,” suggesting the hand had been injured possibly from another violent incident in the past (10). As the commotion continues, the child is “waltzed” into his bedroom, the ...

    Read More

  • Social Issues Presented in Jeannette Wall's Memoir, The Glass Castle

    1075 Words  | 3 Pages

    throughout her childhood with an alcoholic father and a selfish mother who cared more about her art and happiness than that of her children’s. Alcohol misuse can affect all aspects of family functioning: social life, finances, good communication, relationships between family members, parenting capability, employment and health issues , It also has a strong correlation with conflicts, disputes and domestic violence which can leave a damaging effect on children. Alcohol misuse often times change the roles played by family member...

    Read More

  • My Papa's Waltz By Theodore Roethke

    850 Words  | 2 Pages

    My Papa’s Waltz My Papa’s Waltz has been compared to a generational litmus test. Depending on what generation the reader was born, could determine how the reader would interpret this poem. Each generation has its own views that have been developed in them for the language used to describe Papa in this poem. The whiskey on his breath and Papa’s hand beating on his head, both sound like a negative connotation.

    Read More

  • My Papa's Waltz

    1268 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the late nineteen forties, Theodore Roethke emerged with a poem that has been the source of much debate. "My Papa's Waltz," is an account of a relationship between son and father. Alas, many readers who are exposed to this piece fail to note the love present in the connection of the characters. In an attempt to illuminate the author's true intention several factors must be examined. After several examinations of Roethke's poem as well as learning of his childhood it is evident that this poem does not suggest an abusive environment, but is an appreciative account of the love and playfulness between the characters. Therefore, a successful interpretation of this poem will look beyond the four stanzas and study not only the history of the writing, but the life of the poet.

    Read More

  • Alcoholism and the Effect on the Familly

    1298 Words  | 3 Pages

    Alcoholism is a complex disease, as it affects more than just the person living with it. In the article “Coping with an Alcoholic Parent” we explore why people drink too much, how it affects families, and the ramifications it has on the children in the household. The focus of this article was on children in the household, and the ways in which they can deal with having a parent who is considered an alcoholic. The next article, “Alcoholism and the Effect on the Family” deals with what alcoholism does to a person, breaking it down into three sections: Physiological effects such as tremors or blackouts, psychological effects such as the obsessive desire to drink, and the behavioral problems that disrupt home life and work. Once the article discusses the effects of alcoholism, it looks deeper into what the effects on the family are, especially from the child’s perspective. The “High School Dropout Statistics” were updated on the first of 2014. They show when kids dropout of school, what demographic they belong to, the rate of drop...

    Read More

  • Mary Shelley's Frankenstein

    1089 Words  | 3 Pages

    Mary Shelley’s husband had a “fascination with the power of science to give life”. As her husband, Percy Shelley’s views obviously were ...

    Read More

  • The Effects Of Parental Alcoholism On Children

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    ...the dangers of alcohol are emphasized, not only to the individual but to the family. However often alcoholics don’t consider the negative influence they are having on their children. Although there still contradictions about the causes of alcoholism: some argue that it is a disease while others say it’s a choice. Whatever the reasons, parental drinking affects children negatively. It is dreadful that most children of alcoholics, the younger ones at least, have no control over the negative effects that their parent’s drinking problems give them. Many of these consequences of parental drinking can persist for a great part of the children’ s lives, so it is important to make alcoholics aware of the undesired effects of alcohol. It is definitely not the children’s choice to grow up with alcoholic parent(s), yet they still are largely impacted for their parent’s choices.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Speech On Alcohol Abuse

    918 Words  | 2 Pages

    Alcohol abuse is when you use alcohol too much or too often. You may use alcohol to make yourself feel happier or to reduce stress.

    Read More

  • Percussion Essay

    1151 Words  | 3 Pages

    ​Despite what many may think, percussion is well known across hundreds of nations all over the world. Percussion has been around for centuries, and it has a very important meaning in the lives of many. It would be safe to assume that Percussion will be around for a long time as well, and play an important part in the lives of many people. Most people see drums as a cool thing to do, others see them as a bunch of irritating noise makers; but do they know the history behind them? So what is percussion? Percussion is a musical instrument played by striking with the hand, a handheld, or a pedal-operated stick or beater (Hudson). There are different groups of percussion instruments, and as time went by, they have immensely evolved from where they started (Zed). So what is percussion, where did it start, and what is it used for?

    Read More

  • Symptoms, Causes, and Effects of Alcoholism

    796 Words  | 2 Pages

    "Because time and amount of drinking are uncontrollable, the alcoholics is likely to engage in such behaviors as [1] breaking family commitments, both major and minor; [2] spending more money than planned; [3] drinking while intoxicated and getting arrested; [4] making inappropriate remarks to friends, family, and co-workers; [5] arguing, fighting and other anti-social actions. The alcoholic would probably neither do such things, nor approve of them in others unless he was drinking" (Johnson 203).

    Read More

More about My Papa’s Waltz - That's not just coke in Dad's glass

Open Document