Roethke and Salinas

In "My Papa's Waltz" we read the story of a young child growing up with an alcoholic and abusive father. The boy seems to speak of his situation in a loving manner, although at a young age the boy has come to an understanding of what his family will continue to be. He embraces the good times and stays prepared for the worst. Titling the story as “My Papa’s Waltz” is very interesting, as the waltz to most is a very boring and repetitive dance form. The waltz dance is defined by Stanford University as a “trance-like euphoric state”. This is what getting drunk must feel like for the father and it is also stated by Stanford that “the repetitive nature of the waltz can create quite a different physical sensation which you don't find in other dances”. Although traumatic for the child and the wife, when the father is drunk may be the only time the family feels as though they’re being acknowledged by their father, and husband.

 

            The poem by Salinas demonstrates a much simpler and more traditional father-son relationship interpreted by the media. This young child sees their father as their hero and a provider. These two poems show us the different types of parental and family dynamics that exist within homes, and it seems that both children still feel loved although one is in an abusive household at times.

 

 

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