Childhood is an imperative time for physical, intellectual, and social development. Thus, drug and alcohol abuse may compromise a parent’s ability to meet a child’s basic needs/health. Both Theodore Roethke’s “My Papa’s Waltz” and Walter McDonald’s “Life with Father,” offer a dark, disturbing view into the lives/behaviors of innocent children with alcoholic fathers. In “My Papa’s Waltz,” a young boy partakes in a—literal and figurative—dance with his father; while in “Life with Father,” a group of children attempt to avoid their father and escape reality. Yet, despite acts of cruelty, vivid imagery, diction, and structure, convey/further enhance themes of love, respect, admiration, and forgiveness. In a literal sense, Roethke presents the…show more content… The mother’s disapproval, as expressed in lines 7-8, further the idea that her husband is acting inappropriately. Although the child does not blatantly express his feelings or protest, the waltz is not easy: it becomes something to endure, rather than enjoy. Eventually “waltzed” (15) off to bed, the boy clings lovingly—and out of terror—to his father’s shirt, as if clinging to lost hope or a wanted normalcy, attempting to hold on to moments of intimacy. Similarly, the children in “Life with Father” translate fear of their drunken father into a deeper feeling of love and naïve hope, rather than animosity. McDonald parallels demonic, monstrous images of “demons” (7), “devils” (10), and the “fi-foe-fum” of his slumber (18) with harmless, pleasant visuals: “daddy’s snoring” (4), “bumbling” (11),…show more content… However, the shift in feminine syllables at the end of the second and fourth lines—”breath” (2) and “death” (4)—creates a stumbling effect, which contributes to the idea of a chaotic waltz. Short, fragmented lines remind the audience that the speaker is young and naïve, which plays upon feelings of sympathy and concern. In contrast, McDonald’s “Life with Father” is, though soothing and relaxed, far less melodic. Instead, McDonald incorporates enjambment and a stressed “uh” sound, relating to the “uhg” mentality of the
