My Papa's Waltz Literary Devices
Upon reading “My Papa's Waltz” by Theodore Roethke, one might infer a violent commotion between a father and son. However, if read closely, a reader will notice that the boy hung onto his father throughout the entirety of the waltz despite becoming “dizzy” (line 2), and “scrapped” (line 12). In fact, in this poem, the narrator is reflecting upon a joyful memory he had with his father. Firstly, if a person were to dissect the title of the poem, “My Papa's Waltz,” they would discover that “Papa” is a term of endearment for a dad. Secondly, an individual would also discover that a waltz is a rather playful dance that occurs in a three-four time signature. In lines one and two, the narrator states that “the whiskey on [his father's] breath/