Those Winter Sundays Analysis Essay
Sometimes love is not heard by the ears but felt with the heart. Robert Hayden’s “Those Winter Sundays” is a short poem about the love a father has for his son. Through the father’s efforts to keep the house warm, Hayden, the speaker, continues to treat his dad with insouciance; that was until Hayden grew older. Reflecting on this past memory, the speaker might have written this poem for his father, apologizing for his past behavior. While the tone of the poem is remorseful, the theme is not. Rather, it is about the power of love, family love and fatherly love; by using diction, imagery, and symbolism, Hayden is able to capture the love his father has for him and his family.
Hayden begins his poem with “Sundays too my father got up early…” (Line 1). Out of all the days of the week, the speaker choses the day, Sunday. Often, Sundays are akin to the weekend or rest day. However, why then does Robert …show more content…
Waking up early Sunday morning, his father calls Hayden “when the rooms were warm” (Lines 2-5). This action symbolizes the love a father has for his son. Wanting the best for his child, his father awakens Hayden only after the house is filled with warmth. And he, even, disregards his own discomfort and cracked hands in order to provide care for his family. Additionally, Hayden’s father even went “out [in] the cold and polished my good shoes” (Lines 11-12) to teach his son moral rights. As stated previously, Sundays are rest days, but they are church days, as well; polished shoes is a symbolism for religion or church. And through the father’s actions, he was showing his fatherly love by teaching his son the importance of morals. He cleaned Hayden’s shoes because it is respectable to not only wear clean clothing but polished shoes, too. In this case, the poet uses symbolism as a way to convey a deeper meaning of his father’s love: Sometimes, love is not always shown the traditional
Hayden begins his poem with “Sundays too my father got up early…” (Line 1). Out of all the days of the week, the speaker choses the day, Sunday. Often, Sundays are akin to the weekend or rest day. However, why then does Robert …show more content…
Waking up early Sunday morning, his father calls Hayden “when the rooms were warm” (Lines 2-5). This action symbolizes the love a father has for his son. Wanting the best for his child, his father awakens Hayden only after the house is filled with warmth. And he, even, disregards his own discomfort and cracked hands in order to provide care for his family. Additionally, Hayden’s father even went “out [in] the cold and polished my good shoes” (Lines 11-12) to teach his son moral rights. As stated previously, Sundays are rest days, but they are church days, as well; polished shoes is a symbolism for religion or church. And through the father’s actions, he was showing his fatherly love by teaching his son the importance of morals. He cleaned Hayden’s shoes because it is respectable to not only wear clean clothing but polished shoes, too. In this case, the poet uses symbolism as a way to convey a deeper meaning of his father’s love: Sometimes, love is not always shown the traditional