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Essay / The father figure in the poem Boomerang and Second Sight
Table of contentsIntroductionAn analysis of the father figure in the poem “Boomerang”An analysis of the father figure in the poem “Second Sight”ConclusionIntroductionThe following two poems which will be analyzed in This article we offer a different and individual perspective of the relationship between adult figures and children, in particular between a father figure and a child. In the poem "Boomerang" it is told from the point of view of a child about his father figure, the joys and fears of childhood and in the poem "Second Sight" it is told from the point of view from the father-in-law about his daughter-in-law and his memories. that they shared together as she grew up. These two poems convey a different insight into the father figure and the relationship between the children. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get an original essayAn analysis of the father figure in the poem “Boomerang”In the first poem “Boomerang”, he expresses the time spent with adults that you love during childhood. In the second poem, "Second Sight", he depicts the memories between the father figure and the stepdaughter as death approaches the two adult figures in his life, particularly the stepfather himself, towards the end of the poem. Both poems convey the common theme of death as well as youth and old age. The way the author uses literary elements in each poem similarly conveys a different message about the relationship between a child and their parental figure, from which an individual can make connections. In the poem "Boomerang" you see the A series of events unfold in the eyes of the child. It represents this magical feeling about the parental figure as well as the fear of the unknown, as the boomerang represents this unconsciousness. The child speaking is hypnotized by the boomerang that was sent through the air, as the child describes it as "rising, pushing the sky towards the horizon" (Sleigh, 2) and "a black gash on the sun” (Sleigh, 3). As the boomerang descended, it got bigger and bigger, and as this happened, the child began to feel fear for the adult and for himself. “Would it hit him, would he die – and you ducked” (Sleigh, 6). The child displays more fear in subsequent lines such as “terrified, clinging to his thigh, his deadly spinning” (Sleigh, 7). As the adult grasps and catches the boomerang, he feels a sense of relief that the child once feared and now that fear has been dispelled. ”, (Sleigh 9-11). In these lines, it indicates that the child's fear was internalized and that he did not want the adult to know that he was afraid, because the adult did not seem to fear the curiosity of the unknown. As time is spent with this adult figure, the child experiences a sense of protection and knows that the adult was there during the moments of fear and the unknown toward the end of the poem. The adult figure in this poem is depicted as a protector for the child and this is where the feeling of magic comes from. That adult figure is still there and there is a feeling of affection between the two of them. The parental figure also serves as a teacher to the child, as the child remembers these memories and times spent with them. The connection that can be made from this poem is that it reminds you of your childhood and that soon you will be the adult doing the same things that your adult figures did for you when you were a child. An analysis of the father figure in the poem “Second Sight” In the poem “Second Sight”, the adult figure of lifeof the child is the stepfather. “In my fantasy of fatherhood, in which I am your real father, not just the almost-dad arriving through the haphazard channels of divorce” (Sleigh, 1-3). This adult figure wants the child to know that even though they are not biologically related, he still wants her to think of him as a father to her and not just as a person to fill a void or replace her real father. As the father figure continues to speak, it appears that he and the stepdaughter share a close relationship as he notes that they don't lie to each other and that they have this daughter and father dynamic where they tend to have disagreements , but in the end they get back together. “If I am still alive, you will still look at me with that same wary expectation, your surreptitious cold-eyed assessment debating whether my love for you is real” (Sleigh, 11-14). In these lines, the “wary” look of expectation that the child expresses is the fear of the unknown and what the adult figure once felt the same way when she was the same age as the child. The “clandestine and cold assessment” also represents the doubt that the child has about the adult figure's love, because the adult figure is not biologically his real father and whether his intentions are true. Towards the end of the poem the speaker recalls memories between the two and the speaker also mentions "Am I destined to be those shark-faced waves that my death will one day bring you into?" ”, (Sleigh, 15-16), which indicates that the father figure truly cares about the well-being of the child. that without him, she will be able to continue. The memories of the daughter-in-law and her mother choosing her prom dress make the speaker realize how much the child has grown and how far she has come. “What father could resist your merciless eyes by measuring your figure in the mirror with such erotic calculation? (Sleigh, 19-20). When the speaker reflects on his life, he says "all I see are dead zones" (Sleigh, 22) because he will not be able to experience certain things with his daughter-in-law once she grows up and will become an adult herself. “No grandchildren, no beach parties, no bonfires in a future that allows a glass of wine via insulin injection.” (Sleigh, 23-24). From the way these lines are presented, it appears that the speaker is on his deathbed and expressing his last words to his daughter-in-law as he mentions that his occupation now is to help her be alone. Without the father or mother in her life, the daughter-in-law may fear the unknown of what might happen once her parents are no longer around. He prepares her to live her life without him and expresses to her that he will love her no matter what, as if she were his own. The images used to describe the girl show your typical teenage behavior as she is locked in her consumed room. in technology and social media. “When you stand inside yourself, the headphones and the computer screen carry you away” (Sleigh, 8-10). She is portrayed as young and innocent and sensitive to the curiosities of the world, as the father sees similarities in her compared to his teenage self. Conclusion In both poems, they explore the commonalities between death, youth and age, and the innocence of a child. Although told from two perspectives, they both evoke memories of children's past as they grow up and describe the joys and fears one experiences in childhood. Children's innocence is also expressed as they experience curiosity and fear of the unknown. Each poem places a certain expectation on these elders as they provide guidance and protection to these children. The author's intention was to invoke emotion while..