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What impression of the father-son relationship do you get from this poem? (10) Choose a phrase or line from the poem that impressed you - Leaving Cert English - Question 1 - 2008
Question 1
What impression of the father-son relationship do you get from this poem? (10) Choose a phrase or line from the poem that impressed you. Explain your choice. (10)
Worked Solution & Example Answer:What impression of the father-son relationship do you get from this poem? (10) Choose a phrase or line from the poem that impressed you - Leaving Cert English - Question 1 - 2008
Step 1
What impression of the father-son relationship do you get from this poem?
Answer
In Robert Hayden's poem 'Those Winter Sundays', the father-son relationship is depicted as complex and marked by a sense of unacknowledged sacrifice and emotional distance. The father's early rising and the physical labor he undertakes on Sundays, despite his apparent harshness, reveal a deep sense of responsibility and love towards his family. Yet, the son's indifference and lack of gratitude illustrate a disconnect. Lines such as 'no one ever thanked him' encapsulate the father's solitary struggles and the unrecognized efforts that shape their bond. Additionally, the son's fear and hesitation to engage further with his father's warmth highlight the yearning for connection amidst coldness, exemplifying a relationship steeped in familial expectation and emotional aloofness. This combination of duty and lack of acknowledgment presents a poignant image of love intertwined with pain and neglect.
Step 2
Choose a phrase or line from the poem that impressed you. Explain your choice.
Answer
One particularly striking line from the poem is 'Speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold'. This line encapsulates the emotional detachment that characterizes the father-son relationship depicted in the poem. The use of the word 'indifferently' suggests a lack of appreciation from the son towards his father's efforts, while the phrase 'driven out the cold' serves as a metaphor for the father's role in providing not just physical warmth but emotional shelter as well. This line thus highlights the irony of the father's sacrifices—working hard and sacrificing his comfort—yet receiving no acknowledgment or warmth in return, which deepens the reader's understanding of their strained relationship.