The Poem

Storyline

The poem is written from the perspective of an omniscient observer. The omniscient observer also understands both sides. There are numerous themes that work in the poem; childhood experience, parent child relationship as well as love & discipline. But there is also a lesson to be learned.

Analysis

The 1st 2 lines indicate that the punishment has been already administered. It gives us an image so we can better understand & visualize what is going on. More importantly, a poet utilizes imagery in order to make the audience understand his own ideas. Imagery can also walk on an audiences emotions. Imagery impacts your emotion (how you think & feel). It performs numerous functions & is a powerful language skill used by the poet.

Contrast is another language technique. It allows us to understand the rapid change to understand what happened after the boy was slapped. The metamorphose compares to a caterpillar 'metamorphosis' (total change). Metamorphose is suitable (adjective) but is also a suitable metaphor, only his emotions change. Emotional metamorphose. Howling because he was punished.

Lines 3 & 4 also contrast. 3 year old frustration is a use of hyperbole (exaggeration). It is a little humorous but hyperbole allows us to better understand the degree of something. The fella is extremely frustrated. The use splashing your bear feet, another example of hyperbole. But that now becomes irony. His feet are wet because he is now crying, copious amounts of tears where as just now he was splashing in the rain & having fun (contrast & irony).

He is looking at the parent hoping for a look of remorse & regret. The child hopes the parent feels guilt. We have a repetition of the 's' sound in lines 5-7, consonance (apart from vowels). In the 1st stanza, we have the use of literary devices. The repetition sound leads to a rhythm & a level of music to poetry. The repetition of sound makes it more memorable.

In stanza 2, we have the deeper & hidden feelings of the child being expressed to us. The poet is metacognitically getting into the mind of the child. The uses of the word ogre, grim giant etc. comprise of fairy tales told to children therefore these words are from the child. The stanza incorporates the child's understanding. The child associates the father with all the villains' (most negative & terrible ways he can imagine) he knows. The adjectives used, towers, grim, colossal, portray the father in a sinister (wicked) way. We also see the mood of the child is vehement hatred. In child believes, his punishment in unjustified & the child is filled with rage & anger with a desire for revenge.

In the 1st 2 stanzas, the poetry was directed upon evaluating the child's feelings & appearance. In stanza 3, it is directed to the father. The poet metacognitically examines the father. We see the child suffering & he has a feeling of being treated unjust. In stanza 3, there is a rationalization from the father's actions. The child's tears are described as easy tears. These tears inflict deadly pain of hot water poured on the skin. The mask is something we put on that doesn't change but behind the 'mask' there is wavering, doubt, guilt & sorrows. The parent wishes to make up with the child as they understand. Line 19, even tough the parent is experiencing this turmoil, he doesn't understand. The father also remains firm because a lesson must be learnt. It is inferred that the parent strikes because they care, it is very ironic.

Christopher Seebaran (pc)