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Essay / Childhood Memories of Robert Hayden in his poem “Those Winter Sundays”
American poet Robert Hayden wrote “Those Winter Sundays” as a memory of his childhood. Reflection on his past in the voice of a child who fears his father. As an adult, he now has a clearer idea of what his father endured and the sacrifices he made. A father who loves his family unconditionally and performs selfless acts for them. Robert Hayden in “These Winter Sundays” explains through tone, imagery and symbolism the love of a father who will sacrifice himself for his family and will not demand reciprocity. The tone is sadness and regret, as Hayden remembers from his childhood. He regrets not having appreciated his father enough and everything he did for the family. In tone, the boy speaks of his father, “speaking indifferently to the one who had chased away the cold/and also shined my good shoes”. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The speaker is remorseful in the way he spoke to the one who sacrificed his mornings to keep the house warm. He can shine his shoes, but his father does it because he cherishes his son. The boy remembers that no one liked the man of the house. The thought came to his mind: “No one ever thanked him.” There is sadness in the tone, as Hayden understands that neither he nor any other family member has expressed their gratitude. The father woke up before sunrise to provide for the family. Sacrificing his mornings, the father prepares the day for his loved ones even if they have not thanked him. Newell 2Robert Hayden's uses of imagery helps visualize that the father's first priority is his family. Above all, says the speaker, “put on your clothes in the blue-black cold.” Hayden paints the picture that the day hasn't started yet. The father gets up before the sun on winter mornings to warm his family's house, so that they don't have to live in a cold house. He doesn't want his family to have to wake up to the same freezing temperatures as him. Before the boy's day began, "I would wake up and hear the cold breaking, breaking." While the speaker stays at home, he hears his father chopping wood. A visual image creates a harsh and chilling setting that shows the ordeals endured by the father. The father shows his love by getting up early to chase away the cold. Additionally, the symbolism represents the meaning of what Hayden is saying. There is love hidden in the father's actions. He was chopping wood for the fire, “with cracked hands that ached/from weekday work making/fires lit.” The father gets up early even on a Sunday, a day of rest, to bring warmth to his family. Even though no one thanked him, he continued to provide for them. The temperature of the rooms and the weather are symbolic for his father, cold and reserved. The title of the poem indicates the time of year signifying cold. It is the indifference and feelings of distance between father and child. The speaker reflects on his adolescent ignorance, “what did I know / of austere love….” Her father performs acts of love, such as bringing warmth from the fire to the house. His father does not verbalize his love, but by demonstrating it. The speaker recounts a misunderstanding of youth that his father perseveres despite a lack of recognition from his family. Robert Hayden reflects on his past thoughts about what his father did for his family. As an adult, the speaker has a greater appreciation for the sacrifices made and comes to understand his father's form of love. When the speaker was a child, there was a lack of wisdom. With age, Newell 3 arrives at the.