choose ten examples of sound device usage - define the term and discuss how it enhances the meaning of the poem My Papa's Waltz by Theodore Roethke

Answer 1

1. Alliteration - repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity
Example: "The whisky on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy"

In this line, the alliteration of the 'w' sound in "whisky" and "breath" adds a sense of lingering and intoxication, emphasizing the father's drunken state and the disorienting experience of the speaker.

2. Assonance - repetition of vowel sounds in close proximity
Example: "Such waltzing was not easy"

The repetition of the 'u' sound in "Such" and "was" gives a smooth and flowing quality to the line, reflecting the movement of the waltz and the physical closeness between the speaker and his father.

3. Consonance - repetition of consonant sounds within or at the end of words
Example: "We romped until the pans / Slid from the kitchen shelf"

The repetition of the 's' sound in "pans" and "slid" creates a sense of sliding and slipping, mirroring the chaotic and energetic nature of the waltz.

4. Onomatopoeia - words that imitate the sound they represent
Example: "The waltz that we made you"

The use of onomatopoeia in describing the waltz as something that is "made" emphasizes the physicality and impact of the dance, as if it is a tangible creation.

5. Repetition - repeating a word or phrase for emphasis
Example: "But I hung on like death: / Such waltzing was not easy"

The repetition of "Such waltzing was not easy" emphasizes the difficulty and awkwardness of the dance, highlighting the contrasting emotions of fear and excitement experienced by the speaker.

6. Rhyme - repetition of similar sounds at the end of words
Example: "My mother's countenance / Could not unfrown itself"

The rhyme between "countenance" and "itself" creates a sense of closure and completion in the stanza, underscoring the tension and disapproval felt by the mother in response to the waltz.

7. Imagery - using vivid language to create mental pictures
Example: "The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle"

The imagery of the father's hand being "battered" on one knuckle suggests a physical roughness and intensity, symbolizing the father's strength and dominance in the waltz.

8. Tone - the author's attitude towards the subject
Example: "My Papa's Waltz"

The title itself sets the tone for the poem, conveying a sense of nostalgia and affection towards the memory of the waltz, despite its chaotic and unsettling nature.

9. Enjambment - continuation of a sentence or phrase across multiple lines
Example: "You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard"

The enjambment in this line creates a sense of ongoing movement and rhythm, reflecting the physical action of the father beating time on the speaker's head during the waltz.

10. Caesura - a pause or break in a line of poetry
Example: "The waltz that we made you... / My mother's countenance"

The caesura in this line creates a moment of pause and reflection, shifting the focus from the physicality of the waltz to the emotional response of the mother, adding depth and complexity to the poem.