Along the lines of Theodore Roethke's “My Papa's Waltz,” a playful experience between father and son can be misinterpreted, as the mother watches angrily. The content is presented in a cheerful and childlike manner, which can lead to the belief that a child is simply having fun. Roethke's perspective at that time in his life eventually led him to rethink the numerous meanings that that childhood memory might have resembled. Ultimately the reader determines what the purpose of what they are reading is, but they can be influenced by the opinions of others to create a more solid interpretation. One such interpretation of “My Papa's Waltz” is the malfunction caused by the actions of a drunken father who beats his son, causing irreparable damage to his marriage. In accordance with Theodore Roethke's tragic past, his poems and character were most likely fueled and structured by the constant downfalls of his childhood. In the article entitled “Biography of Theodore Roethke” it is stated that “…Roethke was 14 years old when he received his first dose of tragedy. His uncle committed suicide and his father died of cancer…”, leading to the incredibly viable hypothesis that Roethke had been greatly influenced by his childhood traumas. Supported by the following lines "...emotional events, especially associated with regularly striking manic-depressive episodes, which would help refine Roethke throughout his life." as reported in the article. Roethke spent some time in an asylum due to his numerous mental breakdowns fueled by the stress and exhaustion in his life, as illustrated in the line "But the stress of his discontent and the exhaustion he felt simply trying to live life his life alone" terms, led to a nervous breakdown in 1935, the first of several that ultimately landed the poet in Ann Arbor's Mercywood Sanitarium." The early occurrence of traumatic events in Roethke's past and the personal struggle of trying to lead a simple life were the main factor fueling his works. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Furthermore, the points that can be drawn are that Roethke suffered abuse as a child and was better able to interpret it as abuse as he grew up and gained a better understanding of what really happened. The use of past tense words such as "wasn't" instead of "isn't" creates the idea that the author is contemplating his past through a flashback. The flashback is used to remember his past in order to make better sense of traumatic events that wouldn't have made much sense to a younger version of him. The use of a rhythmic pattern in the poem can be seen from the words "death" and "breath", but not from "dizzy" and "easy", this further alludes to Roethke's father's uncoordinated and drunken character as a serious matter. Rhyme is used in poetry to hide the truth with what is perceived to show the reality that can be easily ignored. The overall tone of the poem would be aggressive, as the author's diction is more aggressive in some areas than others. The mother's face portrays anger almost to the point of pain, one can conclude from the lines "My mother's face could not relax." is one such example of aggressiveness in the author's choice of words. The author's choice of words reflects the gravity of the situation, by choosing the words “death” and “beat” Roethke has attempted to bring an element of severity to the otherwise happy poem. Death is meant to symbolize loss and the word “beat,” in.