Introduction
Parental influence is a universal theme that resonates with people of all ages and backgrounds. It is worth noting that it can take many different forms. Whether a person has experienced strict parental control or has had absentee parents, the impact of it can be profound and long-lasting. It highlights the complexities of familial relationships and their profound significance in people’s lives, even as they mature and strive to establish their identities.
By examining the theme of parental influence in literature, such as in “My Papa’s Waltz” by Theodore Roethke and “Eveline” by James Joyce, it is possible to gain insight into the relationships with parents and how they have shaped us. There are no names in “My Papa’s Waltz,” only characters such as Dad, Mom, and a little boy. The protagonist of Eveline is an ambitious Irish lady named Eveline, who is roughly nineteen years old and lives with her father in the Dublin home where she grew up. Along with her partner Frank, she has brothers Harry and Ernest. Eveline’s father’s and mother’s names are unknown.
The Portrayal of Parental Influence
The theme of parental influence is prominent in “My Papa’s Waltz” and “Eveline.” Both works depict fathers who control their children. The children in these works are influenced by their parents and the authority figures in their lives, which can create a sense of duty and loyalty in them. In “Eveline,” the father is overprotective and controlling, forbidding the daughter from seeing the man she loves and making all the decisions for the family. Similarly, in “My Papa’s Waltz,” the father is depicted as a dominant figure who exerts physical strength and authority.
In “My Papa’s Waltz,” the father exercises physical authority and the effects of alcohol to control his kid. “The whiskey on your breath / Could make a small boy dizzy,” it suggests a deep connection and a desire to be close to his father despite his roughness (Roethke 1).
“You beat time on my head / With a palm caked hard by dirt” illustrates the father’s physical control over the child (Roethke 3). “The hand that held my wrist / Was battered on one knuckle” also shows the father’s power (Roethke 2). The child clings to the father despite his roughhousing and the threat of his drinking problem, even as dad strolls off to bed. “Still clinging to your shirt.” (Roethke 3). The child in the poem describes his father as having “a palm caked hard by dirt” and “a battered knuckle” as they dance together (Roethke 3). This imagery highlights the father’s strength and roughness.
The speaker uses terminology that suggests this dance, their “waltz,” is amusing frequently. For example, the speaker refers to it as a “romp.” Although their dancing is a touch shaky, it nevertheless exudes plenty of compassion. In fact, the poem concludes with the speaker being taken to bed by his father, providing a charming cap to their late-night meeting.
“Then waltzed me off to bed.” (Roethke 3). The speaker, however, also offers some hints that undercut this positive image. His relationship with his father is not as happy as it might seem, “But I hung on like death.” (Roethke 3).
Drinking and Its Influence on Relationships
Fathers in “Eveline“ and “My Papa’s Waltz” also seem to have a drinking problem, as evidenced by the father in “Eveline” drinking heavily and becoming violent. “Eveline has started feeling “herself in danger of her father’s violence” (Joyce 3).
Father in “My Papa’s Waltz” has a “strong smell of whiskey on his breath” as he waltzes with his son. (Joyce 3). The father’s drunkenness is hinted at with the line, “The whiskey on your breath could make a small boy dizzy.” His roughhousing with the boy is described in a way that could be interpreted as abusive (Roethke 1). Despite the cruelty of their fathers, their children still care for them and remain loyal to them.
The Power Dynamics Between Fathers and Their Children
Roethke’s Poem
In “My Papa’s Waltz,” Roethke effectively uses literary tropes to amplify this violent message. One of the tropes used in the poem is the use of ambiguous language. The phrase “beat time on my head” (Roethke 3) is a good example. The use of the word “beat” suggests violence, but we are not sure what the father is using to beat time. Is it a stick or his hand? The ambiguity creates tension and uncertainty in the reader’s mind, prompting us to continue reading to find out more.
The second trope used in the poem is the use of irony. The phrase “With a palm caked hard by dirt” (Roethke 3) is ironic because it suggests that the father’s hand is not violent but hardened by hard work. The irony is that even though the father’s hand may be innocent, it is still causing harm to the son. Uncertain about how to feel regarding the father’s conduct, this causes conflict and tension in the reader’s thoughts.
Joyce’s Story
Similarly, in “Eveline,” the protagonist’s father is portrayed as controlling and domineering. Eveline’s role is defined by culture; therefore, she works for her alcoholic father and brothers (Dahal, 14). The protagonist’s father is also a heavy drinker and is controlling Eveline’s life. Father is described as having a “blackthorn stick” and is said to use it to “beat back the crowd” when he walks through the streets (Joyce 3). This imagery emphasizes his power and the ability to control Eveline and her family.
Even though Eveline adores her father, she fears him. She thinks “sometimes he could be very nice” (Joyce 3), but is aware of the harm her father will inflict on her siblings. “Hunt them out of the field with his blackthorn stick (Joyce 3).” As of late, she has begun to feel “in danger of her father’s violence (Joyce 3).”
Ironically, her father has begun to threaten her” simply for the sake of her deceased mother, and state what he would do to her (Joyce 3).” The father disapproves of his daughter’s relationship with her lover, Frank, and forbids her from seeing him. Since her father started “threatening her” after her mother’s passing, Eveline and her father have a fear-based relationship (Sürcan and Ekin 94). Due to her extreme fear of her violent father, Eveline’s psychological condition makes her an obedient daughter in extreme cases. Due to these domestic issues,
Eveline has been conditioned to believe that she cannot survive without her father, even though he is physically and emotionally abusive towards her. She is afraid of leaving her home and her father, as she feels that she cannot provide for herself and her siblings without him. Eveline is left with no choice but to identify herself with “shelter and food, which she had known all her life about her.” (Joyce 3). Eveline has grown up in a household where she relies on her father for survival because he provides her with most of her food and shelter. Her psychological conditioning has led her to believe that she cannot survive without him, and this belief has made it difficult for her to leave her abusive home.
Eveline still cares for her father despite his drinking and controlling behavior. She is torn between Eveline’s duty to care for her family and her desire to escape with her lover, Frank. In Eveline, the protagonist struggles with the decision to leave her father and start a new life with her lover, Frank, “to explore a new life with Frank (Joyce 3).”
The following sentence demonstrates how Eveline is trying to flee her ongoing conflicts: “But it would not be like that in her new home, which was in a faraway, foreign nation. Then she would be respected by everyone. She would not be handled the same way her mother had” (Crosby 22). She knows that her father will miss her and that he can be kind, but she also feels suffocated by his control and yearns for freedom.
Summary
Stories highlight the complexities of familial relationships and their power dynamics. These fathers’ positive and negative power over their children creates a complicated and nuanced dynamic. The children in these stories are influenced by their parents and their authority, even if they are neglectful or controlling. This can create a sense of duty and loyalty in the children, even if it conflicts with their desires and happiness. However, both stories also illustrate how the characters struggle to break free from their familial ties and make decisions for themselves.
The father’s authority in “Eveline” is based on his position as the family leader. In contrast, in “My Papa’s Waltz,” the father’s power is tied to his physicality and ability to comfort his son through physical affection. Ultimately, the theme of parental influence in these stories speaks to the universal experience of growing up and the impact our families have on our identity and decision-making.
Despite the flaws and complexities of these fathers, both works also illustrate their children’s deep love and loyalty toward them. Eveline feels obligated to continue caring for her siblings after her mother’s death. Similarly, in “My Papa’s Waltz,” the child clings to his father’s shirt even as he feels dizzy and afraid. These conflicting emotions underscore the profound nature of the parent-child bond, even when that bond is strained or complicated by power dynamics.
Conclusion
The theme of parental influence is prominent in both stories, underscoring its profound impact on shaping a person’s identity and decision-making. Both stories depict fathers who have power over their children, and even though both appear to have a drinking problem, their children still care for them and stick by them. Their children may struggle with the desire for independence and freedom, but they still care for and stick by their fathers, even if it means enduring some level of discomfort or abuse. The parental influence experienced by the girl in “Eveline” and the boy in “My Papa’s Waltz” highlights the importance of understanding the impact of parents and family on their lives and the need for them to make their own decisions, even when it conflicts with familial expectations.
Works Cited
Joyce, James. “Eveline” Dubliners, 1904.
Roethke, Theodore “My Papa’s Waltz” Collected poems. Doubleday, 1966.
Sürcan, Hira Ekin. “Identity Crisis of a Young Woman: An Analysis of “Eveline” By James Joyce.” Journal of English Language and Literature Club vol. 1, no.1, 2019, pp. 93-96.
Crosby, A. (2020). Eveline’s Lack of Love: An Analysis of “Eveline”.
Dahal, K. (2020). Female Positioning in James Joyce’s Short Stories “Clay”, “Eveline” and “Araby” (Doctoral dissertation).