walking away

Question 1

description of the poem

Answer 1

a father remembers his son play his first game of football, possibly on his first day at school.The father feels worried about his son as he watched him walk uncertainly away from him.
The memory of that day still deeply affects the father eighteen years later. However , he comes to an understanding that this is a natural process that all children and parents must go through– every child has to experience the diffuclt process of gaining indepence and every parent has to let go

Question 2

structure

Answer 2

in the first two stanzas the narrator talks about the memory. in the final two stanzas, he reflects on how the memory still pains him. The final two lines of the poem form a sort of conclusion and he understands that whilst it was a painful event, it was necessary part of his sons development

Question 3

natural imagery

Answer 3

“like a winged seed losenned from its parent stem.”
is used to show the fathers understanding that his son walking away from him is natural, but also that he remains concerned about him

Question 4

language about pain

Answer 4

verbs such as “ wrenched”, “scorching”,and”gnaws” show how the process is traumatic for the father as well as difficult for the son.

Question 5

loss

Answer 5

theres a feeling of loss and sadness throughout the poem, also the undertsanding that “walking away” is a natural part of growing up

Question 6

reflection

Answer 6

the seperation was necessary for both of them