CT: Most Important Word or Phrase

“Our word choice is what gives a sentence its luster, and they deserve intense attention.” “Those Winter Sundays,” by Robert Hayden, is an insightful poem about the hardships of a parent and the unrecognizable love they have for their child(ren). The narrator constantly expresses his regret for being ignorant of the stress of his father and wishes they could have helped him. In “Those Winter Sundays,” written by Robert Hayden, the theme “Love and hardships are not always recognizable,” is developed through word choice, metaphors, and literary embodiments of the hard life of parents living in lower-class.

	In the poem, strong word choice is used to develop the theme “Love and Hardships may not always be clear to see.” Hayden says the words,“what did I know, what did I know/of love’s austere and lonely offices.” which is a strong example of word choice being used to represent the theme. The author compared love to an “austere and lonely office,” which shows how the author finally understands the loneliness and hardships one must go through to give someone love and affection. Who knows what that father truly went through? While everyone does go through similar instances, no one goes through the same hardships. This ultimately is the phrase that best portrays the developed theme simply because of how strong it emphasizes the authors regret for his past actions. To further prove this theme, the author also says that on Sundays too his father got up early. Sundays are observed as a day of religion and rest in most cultures. It is peculiar to be waking up at the break of dawn and working. Moreover, the author said not only on weekdays but Sundays as well, which strongly implies that this is a regular schedule for the father. Furthermore, the word choice used to describe the hands of the father also shows the hardships he may have to go through. It describes his hands as “cracked’ and “ached,” which implies that the father works long and hard hours trying to sustain himself and his son. Many people that are involved in the workforce that work long hours are usually seen in offices, working at desks and computers for hours on end. While this does not weather the hands of the employee, it does definitely tire them out. However, this father seems to be performing tasks that have a heavy toll on his physical well-being. In addition, the quote closes by the speaker saying how no one ever thanked his father. The tone of the poem does give off a regretful vibe. Considering the overall message and tone of the poem, and it could very well be that the author is claiming that no one had ever appreciated his father’s work. However, it is appropriate to believe that the author is conveying how he never thanked his father. That he should have been there to appreciate his work. This links the poem back to the regretful tone where the author felt like he had not appreciated his father enough. Lastly, the author finishes off with the phrase

In the poem, metaphors are used to create literary embodiments that furthermore help readers relate to the developing theme of the poem. Hayden uses relatable instances in order to create a sense of inclusiveness and reliability for the readers. In order to send out a clear message, readers must be able to understand what is being told. Many people in society have these types of relationships with their parents. Countless parents work nonstop without any gratitude coming from their children nor their other family members. Hayden often says how much he had regretted not being there for his father while he was working himself to the edge. He constantly refers to his deepest regrets being about him not being the best son he could have been. In desperate efforts to correct the behaviors of all children, to teach them to be what he could never be, he is sending out deep messages in the form of poems. I, for one, had struggled with being ungrateful towards my parents when I was younger. As everyone once was, I was young and dumb. I had no idea how much work my parents had done over the years. As I had taken everything for granted, my parents had just wanted me to be successful in life. Reading this poem has enlightened me on truly how many parents and children go through this very same instance. The quote “what did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices” has enlightened me in so many ways by showing how one does not truly understand the hardships of love until they themself witness it. Writing this poem is absolutely one of the best ways for Hayden to carry out his message.

In “Those Winter Sundays,” by Robert Hayden, the theme “Love and hardships are not always recognizable” is very prominent throughout the poem. It is shown through metaphors, word choice, and literary embodiments that help readers relate to empathizing with the author. As has been noted, Hayden has established a common theme in his poem that gives off a strong sense of compunctiousness and advises all readers to be grateful and appreciative of their parents. Many parents work long and hard hours in order to sustain their families, and it is definitely enough to harden them. It is solely up to their family to support them through their rough times. Word choice has time and time again added luster to sentences from writers worldwide and is something that needs to be recognized by all.