Comparative Analysis of My Papa's Waltz and Fiesta 1980

Introduction

Parents are among the most important individuals in the lives of young children. From birth, children are learning and depending on mothers and fathers to protect and care for them. Turning into a parent is generally a welcomed event; however, now and again, parents' lives are laden with issues and uncertainty regarding their capacity to guarantee their child’s prosperity. Moreover, some parents aren’t made for parenting and, in turn, mistreat the child. 'Fiesta 1980' by Junot Diaz and 'My Papa's Waltz' by Theodore Roethke are comparative since they both talk about the oppressive connection between a dad and a child. On the other hand, the works contrast on the grounds that in 'Fiesta 1980', the dad's actions create a feeling of detest in the child towards the dad, while in 'My Papa's Waltz', the child still holds some affection for his dad despite the maltreatment. The story 'Fiesta 1980' by Junot Diaz is the story of a man who is having an unsanctioned romance and hauls his children into it. Yunior, the youngest child, seems to be the most influenced by this. He has seen his dad on different occasions with a Puerto Rican woman and is faced with the conflict of whether to tell his mom about it or remain quiet. He doesn’t want to see his father angry and watch his family fall apart; however, he also doesn't like what his mom is being put through. His dad is abusing him mentally by placing him in such a powerless situation.

Comparing My Papa’s Waltz and Fiesta 1980

The poem 'My Papa's Waltz' by Theodore Roethke is about a drunk father and a son who every night dance to bed. The speaker of this poem is a man recalling his adolescence through the means of a waltz. The waltz in the poem is causing pain to the child, as mentioned in the poem, “my right ear scraped a buckle” (Roethke, line 12). They are dancing roughly due to his father’s intoxication and clumsiness. The son realizes all that is going on but still, he continues to cling to his father’s shirt, symbolizing the hope he has in his father. This clinging is not only a physical gesture but an emotional tether, representing the child's yearning for a connection despite the circumstances. Furthermore, 'Fiesta 1980' and 'My Papa's Waltz' are similar in the relationships between a father and a son. The two works revolve around traumatizing and abusive events influencing the kids. In 'Fiesta 1980', the youngest child Yunior is mentally manhandled by his dad when he is taken to the place of the mistress and forced to sit outside and wait for his dad to complete his filthy activities. As referenced in the story, “The two of them went upstairs and I was too scared of what was happening to poke around. I just sat there ashamed, expecting something big and fiery crash down on our heads” (Diaz). The father is selfish and doesn’t care much for his family. The father emotionally blackmails Yunior. Yunior, to not hurt his mom and make his dad angry, stays quiet. The child in “My Papa’s Waltz” is also being abused. When the father and son waltz, the boy is affected by the whiskey on his father’s breath, “The whiskey on your breath/could make a small boy dizzy” (Roethke lines 1-2). Not only is he getting dizzy, but also, later on, he is getting hit with his father’s belt, which scrapes his ear.

Contrasting Outcomes

However, the two stories are different in the results. In 'Fiesta 1980', the child winds up having practically zero love for his dad. The dad is a cheater, and Yunior can't stand it. Each time Yunior gets in the van, he feels like hurling due to the repugnance he has towards his dad. He can't hold it in any longer, as referenced in the story, 'Finally I said, Mami, and they both looked back, already knowing what was happening' (Diaz). The two parents realized what was going to leave Yunior's mouth. In contrast, the child from 'My Papa's Waltz' still has affection for his dad even after all the maltreatment. As referenced in the poem, 'then waltzed me off to bed still clinging to your shirt' (Roethke 15-16). In spite of all he was put through, he stayed holding his dad until the end. Regardless of how unpleasant the dance was or the number of scratches he got, he never lost his affection for him. The story “Fiesta 1980” by Junot Diaz associates with the subject of the parent-child relationship since this sort of issue happens regularly today. Many children are set between picking which parent to agree with because the other has done the wrong thing, for example, taking part in extramarital entanglements as Yunior's father does throughout the story. These narratives underscore the complexities and emotional turmoil that come with abusive familial relationships, highlighting the difficult choices children must sometimes make.

Conclusion

Taking everything into account, the coming of age in “Fiesta 1980” and 'My Papa's Waltz' shows a parent-child relationship where kids are abused and put in predicaments. This causes clashes in both the child's emotional well-being and their association with their parents. The stories serve as a poignant reminder of the lasting impact that parental actions can have on a child's psyche, and the resilience some children show in the face of adversity.

References

• Diaz, J. (1996). Drown. Riverhead Books.
• Roethke, T. (1942). My Papa's Waltz. In The Collected Poems of Theodore Roethke. Doubleday.