Father-son Relationships in Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden

As people grow older and get more mature, their views are changed through life's experience. People reflect back on their lives, especially childhood memories, to shape who they are today, or learn from them to become a better version of themselves. The boy, now a man, reflects back on his apathy attitude to his father and now sees it as his unconditional form of love and appreciation.

Parents go through obstacles to make sure their child remains satisfied. “Sundays” imply a bigger meaning than just the day the father would get up to begin his work. Sunday signifies as a religious day for Christians to get up and worship God and their savior, Jesus Christ. Instead of using that Sunday to rest and worship God, the father would work tirelessly for his family. The use of “Sunday” relates with how it was Jesus Christs obligation and duty to die on the cross to save his “children”. Just like him, the father has his own obligations, or “cross to hold”. He has to work and suffer through the toughest weathers to provide to uncaring children who don't realize that it was his form of love and sacrifice of his rest, until it was too late. Furthermore, the first line where the son introduces the father provides a hint at how he sees his father. The use of “father” rather than “dad”, “daddy”, or “papa”, which is the more formal way, demonstrates the lack of affection in their relationship. He may even see his father as more of an authoritative figure instead of a caring dad he tries to be. The little boy didn't appreciate all his dad would do for him, even when he would get up on Sundays to put in enormous amounts of effortful work or polish his shoes. Lastly, the use of “office isn't literal. The word “office” implies dedication of work or service to something. The image of “offices” portrays as the fathers life revolving around his son. It also has religious associations with it that tie back to the scarfies the father makes for his son. The father does everything he can to make sure his son’s needs are met. The child's blind to all the services the father has done and focuses on himself.

Getting older and wiser, people look back and may regret some of the actions or attitudes they gave to their parents. Now understanding that it was love and careness all along, the boy, now a man, feels apologetic about his past treatment towards his father. The father was almost like a servant to him, making sure their house stays warm and goes as far as to polish his son’s shoes for him. The repetition of the use “what did i know, what did i know” emphasizes the confessions of sadness the son must now feel. The son was unaware of everything his father did for him. The son never had to do half of what his father did to see his father's point of view. It was almost impossible for him to understand the parental love the father had with him when he confesses that it was “love's austere...”, until he grew up and may have become a father himself.

The unfortunate fact is that sometimes children don't see parents love as love, rather more as “meanness”. They are unable to let it sink in and become more and more selfish, when actually, all the parent wants is to make sure the child stays protected and makes the best decisions for them, even if the child disagrees. Instead of taking the time to appreciate their parents and thank them, children use them to their advantage and don't see the loads of work parents do to keep a roof over their head or food on the table, until it's too late.