Father to Son

 

            CENTRAL IDEA

The poem 'Father to Son' is written by Elizabeth Jennings. 

It is about the pain of a father.His son has grown up and is now busy in his own life. 

The father feels very sad because there is a generation gap between them. 

They live in the same house but they are like strangers. 

The father says he doesn't know anything about his son's life and there is no understanding between them.

The father wants that his relationship with his son should become like before - when his son was a small child and they were very close. 

He is trying his best to fix the relationship, but he is failing. 

Day by day they are going away from each other.

SUMMARY

The poem is about a father's pain. He is upset about his broken relationship with his grown-up son.He says that even though they have lived together in the same house for many years, he does not understand his son at all. He knows nothing about him. He tried to build the same love that was there when his son was a small child, but he failed.He further says that even if his son looks like him, he does not know what his son loves or likes. They talk like two strangers. There is a communication gap. There is only silence in the house.His son lives in a different world which the father cannot enter because of the generation gap. Still, the father is ready to forgive his son. He wants his son to come back home, to the home he always knew. He does not want his son to wander alone in the world. He just wants to love him.In the end, the father feels that the son is also sad about this distance. The son is also angry and confused. Both father and son put their hands forward for forgiveness, but no one holds the other's hand. Both want to forgive each other, but they cannot find a solution.Main Message: The poem shows that lack of communication can break even a blood relationship, and we should try to talk and forgive before it is too late.

Stanza 1

I do not understand this child /

 Though we have lived together now /

 In the same house for years. I know /

 Nothing of him...

 Explanation: Father is very sad. He says, me and my son live in the same house for many years, but still I don't understand him. I know nothing about him - what he likes, what he thinks. I am trying to build our relation again from the time when he was small and close to me.

Q1. Who has lived in the same house? How long?

Ans. Father and his son have lived together in the same house for many years.Q2. Why father says he knows nothing of him?

Ans. Because they live like strangers. There is only silence between them. Father knows nothing about his son's likes and dislikes.Stanza 2The seed I spent or sown it where / The land is his and none of mine? / We speak like strangers...Easy Explanation: Father is confused. He says, I worked so hard to grow my son (seed means his effort). But did I plant my seed on a land which is not mine? It means his son's mind is totally different. We talk like two unknown people. There is no understanding between us. My son looks like me, but I cannot share what he loves.Q1. What does 'seed' mean?

Ans. Seed means father's hard work and love to raise his son.Q2. What is 'land'?

Ans. Land means son's mind and heart. Father tried to put his thoughts there, but now that land belongs only to son.Q3. Why do they speak like strangers?

Ans. Because their thoughts are different and there is a generation gap.

Stanza 3Silence surrounds us. I would have / Him prodigal, returning to / His father's house...

 Explanation: There is full silence between father and son. Father says, I would be happy if my son who left home (like a prodigal son who spends money freely) comes back to my house - the house where he grew up. I don't want him to make a new world alone outside. I am ready to forgive him. I want to change my sadness into a new love for him.Q1. What does 'Silence surrounds us' mean?

Ans. Father and son do not talk to each other at all.

Q2. What does father want his son to do?

Ans. He wants his son to return home to his father's house.

Q3. What is father ready to do?

Ans. He is ready to forgive his son and start a new love from his sorrow.

Stanza 4

Father and son, we both must live / On the same globe... / He speaks: I cannot understand / Myself, why anger grows from grief...

 Explanation: Father says, we both have to live on the same earth, in the same house. Then for the first time the son speaks. The son also says, I also don't understand myself. I am sad because we are far from each other, and from that sadness, anger comes.Both father and son put out their empty hands to each other - means both want forgiveness and love - but no one holds the hand. Both are empty-handed and longing to forgive.

Q1. What does 'empty hand' mean?

Ans. It means both father and son have got nothing from this distance. Both are lonely and want help.Q2. Why does anger grow from grief?

Ans. Because they are sad about the distance, and that sadness turns into anger.

Q3. What do both long for?

Ans. Both want a reason to forgive each other.Literary Devices in Easy Language:Simile: We speak like strangers - directly comparing with 'like'Alliteration: Silence surrounds us - 's' sound is repeatedMetaphor: The seed I spent... The land is his - comparing father’s effort to seed and son’s mind to land

NCERT Think It Out Answers - :

1. Is it personal or universal?

Ans. It is universal. Every family has generation gap. When child is small, father is busy. When father is old and free, son becomes busy. This happens in every house.

2. How is father's helplessness shown?

Ans. By lines like "I do not understand this child", "I know nothing of him", "Silence surrounds us". It shows he wants to fix relation but cannot.

3. Lines showing distance?

Ans. "We speak like strangers", "Silence surrounds us", "I know nothing of him", "We each put out an empty hand".

4. Rhyme scheme?

Ans. Yes, consistent rhyme scheme abbaba in each stanza.