Practical criticism of Daddy by Sylvia Plath Essay Example

portrayal of him as the Atlantic Ocean- "where it pours bean green over blue"- suggests her inability to symbolize or categorize him properly due to the profound impact he had on her. The sea's symbolism of constant movement, change, and the washing away of true reality contributes to this perception. Additionally, the use of "Nauset", which is similar to "nauseous", seems to convey her acute mental distress and confusion.

In the third line, she prayed for your recovery, which starkly contradicts her desire to kill you and reflects the conflicting emotions that she experiences. She then employs graphic imagery to depict herself as the Polish people who were "scraped flat by the roller" under German occupation. This comparison implies that, like the German soldiers, you have failed to grasp the full impact of your actions and the profound effect they have had on those around you, particularly since your father is also German.

To Germans, the town is ordinary, and to Sylvia, her father's refusal to acknowledge her is akin to refusing to pass down a part of himself. When she was young, he avoided contact with her because he feared passing on his non-contagious affliction. However, in doing so, he also withheld from her his knowledge, heritage, and understanding while simultaneously denying her the chance to share hers. Sylvia describes this communication breakdown as "the tongue stuck in my jaw," and bemoans the fact that she cannot even be sure where she came from or where she might step next.

The subsequent pictures display her recurring disappointment in her inability to communicate with her father. The sentence "Ich, ich, ich, ich" is a slow and harsh sound,

resembling onomatopoeia, depicting her forceful attempts to express herself. In German, the phrase means "I," and "I I I I" or "me me me me" represents her plea for affection. Surprisingly, in "I thought every German was you," she could imply that she viewed every male figure as her father because of his minimal impact on her life. Her flawed comprehension of love prompts her to find "the language obscene" as it lacks any demonstration of empathy or affection. Furthermore, in the ensuing stanza, she draws a parallel between Germans and the horrifying visuals of Jews confined in concentration camps.

Attempting to convey the pain caused by her partner, she is pushing boundaries with her choice of imagery. The repeated mention of different concentration camps creates a chilling and emotionless tone, while the phrase "chuffing me off like a Jew" highlights the complete estrangement between the two individuals. This theme of disconnection continues in "With my gypsy ancestress and my weird luck and my Taroc pack," where the protagonist's confusion stemming from her lack of history worsens her prospects for the future, relying only on fleeting chances such as tarot packs.