Julie Tagg| Think and Write for CSEC English

Note that this response/essay will help with any theme question that relates to childhood experiences, parental role and parental love, family relationships, and love. It will also help with answering questions on literary devices (allusion, emotive words and narrator voice)

Mervyn Morris’s poem “Little Boy Crying” delves into the intricate relationship between a father and his son. The poem revolves around two main themes: a father’s love for his child and his efforts to guide his child towards the right path in life. Morris uses second-person narration and employs literary techniques like allusion and emotive words to explore the parent-child relationship in depth.

The first stanza of the poem presents a vivid image of a boy who is initially carefree but becomes tensed and emotional when his father punishes him. The phrase “Your laughter metamorphosed into howls” captures the sudden change in the boy’s mood due to his father’s scolding. The father’s strict discipline leads him to slap the boy, causing him to cry. However, the father’s actions stem from his love for his son and his desire to guide him towards the right path in life. The father’s understanding of his son’s emotions is apparent through the line “You stand there angling for a moment, a hint of guilt or sorrow for the quick slap struck.”

In the second stanza, the poet presents the boy’s perspective, which is a stark contrast to the first stanza. The boy imagines his father as a heartless and cruel giant who exercises his power over the little boy. The imagery of the “grim giant, empty of feeling, a colossal cruel” highlights the boy’s hatred for his father. The boy imagines himself as Jack from the fairy tale “Jack and the Beanstalk,” cutting down the beanstalk before the giant ogre, a metaphor for his strict father, comes down. The boy’s imagination provides insight into his emotional state and his desire for retribution.

The final stanza of the poem once again emphasizes the father’s love towards his son. The line “This fierce man longs to lift you, curb your sadness with piggyback or bullfight, anything/ hidden behind that mask” portrays the father’s softer side, despite his strictness. The father’s priority is to guide his son towards the right path, which is why he disciplines him. The line “But dare not ruin the lesson you should learn” underscores the father’s intention to instill good values in his son. The last line “You must not make a plaything in the rain” provides the father’s valuable lesson that the boy should learn to avoid making mistakes in life.

Overall, the poem “Little Boy Crying” provides an insightful commentary on the intricacies of the parent-child relationship. Morris’s use of various literary techniques provides a deep understanding of the emotions and motivations of both the father and the son. The poem’s crucial message is that parents love their children and will do everything in their power to guide them towards the right path, even if it means disciplining them.