‘My Parents’ by Stephen Spender

Themes:-
● Bullying
● Wish for freedom
● Parents’ love
● Gap between social classes
● Jealousy
● Resentment
● Childhood Experience
Literary Devices:-
1. Simile- ‘Who threw words like stones’- The words used are compared to
stones. This refers to insults which were yelled at the boy and much like
stones which are thrown at people, they also injured the boy’s feelings.
‘Sprang out behind the hedges like dogs to bark at my world’- The action of
springing can be compared to a dog’s movements when they are ready to
pounce on someone.Moreover, it can be said that the boys waited for the boy
to come out and then jumped out in order to begin teasing and mocking him.
‘I feared more than tigers their muscles like iron’- The muscles of the boys
are compared to iron which is a very strong metal, thereby suggesting that
the boys were very strong or that they had a lot of physical strength.
2. Metaphor- ‘I feared the salt coarse pointing’- The pointing of the boys can
be compared to salt being placed on an open wound. Salt burns, especially
when placed on an open wound or bruise, suggesting that the boys’ pointing
and jeering burned the boy even more.
3. Hyperbole-‘I feared more than tigers their muscles like iron’- This
exaggeration on the boy’s part shows just how much fear he holds for the
other boys.
4. Contrast- We can see the contrast shown between children of different
classes. Those of a lower class wore ripped clothing and were brave and
strong, but those in the upper class wore nice clothing but were easily scared
and very weak.
● The tone of this poem is a wistful and reflective one, reflecting back on
childhood experiences. The mood is a sympathetic one.