Raymond Carvers poem Photograph of My Father In His 22nd Year Essay

The Theme of Raymond Carver's poem "Photograph of My Father In His 22nd Year" Growing up we all had expectations of who we should be imposed upon us by our parents. Whether or not we achieved those expectations upon reaching adulthood isn't really the final outcome. There is a greater lesson learned regardless of how we benefited from the imposition. And that realization is what truly shapes our final character. Raymond Carver entertains this topic in his poem, "Photograph of My Father in His Twenty-second Year." In this poem Carver provides us with a beautifully touching slice of life that is not only flawless in writing and technique, but that connects and emotionally evokes feelings that are universal in all readers. The poem begins by bluntly stating that the month is October. A young man is standing in a kitchen that he describes as "Here in this dank, unfamiliar kitchen" (1). Even though this is a very brief, vague description, the reader gets the feeling that the young man knows this kitchen very well, yet not like he once remembered it. The reader is to infer that the young man has come back to his childhood home for one reason or another and is standing in his old kitchen. He has been here many times, yet it feels alien to him. This concept is further elaborated further on in the poem. He is holding a photograph of his father when he was very young. He comments, "I study my father's embarrassed young man's face" (2). He describes his father in the picture as having a "sheepish grin" and holding "a string of spiny yellow perch" and a "bottle of Carlsbad beer" (3-5). This description helps to set the tone for the photograph, providing superficial surface details that erode to reve... ... end of the poem as if he is speaking to his father, attempting to let him know that even though he tried to be the man he thought he should be, and most likely imposed that attitude on his son, they were more alike than his father would ever understand. The great thing about Raymond Carver's poem is not the beautiful imagery, or imaginative writing, it's the connection the reader makes with the young man in the poem. We have all conflicting ideas with our parents regarding who we should be and what direction our lives should take, and Carver is able to condense all of the emotions associated with that struggle into fifteen lines. The poem is also able to teach a wonderful life lesson that all people from different walks of life can benefit from: to be truly understood, and to truly understand those around you, you must first be true to yourself.