Page 2: Reflection and Acceptance
The second page of the Walking Away poem analysis delves deeper into the father's perspective on letting go in the parent-child relationship. Day-Lewis continues to use natural imagery to describe his son's departure, comparing him to water and air, emphasizing the boy's uncertainty and fluidity as he moves away from his father's influence.
The poet acknowledges that this separation, while painful, is part of nature's "give-and-take." He reflects on the "small, the scorching / Ordeals which fire one's irresolute clay," suggesting that these challenging experiences are necessary for shaping and strengthening his son's character.
Definition: Irresolute - Uncertain or hesitant; not firmly determined.
Day-Lewis admits that while he has experienced more significant partings, this particular moment continues to affect him deeply. He suggests that this separation represents a fundamental truth about human development and love.
Example: The poem uses the metaphor of clay being fired to represent how challenging experiences shape and strengthen individuals, much like how heat transforms soft clay into durable pottery.
The poem concludes with a profound realization about the nature of love and identity:
Quote: "How selfhood begins with a walking away, / And love is proved in the letting go."
This powerful statement encapsulates the central theme of the poem: that true love involves allowing the loved one to develop their own identity, even if it means watching them walk away.
Highlight: The poem's final lines introduce religious imagery, comparing the father's act of letting go to God's love for humanity, elevating the personal experience to a universal truth about love and sacrifice.
