"To a Sad Daughter"

Paper Summary:

The paper shows that Ondaatje's techniques used in the poem, "To a Sad Daughter" are designed to reveal two very different points of view. The two perspectives are supported by the images of masks and forsythia which is a hedge. A number of the metaphors and similes fit while others have little meaning. However they result in a poignant and nostalgic tone. The paper shows that personification and especially assonance and alliteration are used to express the father emotions. The emotion of fear is just as important in this poem as that of love.

From the Paper:

""To a Sad Daughter" is a difficult poem since Ondaatje has used a number of images that contain multiple meanings. The theme of this poem is a father's love for his daughter and his desire to protect her from reality. He is the one who is obviously fearful of that reality. The poem contains many contradictions, with metaphors that do not seem appropriate, and it ends with what seems to be a major contradiction. Ondaatje's techniques are designed to reveal two very different points of view."

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