Walking Away

• What is the main theme of the poem "Walking Away"?

  Father-son relationship and separation
• How does the father reflect on his son's childhood?

  He feels regret about their separation
• How long ago does the father remember his son's first football game?

  Eighteen years ago
• What natural imagery does the father use to describe his son growing up?

  He compares him to various natural elements
• What does the father's regret about boarding school suggest about their relationship?

  It indicates a sense of distance and loss
• What is the significance of the poem's subtitle "For Sean"?

  • Indicates a personal connection
  • Suggests semi-autobiographical elements
  • Reflects the father's direct address to his son
• Who was Cecil Day-Lewis's mother?

  She died when he was young
• What role did Day-Lewis have during his lifetime?

  He was a Poet Laureate
• At what age did Sean Day-Lewis go to boarding school?

  Seven years old
• How does the poem "Walking Away" differ from other familial poems in the anthology?

  It is from the father's perspective
• What are the key themes in "Walking Away"?

  • Independence
  • Aging
  • Reflection
  • Childhood
  • Memory
• What does the title "Walking Away" suggest about the poem's content?

  It implies a theme of separation
• How does the use of the verb 'walking' affect the poem's interpretation?

  It emphasizes ongoing change and distance
• What does the contrast between 'wrenched' and 'drifting' signify?

  Father's reluctance versus son's readiness
• What does the phrase 'half-fledged' imply about the son?

  He is not fully ready for independence
• How does the poem portray the institution of school?

  As a surrogate parent for the child
• What does the use of natural imagery convey in the poem?

  It highlights the uncontrollable nature of growth
• What does the term 'pathos' refer to in the context of the poem?

  Evoking pity for the son's vulnerability
• How does the poem conclude regarding the father's feelings about separation?

  It acknowledges love changes but doesn't disappear
• What perspective is "Walking Away" written from?

  • First-person narrative
  • Father's viewpoint
  • Reflects on son's childhood
• What does the phrase "gnaws at my mind" suggest about the father's feelings?

  It indicates deep, lingering sadness
• How does the poem's structure contribute to its themes?

  ABABCA rhyme scheme enhances reflection
• What does the final stanza imply about the father's acceptance of change?

  He acknowledges it as an inevitable part of life
• Who is the author of the poem "Walking Away"?

  Cecil Day-Lewis
• What is the subtitle of the original poem "Walking Away"?

  For Sean
• Why does the father in "Walking Away" reflect on his son's childhood?

  Because his son has left home and their relationship has changed
• At what age did Sean Day-Lewis go to boarding school?

  Seven
• What does the father compare his son to in the poem "Walking Away"?

  A satellite wrenched from its orbit
• What is the rhyming scheme of the poem "Walking Away"?


  ABABCA
• What does the use of natural imagery in "Walking Away" suggest about the son's growth?

  It is a natural process of growing up and gaining independence
• What is the main theme of the poem "Walking Away"?

  Independence and reflection
• Why does the father feel powerless in the poem "Walking Away"?

  Because he cannot control his son's growing independence
• What does the word "pathos" mean in the context of the poem "Walking Away"?

  Evoking pity or sadness
• What does the father mean by "love is proved in the letting go" in "Walking Away"?

  True love is shown by allowing independence
• What is the tone of the poem "Walking Away"?

  Reflective and regretful
• How does the father describe his son's walking in "Walking Away"?

  Hesitant and eddying away
• What does the father compare his son to when he says "like a winged seed loosened from its parent stem"?

  A seed ready to grow independently
• What does the father's use of the word "gnaws" suggest about his feelings in "Walking Away"?

  His sadness is persistent and uncontrollable
• What is the significance of the title "Walking Away"?

  It emphasizes the theme of separation and independence
• Why does the father refer to his son as a "half-fledged thing set free" in "Walking Away"?

  He feels his son is not fully ready for independence