Jane K. Marshall
The two poems at hand were chosen because they both consider the generation gap or the necessary distance between parent and child due to differences in age and life experiences. Though their subject is the same, their themes emerge differently. They are two works which are antithetic to one another, for they are expressed through varying points of view, tones, and rhythmic structures. One understands each better for having read the other.
“Grandpa Schuler”
This poem of two stanzas underscores “life passages” by gently revealing the inability of a grandfather to see what he once was as reflected in the personality of his grandson. The poem captures the exuberance of youth in its recreation of what might have been the grandfather’s past exclamation: “The whole land of Germany wasn’t wide enough!” The grandson echoes this sentiment: “(I want) to go where the land is new!” Instead of rekindling a spirit of adventure in the grandfather, such a sentiment causes the grandfather to wonder “What are young fools coming to?”
In one sense the poem is gently satiric. A few words sum up the grandfather’s present situation: “He has a sleek farm . . . ” ” He is patriarchal with his sons and daughters everywhere.” The poem seeks to point out that it is easy to forget the exuberant spirit of youth after one has lived through it and built upon it. Though the grandfather subtly admits that he was once a “fool,” he has difficulty in understanding his grandson’s motivation for adventure or the conquering of new worlds. After all, the societal implications of life in Prussian Germany versus life in the “new world” are quite different. The poem underscores the difficulty of communication between generations, for it enables us to see that perspectives on life change with the accumulation of life experiences. We also note that generations inevitably grow up in different worlds, for societal implications or pressures are ever-changing. Thus the youth of one generation is by necessity somewhat different from another. Yet, the characteristics of youth (exuberance) and old age (reflection) remain. What is endearing about this poem is its portrait of a sound family ever capable of producing confident youth with “shining eyes.” The generation gap is seen with humor and under standing in part because of the poem’s omniscient point of view.
“Sestina of Youth and Age”
In contrast to “Grandpa Schuler,” this poem is created out of the complex structure of the sestina which complements its more complex theme, its sadder tone. The relationship between a father and son is sketched out by the son himself in a tribute to his deceased father. This is a poignant poem which seriously addresses the generation gap: “Youth sees wide chasms between itself and Age—How could I think he, too, had lived my life?”, and attests to the possibility of closure of the gap with the inevitable maturing of the young. Yet, the tone is somber for, in this case, the son lost his father before maturation could take place. (“Had I but known that he could feel and care!”) The poem also reveals the difficulties of age, and the (unspecified) pain the father endured. (“Free . . . from that old Care, The hard relentless torturer of his age, that cooled his youth . . . ”) The son, too, “must fight with Care,” and will do so understanding all meanings of that word (as expressed in the poem) for his father’s legacy is a view of life which acknowledges
Care
(trouble)
carefull
y and
caringly
.
The poem, above all, expresses the love of a father for his son, and a son’s resultant maturation and reciprocal ability to love and care: “He prayed more earnestly to win my hopes/ Than ever for his own . . . ”
Questions
Level I (Structural Analysis/Literary Devices)
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1. What is the tone of each work? How do you know? What words tell you?
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2. How is tone connected to the point of view used by each poet?
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3. Which of the poems is more complex in structure? How is structure connected to theme?
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4. Which poem is better?
Level II (Questions for Broader Discussion)
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1. Think of movies and television shows which use the generation gap as a source for comedy . . . for tragedy.
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(Discuss.) Is the generation gap inevitable? When is it positive? When is it negative?
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2. How much of the generation gap is due to varying ages of the parties involved? How much is due to personality differences? . . . societal changes? (Discuss.)
Project
Role-playing of generation gap situation. Participants reverse roles. Afterwards discuss the experience of role-reversal.
