Test: Father to Son- 1 - Class 11 MCQ

The poem father to son by Elizabeth Jennings sheds light on the troubled relationship of a father with his son.

Correct answer is B. The son is grown up when his father rants about his agony.

The father’s helplessness is brought about by the existing circumstances. Usually a father is the best friend and advisor of the son. However, there is no bond of affinity or relationship between the two. It seems that the two are not on speaking terms even while living under the same roof. The father feels helpless that he can’t share what his son loves.

The poem depicts a father-son relationship which exists in name only. The two have been living together in the same house for years. Even then the father does not understand his son. He confesses that he knows nothing of his son. The bond of affection between them lie broken. They have become formal just like strangers. Although the son resembles his father physically, yet he had his own vision, dreams and aspiration. He is not home bound and is not afraid to venture forth. The protective father is willing to forgive him for incurring loss of material wealth provided he returns home. The painful experience of lack of communication fills the father with utter helplessness, anger and grief. His efforts to restore the relationship fail as there is no response from the other side.

The father’s helplessness is brought about by the existing circumstances. Usually a father is the best friend and advisor of the son. However, there is no bond of affinity or relationship between the two. It seems that the two are not on speaking terms even while living under the same roof. The father feels helpless that he can’t share what his son loves.

There is silence between them. As a child, he was a prodigal son and now his father wanted him to return to his house, the one he knew. He didn't want his son to move around and make his own world. He was ready to forgive him and let go of the sorrows he had inside because of him, because of the distance between them.

The father wants his son return to the home that he has left. The father is willing to forgive his son and restart their relationship. The father wants that his prodigal son may return to his home and start living under the same roof with him. He doesn't want that he should create and live in a world of his own.

The father feels helpless as he has no dialogue with his son. They don't understand each other and they are living like strangers to each other in spite of their living under the same roof for years. Their outlook and temperament are so different that they remain separated from each other.

The son admits that he is at a point where he is struggling to understand even himself. He does feel the grief of the broken relationship he shares his father and yet, there is an anger that arises out of his confused, fraught inner self. The son seems to be in the same confused, sad and yet, angry phase of growth.

In the lines 'The seed I spent or sown it where', and 'Silence surrounds us' the poetic device used is alliteration. In expression 'We speak like strangers' the poetic device used is 'simile'.