Daughter Leaving Home

Daughter Leaving Home
Meaning
Surface Meaning
Learning to ride a bike
Deeper Meaning
Getting Older and leaving the house
Evidence
Analysis
So in the first line "When I taught you at 8 to
ride a bicycle" and the last line "Like a
handkerchief waving goodbye" These two
lines are basically the start and finish of her
childhood, first learning to ride and at the
end being able to ride alone.
Imagery
When you read the line "Like a handkerchief
waving goodbye" you can picture two things 1.
Her actual hair flapping behind her like a
handkerchief waving goodbye" or 2. You can
look at in a different way and see This like she is
saying good bye and leaving her dad behind.
Structure
There isn't much white space so I guess the
author wanted it to be quite fast and upbeat.
Words Choice
"When you grew smaller, more breakable with
distance" The Author means that when you get
further away it will be easier to lose that person.
Personal Connection to theme
All of us will go through this stage in life some
earlier than others
Symbols
Bicycle
"I kept waiting for the
thud of your crash as I sprinted to catch up"
And finally when you learn all you need to
know you leave your parents behind and go
on and live your life "The hair flapping
behind you like a handkerchief saying
goodbye"
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