Summary of Father to Son
Father to Son is a poem written by British poet Elizabeth Jennings. The poem describes the strained relationship between a father and his son. The father knows that his son shares his blood. Yet, there seems to be a great deal of misunderstanding between the two. Communication is flawed, and the son feels like a stranger to his father. The father is desperate to establish a healthy relationship between the two. He wants to eliminate all his negative thoughts and attitude towards his son. He would like to see his son living close to him rather than move ahead to create his own future. Despite all his positive resolve, the father cannot control the random anger in certain situations that arises from the grief he has encountered throughout the years. Students can read the summary below to understand the chapter in full detail. They also visit CBSE Summary and CBSE Notes for summaries of other chapters and learning materials on the CBSE Class 11 English syllabus.
CBSE Class 11 English Father to Son Summary
The father describes his relationship with his son in the first stanza. He says that although he has lived for so many years in the same house with his son, he is not able to understand the latter now that he is grown up. The father tries to build up a good relationship with his son. His approach is similar to how he used to communicate with his son during his childhood. Though we see a sense of despair from the father’s end to reach out to his son, we also perceive a lack of a suitable communication strategy to appeal to the latter’s attention.
The father also doubts the upbringing of his son. He fears that he might have done something to sabotage the relationship with his son. The thread of communication might have broken due to his untoward behaviour with his son. The word ‘land’ is used to represent the two different worlds father and son are inhabiting. It is a metaphorical expression of how alien and strange the son appears to his father. The father confesses that their conversations have no mutual understanding, and they talk like strangers. His son shares his blood and genetic features by birth, but the father cannot still figure out the former’s likes and dislikes.
The poem depicts the feelings of hopelessness and anguish the father feels. His voice has a tone of eagerness – which stems from sorrow and fear. The fear that he might never be able to know his son again. The father’s desperation to bond with his son is such that he would rather see his prodigal son return home than see him create a future of his own somewhere else. He does not want to be estranged from his son. The father resolves to reform his behaviour towards his son. He decides to forgive him and forget all differences between them. The father plans to shower love on his son – love that arises out of the sorrow the former has experienced.
The father understands that he and his son have to live in the same world and place. The problem arises when there is a clash of temperaments between the two. The father does not understand why he experiences anger while talking to his son. This anger results from his grievous experience with his son. The relationship between the father and son seems unresolvable. Forgiveness seems to be a long way for both. Father and son both expect each to forgive the other, but no one seems to take the first step.
Conclusion of Father to Son
Father to Son Summary shows us how parents strive continuously to improve relationships with their children. There is a sense of agony and hopelessness in the father’s voice as he confesses his insecurities about his relationship with his son. He wants to understand his son as a person but does not know where or how to start. The equation has become so stagnant that even if there is hope to revive the relationship, both seem stuck in a place of inner resistance. The father and son are both reluctant to take the first step towards a new and healthy relationship.
A detailed understanding of the poem can help students critically analyse and appreciate it. Students can refer to our website for further information and content related to the Class 11 English subject for better understanding and preparation for CBSE board exams. They can also access topics like grammar and writing in English.
