To A Daughter Leaving Home Analysis

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In Linda Pastan's poem, "To a Daughter Leaving Home", the one lifetime event most parents dread is discussed. Which seems to be when a child finally decides that they have what it takes to make it on their own without their parents. From birth until maturation into young adults, parents have been there to nurture and protect us, so for all of their responsibilities to suddenly change in a matter of days must be nerve wracking. With that being said, I believe that any parent that was granted the opportunity to keep their children at home would take it because of their protective mentality.

Furthermore, this is so because they believe it is their obligation to take care and be there to protect that child for their whole life. This is not the case as it is seen in Pastan's poem. At a certain point in time the child wishes to be free and independent. And as a parent, you must realize that and allow them to do what it is that they want to do. This poem
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Just like it is when a child learns to ride a bicycle for the first time in their life. Even though the child is riding the bike well enough on their own, you would still try to keep up with them to be able to catch them in case they fall. Through Pastan's presentation of the poem you can see that a parent will anticipate their child's fall so that they can be ready to catch them. Just as how the parent in the poem is waiting for the daughter to fall. Its seems that once you assume the role of parent you will always feel obligated to protect the child that you raised all of your life. They feel that since they put so much of their time and effort into raising that child the right way that they must protect their investment. So they will just wait in the background for you to mess up, so that they can take you in under their protecting arm once