Answer. This confusion pairs well with the odd inquiries posed by the “son,” as well as the odd responses of the “father,” and the mixture of bizarre proves to be a perfect … You Are Old, Father William by Lewis Carroll is a poem that is structured as a dialogue between a “father” and “his son,” though the details given for the pair vary and cause confusion in regard to who is involved in this exchange. "You are old, father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head — Do you think, at your age, it is right?" Carroll is known for funny poems with meaningful messages. Did Lewis Carroll have AIWS (Alice in Wonderland Syndrome, also known as Todd's Syndrome)?I'm... Was Lewis Carroll a drunk?I'm researching him for an author project. You Are Old Father William poem by Lewis Carroll. And second, what is wrong in Wonderland that youths are so serious and elders so silly? starTop subjects are History, Social Sciences, and Literature. "And yet you incessantly stand your head". Do you think at your age, it is right". If read as it is, the youth seems to be the practical one, while Father William is somewhat ridiculous. I would suggest that the theme of the poem is one which speaks to the age (or generation) gap which exists between the youth and Father William (his father). "In my youth," Father William replied to his son, "I feared it might injure the brain; But, now that I'm perfectly sure I have none, Why, I do it again and again." The Caterpillar asks her to repeat "You Are Old, Father William", and she recites. The poet of the poem "You are Old, Father William", Lewis Carrol takes generation gap as the theme. How is Lewis Carroll's christian life reflected in his works through symbols and themes? Start your 48-hour free trial and unlock all the summaries, Q&A, and analyses you need to get better grades now. Carroll does an excellent job of, No pun intended, standing poetry on its head! Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team. Much of the humor of this poem derives from the fact that it is a parody of a more serious, conventional, and predictable poem by the poet Robert Southey titled "The Old Man's Comforts and How He Gained Them" (see below). Alice informs the Caterpillar that she has previously tried to repeat "How Doth the Little Busy Bee" and has had it all come wrong as "How Doth the Little Crocodile". "You Are Old, Father William" is a poem by Lewis Carroll that appears in his 1865 book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The comedy (and the irony) is that we know that Carroll, and any adult reading it can see that the opposite is true. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. You are old father William the young man saidAnd your hair has become very whiteAnd yet you incessantly stand on your head . He brings this theme for our focus sarcastically through the dialogue between old man and young man who represent older generation and younger generation. He uses what would have been a conventional style (modelled after the poem above) but the words are the opposite of what we expect. "You are old, father William," the young man cried,"And pleasures with youth pass away.And yet you lament not the days that are gone;Now tell me the reason, I pray." What is happening in Wonderland that her recitations come out strangely? "In my youth," father William replied to his son, "I feared it would injure the brain; But now that I'm perfectly sure I have none, Why, I … It is surely a satire and meant to be found humorous. First, she says that the words "aren't quite right". © 2020 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Carroll, Lewis (Nineteenth-Century Literary Criticism). Lewis Carroll You Are Old Father William: one of many verses from an anthology of much-loved poems from the English-speaking world that includes important work from major poets, memorable lines, sources for study guides and poetry for every occasion and mood - verse that can inspire you and rhymes that you remember from your childhood. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Page Certainly the poem is also used to created the sense of upside-down world that Alice is experiencing. I'd say one theme of this one is that children rarely really understand the adults in their lives, and what they have been through. Carroll is having fun with Southey's poem by turning it on its head (no pun intended): The theme comes from humor, and satire. It is recited by Alice in Chapter 5, "Advice from a Caterpillar" (Chapter 3 in the original manuscript). starTop subjects are Literature, History, and Social Sciences. "You are old, Father William," the young man said, "And your hair has become very white; And yet you incessantly stand on your head— Do you think, at your age age, it is right?" starTop subjects are Literature, Social Sciences, and History.

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