Photograph of my Father

In Raymond Carver's photography of my father, we see a son looking at his father, and basically describing his father's body language and how it relates to their past relationship. In the first stanza he describes his father's overall look and how his father seems insecure and embarrassed. Carver uses the word "embarrassed"(line 2)and then in the next line uses "sheepish"(line 3), to show how his father was bashful and may have done something wrong to either Carver or his family.

In the second stanza, Carver begins by describing how his father is leaning on a car.Carver shows the reader how he doesn't like the way his father presents himself. His father shows lack of confidence and vulnerability in the picture. Carver seems to be quite disappointed at his father. Carver then goes on to say, "He would like to pose bluff and hearty for his posterity". (line 8) Carver seems here to defiantly show his anger, and wants his father to show his more confident, successful side. However Carver could be reflecting upon his own life. Maybe Carver is the one who lacks success and confidence and sees more of himself in the picture than he wants to. The last line of the second stanza says,"All his life my father wanted to be bold",(line 10) here it seems his father constantly tried to do something with his life but for some reason failed miserably. Once again Carver could be talking about himself and how he wants to lead a more bold, fulfilling life. Overall the second stanza shows the reader Carver's utter disappointment in his father, and this could be from the fact that he sees himself acting more and more like his father.

Even when Carver shows this regret and dislike in his father's attitude, we see in the third stanza Carver's more mellow side towards his father. Carver begins to show love and gratitude towards his father. For example when Carver says, "But the eyes give him away"(line 11), the reader sees a more innocent, loving and caring side of Carver. He sees the love his father gave him, and the effort his dad gave. His father's eyes are his heart, and his passion for his family. In the last stanza, Carver goes on to say,"Father, I love you, yet how can I say thank you, I who can't hold my liquor either".(line 14) Finally Carver sees that even his father a role model to him, is a human. His father may have made mistakes that could have hurt Carver, and his dad feels embarrassed. His father is human just like everyone else, things happen and you have to deal with them. Carver realizes he himself, "can't hold liquor either"(line 14), and seems content with his father and himself.