Analyzing Alden Nowlan's Poem 'Warren Pryor'

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DETERMINING FUTURES Parents should not determine their children's futures but instead let them be in charge of their own lives and pathways to help gain them independence, satisfaction and to learn important life lessons on the way. In the poem, ‘Warren Pryor’, Alden Nowlan says, "And he said nothing. Hard and serious like a young bear inside his teller's cage" (13/14). The author uses a simile comparing the young bear who is confined to his teller's cage and must obey his master, to Warren Pryor, who is confined to his parents’ goals and dreams and must obey them instead of following his heart independently. It also says that Warren never said anything ["And he said nothing" (13)] when it came to his future, meaning his parents had sacrificed a lot for him. This is a very big issue because it means Warren never got the chance to be independent and make his own decisions which will lead to a very difficult life…show more content…
This proves that kids should choose their own futures to gain independence and to learn to take care of themselves or else they will live lives with great difficulty. Satisfaction is another factor that helps prove that kids should choose their own futures. In Alden Nowlan's poem, ‘Warren Pryor’, it says, "His axe-hewn hands upon the paper bills aching with empty strength and throttled rage" (15/16). This line tells the readers that Warren felt that his rough hands weren't meant to handle paper bills but instead to work in the "stony fields" as he did before his parents whisked him away for the "academic life" they wanted for him. This left him unsatisfied with his life and angry towards his parents (for leaving him unsatisfied with his life) proving that parents determining their kids’ futures will cause unsatisfaction in the child's life as well as rage towards the parents. When a child chooses their desired path, many life lessons are learnt on that journey. A cousin of mine wasn’t particularly fond of school thus causing him

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