Compare And Contrast Those Winter Sundays

Love is a universal language. It is consistent among all cultures. It breaks down barriers and builds up relationships. Ultimately, it is what keeps families together. Although its preeminence is everywhere, the expression and perception of love varies individually. In the poems “Those Winter Sundays” by Robert Hayden and “After Making Love We Hear Footsteps” by Galway Kinnell, the individual families in these literary works experience very different forms of love. Whether it takes the maturity of an adult or the innocence of a young child to see that love is apparent, it is still undeniable the presence and importance that love plays in a family relationship. In “Those Winter Sundays” Hayden shows fear towards his family. This emotion only escalates because he is unsure of the relationship they share, especially in regards to his father. Throughout his childhood he never understands the ways his father demonstrates love which eventually clouds his thoughts
Both families experience love. Hayden’s father never receives gratification for the work he does, but he still does it. He might not be very expressive about his love for his family, but he still loves and works hard for them. Kinnell’s family foundations are basically built on their love for each other. They openly care for each other and do not take for granted the love and family they have been given. Both families also have a sense of innocence. In “Those Winter Sundays” it is Hayden’s childhood innocence and immaturity that makes him unaware of the love his father possesses for him. In “When We Make Love We Hear Footsteps” it is Fergus’s innocence that draws the family even closer and also to appreciate the blessings that they have. Kinnell’s family evokes a sense of integrity, commitment and innocence in the way that they love and care for each