Themes and message
The main themes of the text “The Parents” are parenthood and the cycle of life. Kelly Cherry’s intention with this prose poem is to illustrate the cyclical nature of life while also criticizing the fairytale culture promoted by Disney by showing the reality of life after having children (after the princess meets the prince).
Parenthood
The theme of parenthood is indicated firstly by the title of the story, “The Parents”. As the text unfolds, the author depicts the realities and challenges of parenthood. When children are small, parents take them to Disney parades and worry when they get lost. The feeling of physically losing one’s child suggests the feeling experienced by the parents ...
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The cycle of life
Another theme of the story is that of the natural life cycle. The text manages to go through all the milestones of human life. The babies symbolize the beginning of life, ...
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