The Inheritance of Discipline Riley Kelly College

First influences and early lessons in life from one or both parents last a lifetime and heavily influence the growth and maturity of the child. In terms of the poem, a son’s growth is heavily influenced by the actions of his father, and small events can stand as landmarks of the relationship between father and son. Li-Young Lee’s “The Gift” explores the growth initiated in a son’s life caused by his father’s nurturing during a mild splinter injury. The son details how he is later able to assist his wife in the same way due to his father’s preparation. Lee conveys the legacy of the event while framing it within the son’s view of his relationship with his father.

Lee begins the poem by revealing that the perspective is that of the son. The father’s affection is shown through the simple action of “recit[ing] a story” as he attempts to calm his frightened son (Line 2). Lee utilizes the first-person point of view to more explicitly state how the son views his father. For example, the son describes his father’s face as “lovely,” which reveals the son’s affection for his father (Line 3). The author then juxtaposes the heartfelt description with the blade that the father is wielding to emphasize how the son’s trust in his father...