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Emotional Turmoil In 'A Story' By Li-Young Lee

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A Story by Li-Young Lee effectively depicts the emotional turmoil that a father faces when he is unable to come up with a new story to please his son. Lee utilizes emotional diction and the juxtaposition of present versus future to convey the various feelings of love and anxiety that the father undergoes while spending time with his son. Throughout the poem the father feels loving towards his son while simultaneously attempting to battle his feelings of guilt and worry that occupy his mind. The opening word of the story is “sad”. By starting with such an emotional and powerful word, Lee sets up the underlying tone of the entire poem. The man is feeling various upsetting emotions that he cannot seem to shake off. While this father loves his …show more content…

When he is unable to give the child what he wants, the man immediately starts to imagine the future. He pictures himself saying “don’t go” to the child while attempting to persuade him with many stories he onced loved. This strongly portrays the burdening feelings of anticipation that the father faces. He worries that his present actions of not satisfying the child with a new story will later cause the child to leave him. The man feels anxious as he cares deeply for his son. He loves his son, but worries that this boy will soon leave him because of what he is unable to provide. However, the man quickly returns to the present and “the boy is here”. His son is not leaving him. The boy is sitting in his father’s lap wanting to spend quality time with him. The father is concurrently feeling worrisome and loving to the boy. He wants to provide his son all that he can, and it concerns him that he cannot and causes him to believe that the son will leave. However, the son greatly loves his father. He wants to hear something new, but will not leave the man if that is unable to be provided.The love and bond the two have for each other is extremely strong. The anxiety the father feels portrays just how much care is floating between the two of them. Lee’s utilization of juxtaposition of the past and present allows explanation of the current situation in addition to insight of the multitude of

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