As we noted under the mortality theme, "Daddy" is addressed to someone who is dead, which already makes the poem pretty supernatural. But it goes even further: there are vampires, devils, and a statue that crosses the entire United States. The speaker, when she tries to die, is even stuck back together with glue. The supernatural elements of this poem make it eerie, and fascinating to read.
Questions About The Supernatural
- What is the effect of the husband and father's portrayal as vampires?
- What is the effect of the father's portrayal as a devil?
- What is the effect of the speaker's description of being put back together with glue?
- What is the effect of the juxtaposition of the supernatural with historical events like the Holocaust?
Chew on This
Try on an opinion or two, start a debate, or play the devil’s advocate.
The speaker of this poem's emotions are supernatural themselves – they are so complex and intense that the supernatural must be used to convey them.
The speaker's comparison of her husband and father to Hitler, vampires, and devils makes not only these men, but also Hitler, seem like a vampire and a devil.