Moreover, the narrator remembers that his father used to shine his Sunday shoes. Those small gestures went unnoticed by the young boy, who viewed his silent, cold dad as a formidable family figure. The father's selflessness is further underscored by the first two words of the poem: "Sundays too," (line 1). Reflecting on his childhood, the narrator remembers that even though his father worked like a dog all week, he still wanted to wake up early enough on Sunday to spend time with his son.

Ironically, the young narrator could "hear the cold" better than he could hear his father (line 6). His father was as silent as the snow outside, but the young boy was too immature to understand his father's reticence. Children frequently need displays of affection for reassurance and security. His father could not offer verbal love to his son. As a result, the young child learned...
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