Daddy Fell into the Pond
By Alfred Noyes
Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day,
And then there seemed to be nothing beyond,
Then
Daddy fell into the pond!And everyone’s face grew merry and bright,
And Timothy danced for sheer delight.
“Give me the camera, quick, oh quick!
He’s crawling out of the duckweed!” Click!Then the gardener suddenly slapped his knee,
And doubled up, shaking silently,
And the ducks all quacked as if they were daft,
And it sounded as if the old drake laughed.
Oh, there wasn’t a thing that didn’t respond
When
Daddy Fell into the pond!
Summary of “Daddy Fell into the Pond”
- A Delightful Turn of Events: “Daddy Fell into the Pond” is a charming poem by Alfred Noyes, a poet who died in 1946. It captures a moment of unexpected joy. The poem recounts a dreary day where a family finds amusement when their father unexpectedly falls into the pond. It’s a celebration of simple pleasures and the way a single event can transform a mundane day into a memorable one.
- Joy as a Central Theme: The poem beautifully illustrates how happiness can arise from the most unexpected circumstances. The family’s initial gloom swiftly turns to excitement and laughter with the father’s accidental dip. Noyes expertly depicts the infectious nature of joy, showing how it spreads to everyone present, even the animals.
- Key Themes: The central themes of the poem are joy, unexpectedness, and the power of a shared moment. It subtly reminds us to find humor in everyday life and appreciate the small, unplanned moments that bring us together. It is a lighthearted exploration of turning a negative situation into a source of delight.
Analysis of Literary Devices Used in “Daddy Fell into the Pond”
Writers use literary devices to enhance their writing, adding depth, imagery, and emotional resonance. Noyes skillfully employs these tools in “Daddy Fell into the Pond” to create a vivid and engaging poem.
- Assonance: Assonance, the repetition of vowel sounds, creates a musical quality. Consider the line “We had nothing to do and nothing to say.” The repeated “oo” sound in “nothing” and “to” contributes to the poem’s flowing rhythm and gentle tone.
- Anaphora: Anaphora, the repetition of a word or phrase at the beginning of successive clauses, emphasizes a particular idea. The repeated “And” at the start of several lines in the final stanza (“And doubled up, shaking silently, / And the ducks all quacked…”) builds momentum and highlights the widespread reaction to the event.
- Consonance: Consonance, the repetition of consonant sounds, adds texture and emphasis. Observe the line “And everyone’s face grew merry and bright.” The repetition of the “r” sound creates a sense of energy and emphasizes the joyful atmosphere.
- Hyperbole: Hyperbole, exaggeration for effect, is subtly present in the poem. While not overtly dramatic, the enthusiastic reactions—Timothy dancing, the gardener slapping his knee—exaggerate the amusement derived from a simple event. It heightens the sense of fun.
- Imagery: Noyes uses vivid imagery to paint a picture in the reader’s mind. For example, “Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey” establishes a gloomy setting, contrasting sharply with the later outburst of joy. “He’s crawling out of the duckweed!” Click!” provides a clear and amusing visual of the scene.
- Personification: Personification, giving human qualities to inanimate objects, is cleverly used. “And it sounded as if the old drake laughed” attributes human laughter to the duck, enhancing the sense of shared amusement and bringing the natural world to life.
- Symbolism: The “grey sky” and “dismal day” symbolize sadness and boredom, acting as a backdrop against which the father’s fall—and the resulting joy—becomes even more pronounced. The pond itself, while a literal location, can symbolize a disruption of the mundane.
Analysis of Poetic Devices Used in “Daddy Fell into the Pond”
Poetic devices are the tools poets use to create rhythm, sound, and meaning in their work. Noyes masterfully employs these devices in “Daddy Fell into the Pond” to create a charming and memorable poem.
- End Rhyme: End rhyme, where words at the end of lines rhyme, is a key feature of the poem. Examples include “bright/delight,” “quick/click,” and “say/day.” This creates a musical quality and enhances the poem’s memorability.
- Quatrain: A quatrain is a four-line stanza. The second stanza (“And everyone’s face grew merry and bright…He’s crawling out of the duckweed!” Click!) is a perfect example, creating a concise and self-contained unit of thought.
- Repetition: The repeated line “Daddy Fell into the pond!” functions as a refrain, emphasizing the central event and creating a rhythmic pattern. It reinforces the joy and excitement that the incident generates.
- Refrain: A refrain is a line or phrase that is repeated throughout a poem. The repeated line “Daddy Fell into the pond!” serves as the poem’s refrain, acting as a recurring anchor and reinforcing the central event.
- Rhyme Scheme: The poem largely follows a rhyme scheme that varies slightly between stanzas. The first stanza utilizes an AAABCB scheme, the second an AABB scheme, and the last stanza is AABBCDC. This variation adds to the poem’s musicality and flow.
- Stanza: A stanza is a group of lines forming a unit within a poem. “Daddy Fell into the Pond” consists of three stanzas, each with a different number of lines and contributing to the poem’s overall structure and pace.
Quotes to be Used
The lines stated below are suitable to refer to when narrating some unforgettable day of someone’s life or describing the sky before it rains.
“Everyone grumbled. The sky was grey.
We had nothing to do and nothing to say.
We were nearing the end of a dismal day.”