Theodore Roethke was raised by middle class, immigrant parents who valued the idea of work, and manual labor. Though Roethke was brought up with the idea that manual labor was the key to success, he valued education, literature, and the skill of writing as the true, key to success. Roethke acquired this skill of writing during his Highschool career and later came to the conclusions that teaching, and writing was the career path that would suit him best. The memorable events that occurred throughout Theodore Roethke’s life shaped him to be the successful and talented writer that he was.
Theodore Roethke grew up amongst a loving german mother and strict, yet hard working father. His father trained Roethke throughout most of his youth to value the true benefits, and …show more content…
Otto Roethke was a German immigrant who moved to the Michigan along with his family and wife to start a new life and raise their growing child, Theodore. Otto and his father invested in a small gardening, and floral company where they worked out of a greenhouse located in their backyard. This company was the financial stability that their family had been longing for. Growing up, Roethke followed in his father's footsteps, starting as a young child working in the greenhouse. Gale Contextual Encyclopedia states, “Theodore Roethke was born in Saginaw, Michigan. His father, Otto Roethke, who had immigrated to America from Germany in 1872. The Roethke's prospered, and when Roethke's grandfather had made sufficient money, he built a greenhouse so that he could enter the florist business, which also prospered. As a child, Roethke followed his father about his work. Thus, Roethke almost literally, grew up among the plants of the greenhouse.” (Roethke) Because of his early interaction with nature, flowers, vegetables, etc. he uses this inspiration quite often in his writing, later on in his life. Writer Ralph J. Mills explains that, “As a boy Roethke played and worked around these