Unsatisfactory

            The central tension in Li-Young Li’s poem, “A Story” is the fact that the son of the speaker is disappointed by him. Foreshadowing and figurative language are two literary devices that helped the poet create this tension between the characters. “Sad is the man who is asked for a story and can't come up with one.” The foreshadowing of this quote in the poem gives you the idea that the Father will not tell a story to whoever is asking him for one, because he can’t think of one. Figurative language also plays a major part in the creation of the tension in this poem because of the imagery and idea it provides. “Am I a God that I should never disappoint?” Children often seem to think or see their parents as gods because they are perfect and can never be wrong. But “He thinks, the boy will give up on his father.” Because  the father can’t live up to his son’s expectations and thinks that his son will stop believing in him.