Tuesday, 4 February 2014
Nothing To Be Said
This poem, like many of Larkin’s poems, is about death. The structure of the poem is three stanza's with 6 lines in each one. In the first stanza, we are presented with an mixture of images, from “nations vague as weeds” – those tiny, isolate communities – to “nomads”, wanderers without fixed homes, to an image of Hull, with “cobble-close families / In mill-towns on dark mornings”. Despite all the differences in their ways of life, life, for all of them “is slow dying”. Life is a slow death.
Similarly, their “separate ways” all “advance / On death equally slowly”. It doesn't matter about what “building” is done in life, for like “nomads” they come to death eventually.
In “hunting pig” and “holding a garden-party”, Larkin refers to the upper class of his society, and there are more examples in the final stanza, “hours giving evidence” referring to the law profession, while “or birth” refers to a medical occupation. Like everything else, it doesn’t matter where you are in society, you “advance / On death equally slowly”.
Yet, though the things in life cause us to “advance / On death”, irony lies in their inescapability: they are a distraction from the haunting death, and without them, we might as well die upon “birth”.
The conclusion of the poem shows the differing attitudes. For some, the idea of life being a slow death “means nothing”, that they don’t think about it and that it has little consequence, or are perhaps too scared to think. For “others it leaves / Nothing to be said”. There’s no way to escape it, and its traumatic nature robs any words they might have
Ambulances
http://voices.yahoo.com/analysis-philip-larkins-ambulances-11975314.html?cat=4
The title of poem Ambulances shows a sense of dread as it normally someone is in trouble and could be you know. It also reminds you that we are mortals and can easily die and will die eventually. However it could also be a good thing because it shows help is on the way to those who need it and they have a good chance of getting better. The structure is the poem is 5 stanza's each with 6 lines in. The rhymes in the poem are half rhymes with the rhyming scheme ABCBCA.
In the first line of the poem, Larkin uses a simile which is " Closed like confessionals". This is a bit weird because usually when you are confessing you are open about it and don't keep it to yourself. The simile also suggests that the closed door of the confessional is similar to the confined space of an ambulance when its doors are closed. The color of the ambulance is a "light glossy grey," and it has a plaque with the emergency services coat of arms on the side. It is fitting that the ambulance is painted grey, because ambulances often serve as the grey area between life and death; some who enter the ambulance alive leave it dead. The last two lines are particularly ominous; you never know when it will be your turn to die, but rest assured that one day it will be your turn to die. Death is inevitable and all-powerful.
The second stanza talks about children and women and the fact that death interprets everyday lives because everyone stops what they are doing to look at the ambulance. Children stop playing and stand strewn-scattered-on door steps and streets; women stop shopping; dinners are left on the stoves, all so that they can watch as the ambulance's newest victim be taken away. Larkin uses Alliteration. (Wild white face) The whiteness could be referring to two things: first, the person has grey hair, and from that we can infer that the person is older; and second, that all of the blood has gone from the person's face due to fear or illness. Wild probably refers to the patient being scared or having some psychosis, seizure, or other ailment that would require hospitalization. However Larkin uses objectification by describing the dead person as "it" which shows that dead people are like objects and have no rights or that people don't care about them when they are dead.
The third stanza shows that death is underneath us and therefore we forget it can get us and so when we see death, we just carry on with our everyday lives. It could also show us that death can get us at anytime. The stanza also shows that we can't escape from it and can't pretend it is not true. The last line od the stanza " They whisper at their own distress" shows that they now realize that they could be next to die
The first line of the forth stanza starts with a paradox, which is For borne away in deadened air, this shows that you are born and then you are dead. he people, who were standing around watching the paramedics load the person into the ambulance and then drive off, is reminiscent of a funeral; the people at the "funeral" had a moment of silence for the person, as people do at traditional wakes and funerals. The person's life is "nearly at an end;" he/she will take with them the "unique random blend of families and fashions" that has made up their unique life. Happiness and love are fleeting, but death is the only thing that we can truly count on in life.
The person's ties to their earthly existence are fading. Gone are the days of love with loved ones. He/she is now unreachable inside the ambulance. The traffic parts to let the ambulance through, the closer to the hospital they get, the further that person is from their life. These are his/her last moments. Who we are, no longer matters, death is all there is now.
Love songs in Age
The title of the poem Love songs in Age shows that his poem is going to be about Songs and how it takes you back your memories when you fell in love. There are 3 stanza's in the poem and each contains 8 lines. Larkin uses devices such as personification, Caesura and Alliteration.
The first stanza talks about where the songs where kept and how the covers of the songs tell a story. The fist/second line of the stanza, " She kept her songs, they kept so little space, The covers pleased her" shows that she likes the songs she has and she is glad that she has kept them. In the third lines she talks about one of the song covers and says's " One bleached from lying in a sunny place". This shows that when she was younger she was paralyzed with happiness and she spent a lot of time in the sun. The flowing cover she talks about is " One marked in circles by a vase of water", this shows that she is a women who receives lots of flowers or perhaps used to get lots of flowers. The third cover she talks about is " One mended, when a tidy fit had seized her, which shows that she damaged the song once and tried to fix it, this show that the music has important sentimental values and memories. The following and line in the stanza " And colored, by her daughter" shows that the lady in the poem has a daughter and that her daughter drew on one of the songs. All these sheets of music shows that the lady in poem has a relatively happy life. The next line in the poem " So they had waited, till, in widowhood " shows that she when the lady is on her own she rediscovers the songs and looks at them. The last line in the poem " She found them, looking for something else, and stood" tells the reader, she found the music by accident and did not find them on purpose.
The second stanza starts of by saying "Relearning how each frank ( showing ones thoughts and feeling openly) submissive chord Had ushered ( to lead in) in". The following line in the stanza is "Word after sprawling ( to spread out in a irregular way) hyphenated word". The line is " And the unfailing sense of being young" shows that the songs take her back when she was younger and memories of her past. The flowing line, which is "Spread out like a spring- woken tree" suggests that she feels like a younger woman and she is blossoming again. In the last lines of the stanza " That certainty of time laid up in store As when she played them first. But, even more," Larkin suggests that the songs reminds her when she had all these exiting things yet to come. It also shows the belief that we have so much time to do everything in life, we could want… it’s only as we age, that we realize time is limited
The last stanza in the poem starts of with " The glare of that much mentioned brilliance, love, broke out to show". This makes the songs seem blinding which hurts the eyes , it also suggests that the songs are memories of love and youth. However in this line Larkin is being sarcastic and so that the lady might be blind from the truth to show disappointment. The following line mentions the words incipience, which means the early stages of the beginning. The next line is "Still promising to solve, and satisfy And set unchangeable in order.". This shows that the women wants the songs to solve and satisfy all the problems she faces and that love is meant to solve all the problems in the world. The following line which is " To pile them back, to cry," shows that she does not want to put the music back were she found them because they are full of good memories. However the last two lines in the poem "Was, without lamely admitting how It had done so then, and could not now" shows that love did not live up to its expectations and has fouled her.
The first stanza talks about where the songs where kept and how the covers of the songs tell a story. The fist/second line of the stanza, " She kept her songs, they kept so little space, The covers pleased her" shows that she likes the songs she has and she is glad that she has kept them. In the third lines she talks about one of the song covers and says's " One bleached from lying in a sunny place". This shows that when she was younger she was paralyzed with happiness and she spent a lot of time in the sun. The flowing cover she talks about is " One marked in circles by a vase of water", this shows that she is a women who receives lots of flowers or perhaps used to get lots of flowers. The third cover she talks about is " One mended, when a tidy fit had seized her, which shows that she damaged the song once and tried to fix it, this show that the music has important sentimental values and memories. The following and line in the stanza " And colored, by her daughter" shows that the lady in the poem has a daughter and that her daughter drew on one of the songs. All these sheets of music shows that the lady in poem has a relatively happy life. The next line in the poem " So they had waited, till, in widowhood " shows that she when the lady is on her own she rediscovers the songs and looks at them. The last line in the poem " She found them, looking for something else, and stood" tells the reader, she found the music by accident and did not find them on purpose.
The second stanza starts of by saying "Relearning how each frank ( showing ones thoughts and feeling openly) submissive chord Had ushered ( to lead in) in". The following line in the stanza is "Word after sprawling ( to spread out in a irregular way) hyphenated word". The line is " And the unfailing sense of being young" shows that the songs take her back when she was younger and memories of her past. The flowing line, which is "Spread out like a spring- woken tree" suggests that she feels like a younger woman and she is blossoming again. In the last lines of the stanza " That certainty of time laid up in store As when she played them first. But, even more," Larkin suggests that the songs reminds her when she had all these exiting things yet to come. It also shows the belief that we have so much time to do everything in life, we could want… it’s only as we age, that we realize time is limited
The last stanza in the poem starts of with " The glare of that much mentioned brilliance, love, broke out to show". This makes the songs seem blinding which hurts the eyes , it also suggests that the songs are memories of love and youth. However in this line Larkin is being sarcastic and so that the lady might be blind from the truth to show disappointment. The following line mentions the words incipience, which means the early stages of the beginning. The next line is "Still promising to solve, and satisfy And set unchangeable in order.". This shows that the women wants the songs to solve and satisfy all the problems she faces and that love is meant to solve all the problems in the world. The following line which is " To pile them back, to cry," shows that she does not want to put the music back were she found them because they are full of good memories. However the last two lines in the poem "Was, without lamely admitting how It had done so then, and could not now" shows that love did not live up to its expectations and has fouled her.
Monday, 3 February 2014
An Adrundel tomb
Afternoon's by Philip Larkin has a structure of 3 stanza's with 8 lines in them, which is the same a Wild Oats. The poem has no rhyme scheme in it which could suggest the drifting aimlessness of he mothers lives. However this is quite insignificant because Larkin uses alliteration and assonance which produces a musical flow in the poem. In this poem Larkin is a observer who watches others in the poem, he is also detached impersonal in the poem. There are many themes that Larkin includes in the poem including: Time, change, endless cycle of growth, powerlessness in face of change, demands of parenthood, illusion and reality.
The title of the poem Afternoons shows us that Larkin is talking about a non eventful intermission between morning and evening. The first line in the poem "summer is fading" shows that summer ( happiness and fun) and the year is now coming to a end and things are now starting to get depressing and sad . It shows that they now only have Autumn ( decay decline of life) and winter (a period of coldness, misery, death) to look forward to. The next line " the leaves fall in ones and twos" again shows us that Autumn is begging and life is now starting to decay and decline. However because it is in "ones and "twos, it means that the decay is slow, gradual and unnoticed by people. The forth line in the stanza says " the new recreation ground" suggests that it is a play ground for children and shows the contrast between old/new and beginning and ending. The next line"In the hollows of afternoon's" shows that the afternoons are empty and that there is nothing to do. It also suggests that they are bored and are possibly unemployed because they are not doing anything. The following line in the stanza " Young mothers assemble" suggests that every mother has a purpose that they have to fulfill . It also shows that what mums have to do is like a military operation (important) and is like a cycle that all mums have to do on a day to day basis. It also suggests that Larkin is having a snobby attitude towards women who are young and have children.The last line in the stanza " Setting free the children", shows us that the mothers keep the children on the leads as if they are animals that can go out of control. As well as this it could suggest that the children come from zoo and that when they go of the lead they cause a lot of chaos around them which is a bad thing to happen. On the other hand it could suggest that the children are kept in a prison which means that they have to be contained because children cause bad things and so they have to be locked away to stop that from happening /
In the second stanza, Larkin starts of by complimenting husbands by saying " Behind them, at intervals, Stand husbands in skilled trades". This shows that Larkin has a preference to husbands because he is saying they are more skilled than women. In the next line " an estateful of washing", Larkin stereotypes everyone's laundry of being all everywhere on the floor and that there is lots of it that they don't care to wash. In the following lines "And the albums, lettered Our Wedding, lying Near the television". Larkin is showing that the T.V represents laziness and that these people are lazy because they are watching T.V. Also back the T.V is a early luxury item for them and so the wedding album is not important to them anymore. The following line "Before them, the wind Is ruining their courting places" shows that the wind is a invisible destructive force (like time) and is decaying their early life.
The last line in the second stanza is a enjambment because it follows on into the first line in the third stanza which is "That are still courting places". This shows that thing for them are changing and they can't go back to the past. The next line in the stanza has been put in brackets which is " (But the lovers are all in school)". this suggests that Adults are not in love with each other as much when they are old, however people who are still young and in their youth are more in love with each other. The next two lines in the poem " And the children, so intent on Finding unripe acorns", shows that Children have low expectations in life and they themselves are unripe acorns. The following line " Expect to be taken home" suggests that that the children are very demanding and what they order there mothers around. However on the other hand it could suggest that being a mother is a priority now and they need to take care of their children well. The following line " Their beauty has thickened talks about how the mothers have changed. The line suggests that the mothers are not as attractive and are getting fatter then other people. Furthermore it suggests that giving birth to a child has changed them physically and mentally. The final two lines in the poem " Something is pushing them To the side of their own lives could suggest a number of different things. It could suggest that the children are growing up and they are growing up more attractive. Also it shows that generations are moving on and they need to do the same and so they need to move on from spring and summer and move into autumn and winter. Finally it could suggest that time is making the children grow up.
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In the second stanza, Larkin starts of by complimenting husbands by saying " Behind them, at intervals, Stand husbands in skilled trades". This shows that Larkin has a preference to husbands because he is saying they are more skilled than women. In the next line " an estateful of washing", Larkin stereotypes everyone's laundry of being all everywhere on the floor and that there is lots of it that they don't care to wash. In the following lines "And the albums, lettered Our Wedding, lying Near the television". Larkin is showing that the T.V represents laziness and that these people are lazy because they are watching T.V. Also back the T.V is a early luxury item for them and so the wedding album is not important to them anymore. The following line "Before them, the wind Is ruining their courting places" shows that the wind is a invisible destructive force (like time) and is decaying their early life.
The last line in the second stanza is a enjambment because it follows on into the first line in the third stanza which is "That are still courting places". This shows that thing for them are changing and they can't go back to the past. The next line in the stanza has been put in brackets which is " (But the lovers are all in school)". this suggests that Adults are not in love with each other as much when they are old, however people who are still young and in their youth are more in love with each other. The next two lines in the poem " And the children, so intent on Finding unripe acorns", shows that Children have low expectations in life and they themselves are unripe acorns. The following line " Expect to be taken home" suggests that that the children are very demanding and what they order there mothers around. However on the other hand it could suggest that being a mother is a priority now and they need to take care of their children well. The following line " Their beauty has thickened talks about how the mothers have changed. The line suggests that the mothers are not as attractive and are getting fatter then other people. Furthermore it suggests that giving birth to a child has changed them physically and mentally. The final two lines in the poem " Something is pushing them To the side of their own lives could suggest a number of different things. It could suggest that the children are growing up and they are growing up more attractive. Also it shows that generations are moving on and they need to do the same and so they need to move on from spring and summer and move into autumn and winter. Finally it could suggest that time is making the children grow up.
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Toads Revisited
In the poem Toads revisited Larkin presents what he thinks about work avoiders and his attitude to them. At the end of the poem Larkin decides that being unemployed is far worse that doing work everyday.
In the title in of the poem 'Toads Revisited', Larkin uses the word toad (not like the animal), however in the poem it means work. This means that the poem is going to be about work and people who avoid work. The word "revisited" means that Larkin made this poem as a sequel to the original poem 'Toads'. The theme of the poem 'Toads' questions the differences between the haves and the have-nots. In it he depicts life of the average person, who works six days a week and does not fully cover bills or food. He also depicts the rich who are skinny, but not starving, and how they eat well and seem to have all the luck. In the poem 'Toads' revisited' Larkin thinks about weather he was right in 'Toads' as he talks over the similar topic of work avoiders.
In the first stanza of the poem, Larken immediately foreshadows what the conclusion of the poem is going to be, which is " Walking around the park Should feel better than work. This because he is describing walking in the park as being unemployed, so what Larkin is saying is being unemployed should feel better than work. Larkin uses the word "should" to show that he thinks that being unemployed should be better than work, however it turns out that it is not and being at work is better than being unemployed. In the other two lines of the stanza Larkin describes what the park is like by saying " The lake, the sunshine, The grass to lie on". This shows that Larkin is saying that nature is really good and makes him happy like in other poems e.g. 'Here', however it is not good enough because he is comparing it to being unemployed.
In the second stanza, Larkin starts by describing a played ground by saying "Blurred playground noises Beyond black-stockinged nurses". in these lines, Larkin is continuing to describe what the park is like and that he can see women in children around him having fun because he describes the "playground. These descriptions present a nice image of time of work, and Larkin then compliments it all by saying " Not a bad place to be". This shows that all this does not sound bad to Larkin, and that he thinks that it is all quite nice to him. However the last line of the stanza is a paradox because Larkin says that " Yet it does not suit me " which shows that he does not like it and its not the kind of thing for him. This also means that Larkin does not like the idea of being unemployed.
In the rest of the poem, Larkin basically writes all the bad things that happen to you when you are unemployed. He starts of by saying all the horrible people you meet when you are unemployed and is judging them because they are unemployed and weak. Larkin starts of the stanza by saying " Being one of the men you meet of the afternoon, in these lines Larkin is saying that these are all the people you meet in the afternoon when are unemployed. The first type of people that Larkin describes are "Palsied old step-takers". These are old people who can't walk, paralysed and have a twitching problem. The next type of people that Larkin describes are "Hare-eyed clerks with the jitters," these are insane people who work so hard and therefore have a nervous breakdown and have to have time of work.
In the forth stanza Larkin continues on from the third stanza by listing more unemployed people who are weak. The first one he lists in the stanza are " Waxed-fleshed out patients Still vague from accidents, these are people who have had major accidents who can't go back to work until they are recovered enough. The final type of unemployed people Larkin describes are " And characters in long coats Deep in litter-baskets". These type of people are homeless people who are trying to find food in the bins because they can't buy any themselves. In these two stanza's, Larkin judges everyone who is unemployed as being these ruined people that he described above who weak.
In the fifth stanza Larkin criticises people who are unemployed by saying " All dodging the toad toad work By being stupid and weak Think of being them". This shows that Larkin thinks that that people like the people he described who are unemployed are stupid or weak. Also the reason why they are unemployed is a result of them being stupid or week and he can't bear the thought of being like them. The last line of the stanza and which carries on to the next stanza, Larkin describes what people do when they are unemployed by saying " Hearing the hours chime". This shows that when you are employed, you just sit at home doing nothing and listening to time going by.
In the sixth stanza Larkin continues to talk about what you do when you are unemployed. In the first line Larkin says "Watching the bread delivered", this shows that one of the thing you when you are unemployed is watch the bread being delivered. It also suggests that Larkin is a observer in the poem and he likes to watch things from a distance and not get to involved in the situation. The stanza continues by saying "The children going home", which suggests that Larkin does not think children are important because he is not doing anything important in all the other lines he talks about. The last line in the stanza is "Think of being them", this shows that Larkin does not think there is no reward for being unemployed and that being unemployed means you live a very boring/ lonely life.
In the seventh stanza, Larkin criticises all people who are unemployed and referencing them as "failures". Larkin then says "By some bed of lobelia", to shows that unemployed people are people that you should not aspire/look up to. The next line of the stanza mentions that all unemployed people are just confined to " indoors and cannot see the outside world and its beauty. He then states that all unemployed people are lonley and have "no friends" to talk to. In the eigth stanza Larkin mentions that his job does not look sensible.
In the last stanza of the poem Larkin decides that being at work is better than not being at work. In the poem he says " Give me your arm, old toad Help me down Cemetery road". This show that being at work is a death sentence and he wants to do that. It also shows that Larkin wants to to do and he does not want to be like the unemployed people he desscribes. So overlall he is saying that being unemplued is worse than being at work and would rather take the death sentence and be at work.
In the title in of the poem 'Toads Revisited', Larkin uses the word toad (not like the animal), however in the poem it means work. This means that the poem is going to be about work and people who avoid work. The word "revisited" means that Larkin made this poem as a sequel to the original poem 'Toads'. The theme of the poem 'Toads' questions the differences between the haves and the have-nots. In it he depicts life of the average person, who works six days a week and does not fully cover bills or food. He also depicts the rich who are skinny, but not starving, and how they eat well and seem to have all the luck. In the poem 'Toads' revisited' Larkin thinks about weather he was right in 'Toads' as he talks over the similar topic of work avoiders.
In the first stanza of the poem, Larken immediately foreshadows what the conclusion of the poem is going to be, which is " Walking around the park Should feel better than work. This because he is describing walking in the park as being unemployed, so what Larkin is saying is being unemployed should feel better than work. Larkin uses the word "should" to show that he thinks that being unemployed should be better than work, however it turns out that it is not and being at work is better than being unemployed. In the other two lines of the stanza Larkin describes what the park is like by saying " The lake, the sunshine, The grass to lie on". This shows that Larkin is saying that nature is really good and makes him happy like in other poems e.g. 'Here', however it is not good enough because he is comparing it to being unemployed.
In the second stanza, Larkin starts by describing a played ground by saying "Blurred playground noises Beyond black-stockinged nurses". in these lines, Larkin is continuing to describe what the park is like and that he can see women in children around him having fun because he describes the "playground. These descriptions present a nice image of time of work, and Larkin then compliments it all by saying " Not a bad place to be". This shows that all this does not sound bad to Larkin, and that he thinks that it is all quite nice to him. However the last line of the stanza is a paradox because Larkin says that " Yet it does not suit me " which shows that he does not like it and its not the kind of thing for him. This also means that Larkin does not like the idea of being unemployed.
In the rest of the poem, Larkin basically writes all the bad things that happen to you when you are unemployed. He starts of by saying all the horrible people you meet when you are unemployed and is judging them because they are unemployed and weak. Larkin starts of the stanza by saying " Being one of the men you meet of the afternoon, in these lines Larkin is saying that these are all the people you meet in the afternoon when are unemployed. The first type of people that Larkin describes are "Palsied old step-takers". These are old people who can't walk, paralysed and have a twitching problem. The next type of people that Larkin describes are "Hare-eyed clerks with the jitters," these are insane people who work so hard and therefore have a nervous breakdown and have to have time of work.
In the forth stanza Larkin continues on from the third stanza by listing more unemployed people who are weak. The first one he lists in the stanza are " Waxed-fleshed out patients Still vague from accidents, these are people who have had major accidents who can't go back to work until they are recovered enough. The final type of unemployed people Larkin describes are " And characters in long coats Deep in litter-baskets". These type of people are homeless people who are trying to find food in the bins because they can't buy any themselves. In these two stanza's, Larkin judges everyone who is unemployed as being these ruined people that he described above who weak.
In the fifth stanza Larkin criticises people who are unemployed by saying " All dodging the toad toad work By being stupid and weak Think of being them". This shows that Larkin thinks that that people like the people he described who are unemployed are stupid or weak. Also the reason why they are unemployed is a result of them being stupid or week and he can't bear the thought of being like them. The last line of the stanza and which carries on to the next stanza, Larkin describes what people do when they are unemployed by saying " Hearing the hours chime". This shows that when you are employed, you just sit at home doing nothing and listening to time going by.
In the sixth stanza Larkin continues to talk about what you do when you are unemployed. In the first line Larkin says "Watching the bread delivered", this shows that one of the thing you when you are unemployed is watch the bread being delivered. It also suggests that Larkin is a observer in the poem and he likes to watch things from a distance and not get to involved in the situation. The stanza continues by saying "The children going home", which suggests that Larkin does not think children are important because he is not doing anything important in all the other lines he talks about. The last line in the stanza is "Think of being them", this shows that Larkin does not think there is no reward for being unemployed and that being unemployed means you live a very boring/ lonely life.
In the seventh stanza, Larkin criticises all people who are unemployed and referencing them as "failures". Larkin then says "By some bed of lobelia", to shows that unemployed people are people that you should not aspire/look up to. The next line of the stanza mentions that all unemployed people are just confined to " indoors and cannot see the outside world and its beauty. He then states that all unemployed people are lonley and have "no friends" to talk to. In the eigth stanza Larkin mentions that his job does not look sensible.
In the last stanza of the poem Larkin decides that being at work is better than not being at work. In the poem he says " Give me your arm, old toad Help me down Cemetery road". This show that being at work is a death sentence and he wants to do that. It also shows that Larkin wants to to do and he does not want to be like the unemployed people he desscribes. So overlall he is saying that being unemplued is worse than being at work and would rather take the death sentence and be at work.
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