afternoons Flashcards
who is afternoons written by?
Philip Larkin
what type of poet was Philip Larkin?
post- war poet
member of the Movement poetry
what were poets like that were part of the Movement Poets?
they wrote with irony and honesty about a society shadowed by WWII and the austerity that followed it
what does Larkin speak about in the poem?
the emptiness of modern life in the big estates that had sprung up in Britain in the post- war years
the young mothers have a lack of what in their lives?
lack of control and agency
what has happened to the mothers?
their summer has faded
they have become mothers at a young age
their life is dominated by domestic chores and they can only watch as the same cycle starts for their children
what collection does Afternoons appear in?
The Whitsun Weddings (1964)
what is the opening line of Afternoons?
Summer is fading:
what is the ending part of the first stanza in Afternoons?
In the hollows of afternoons
Young mothers assemble
At swing and sandpit
Setting free their children
what does “in the hollows of afternoons” convey?
their afternoons are lacking enjoyment- devoid of fun- captures their struggles
lacking the fun nature of their youthful lives as they transition to parenting
what does the line “setting free your children” show?
the children playing gives the mothers a break from parenting
where are the husbands?
“behind them”
what is the significance of the fathers being “behind” the wives and not “beside”?
the husbands are never beside them- never supporting them- always watching- “supporting” the women just for show
what does the line “an estateful of washing link to?”
the emptiness of modern life in the big estates that had sprung up in Britain in the post war years
the washing links to the domesticity of the wives’ lives
what quote shows that the husbands are not involved in the lives of the women?
“at intervals”
what does the quote “but the lovers are all in school” show?
shows their youth and shows how their lives have been ripped away from them
the word “lovers” shows how they still haven’t moved on from their previous lives
what does the quote “finding more unripe acorns” show?
the girls haven’t reached their full potential
they got married very young- missed out on the best part of their lives
what is the final line of the poem?
“something is pushing them to the side of their own lives”
what is the significance of the setting?
shows an ordinary scene that could be anywhere- highlights the idea that women all around the world feel like this
what is the significance of the word “something” in “something is pushing them to the side of their own lives”?
not specific- shows it is just the general struggle of parenting and getting older
what does the final line of the poem mean?
they are not even the main focus of their OWN lives- shows how little they mean to their husbands and their children are their main focus
what does the poem show about never-ending cycles?
the mothers have lost their identity and the children are falling into the same cycle
what does the title Afternoons convey?
it is a universal experience for many women- mundane, repetitive
