Afternoons Flashcards
who wrote Afternoons?
Philip Larkin
what did Philip Larkin often write about?
ordinary life
Context and meaning of Afternoons
–observational - describes an ordinary scene
-narrator paints a picture of women’s restricted lives for the reader, describing routine chores such as laundry and ordinary objects such as televisions
-talking about how women’s lives have changed since having children- no longer in control
-loss of identity
-there’s a sense that the next generation will follow the same pattern
describe and analyse the form of Afternoons
-lack of rhyme scheme- poem feels stilted suggesting a lack of excitement in mother’s lives.
-third person- but tone is unclear- speaker could be belittling the women or pitying them
describe the structure and analyse the form of Afternoons
-regular stanza’s of equal lines reflect the predictability and boringness of the mother’s lives
-final stanza returns to the present and implies that nothing will change and that there’s no hope for the future
how does Larkin use generalisations in Afternoons and analyse, quotation
-speaker uses specific objects, such as wedding albums- “Our Wedding”- to make sweeping statements about working class women and their lives
such as “estateful”
how does Larkin use domestic imagery in Afternoons and analyse, quotation
-reinforces the gender roles of the era, which appear to be the cause of the women’s repetitive existences.
-The images also show how the marriages have lost their spark over time and how love settled into something ordinary.
-“lying near the television”
how does Larkin use natural imagery in Afternoons, analyse and quotation
Nature is used to mirror the change in people’s lives.
-The arrival of autumn suggests that a new phase of the women’s lives has started and the best part is over.
-The way that the wind ruins their “courting-places” makes it seem as though nature is actively working against them
-“Leaves fall in ones and two”- use of decay- gradual decline - just like the mothers lives about how mother’s find themselves in these situations unexpectedly- life has crept up on them
what are the two feelings and attitudes in Afternoons, analyse, and quotes
Sympathy- word choice and imagery “hollows” and “estateful of washing”- convey the monotony of the women’s lives, which may suggest that the speaker feels sympathy for them
superiority- the speaker’s tone seems to mock the women at times, such as describing their beauty as “thickened” and belittling the title of their wedding album
finish the quote, “that are still courting..
places
analyse the quote, “that are still courting places”
enjambment over the stanza break, coupled with repetition of “courting-places”, suggests that even though the “lovers” change, their lives still follow the same pattern
finish the quote, “the new recreational….
ground”
analyse the quote, “the new recreational ground”
-enjambment puts focus on the recreational ground.
-the word “new” and the “creation” part of “recreation” are ironic as they imply change, but the mothers routines stay the same
finish the quote”young mother’s …
assemble”
analyse the quote, “young mothers assemble”
women are only referred to as “mothers” which implies they are restricted by gender stereotypes
-also the sibilance on “swings and sandpit” on the next line creates a sense of repetition, hinting that this routine happens regularly
finish the quote, “their beauty has
thickened”
analyse the quote, “their beauty has thickened”
this is the only stand alone line in the whole poem- emphasises how the change in tense connects their past and present
