Afternoons

Question 1

What’s the story of Afternoons?

Answer 1

describes a young woman watching her children playing and it shows the mundanity of their domestic lives.

Question 2

What’s the context of Afternoons?

Answer 2

Philip Larkin famous for creating detailed observations about everyday life. His poetry seemed miserable

Question 3

What is the message of Afternoons?

Answer 3

• We all age
• Marriage can take away a womens independence and identity.

Question 4

What is the structure of Afternoons?

Answer 4

• Steady rythm which reflects the monotony of life

Question 5

‘summer is fading’

Answer 5

it emphasises the cyclical nature of life and how the mothers’ youth is fading.

Question 6

‘in the hollows of afternoons young mothers assemble’

Answer 6

“hollows” suggests that their days are empty and meaningless. the young mothers are defined only by their roles in the family

Question 7

‘setting free their children’

Answer 7

they have a brief moment of freedom at the park.

Question 8

and the albums, lettered ‘our wedding’ lying near the television

Answer 8

television symbolises domesticity and their wedding albums are now unnoticed.

Question 9

but the lovers are all in school

Answer 9

young couples are doomed to follow the same patterns as their parents.

Question 10

something is pushing them to the side of their own lives

Answer 10

this creates a regretful and fatalistic tone.
young mothers have lost their identities