Going

Question 1

What are the themes of Going?

Answer 1

Death.
Loss.

Question 2

Explore the quote, “There is an evening coming in”

Answer 2

‘Coming in’ - metaphor for death.
Inevitability - when you die, you dissappear- loss of identity.

Question 3

Explore the quote “That lights no lamps.”

Answer 3

End stop emphasises finality of death.
Metaphor- light imagery (absence of light) - symbolic of lacking hope and safety in the face of death.

Question 4

Explore the word “Silken it”

Answer 4

‘Silken’ - metaphor - death is almost comforting - a resolution to life when younger.

‘It’ - death

Question 5

What is the purpose of ‘yet’ in the poem?

Answer 5

Argument marker.

Question 6

Explore the noun “sky”

Answer 6

Metaphor - stability - life on earth.
Symbolic of heaven.

Question 7

What is the purpose of the repetition of ‘?’ In the second stanza?

Answer 7

Interrogative repetition - questions/fearful in the wake of death - questions if there is an afterlife - emphatic of the speaker’s fears.

Question 8

What is the purpose of the repetition of “hands”?

Answer 8

Hands are representative of Larkin’s writing career - questions whether his writing is purposeful. Perhaps this is existential.
AO3: Larkin was 23 when he wrote this poem - he was consumed with ideas of death from youth.

Question 9

What is ‘coming’ and ‘going’ reflective of? What does the speaker suggest?

Answer 9

Natural imagery.
Life and death.

The speaker suggests that those who are younger are deceived into thinking death is a comforting resolution.
Anyone who follows in an organised religion + those who believe are deceiving themselves.

He was famously quoted for saying, “religion is absolute balls.”