larkin essay plans

Question 1

places loved ones - societal expectations, marriage

Answer 1

1- societal expectations + larkins view + idea of subversion, disdain
2- changes over time, devaluing
3- feeling of regret/loss

comp - mainden name

Question 2

maiden name - societal expectations, marriage

Answer 2

1- societal expectations + larkins view + idea of subversion, disdain
2- changed over time, seen through effects of marriage
3- feeling of regret/loss

comp - places loved ones

Question 3

coming - passage of time, innocence

Answer 3

1- spring = a time of innocence, growth, birth
2- as time passes memories fade away, cyclical nature of seaons remains
3- romantic experience of childhood, nostalgia, but subverted for larkin

comp - born yesterday

Question 4

born yesterday - passage of time, innocence

Answer 4

1- spring = a time of innocence, growth, birth - idea of the untarnished baby with endless potential
2- as time passes memories fade, fear for girl to be tainted by world
3- romantic experience of childhood, the beauty of simple happiness

comp - coming

Question 5

dry point - expectations / entrapment

Answer 5

1- existential struggles - speaker deals with human urges + frustration
2- entrapment - speaker is at the mercy of primal instincts + feels shame
3- utopia - a future he longs for but can never reach

comp - toads

Question 6

toads - expectations / entrapment

Answer 6

1- existential struggles - speaker deals with the grind of social expectations
2- entrapment - feels he cannot leave his life + neglect himself
3- utopia / desolation - a future he longs for but can never reach

comp - dry point

Question 7

going - perception of death

Answer 7

1- idea of death = calm, serene, obscure, unobtrusive
2- ambiguous + mysterious sense creates discomfort in speaker, no comfort in death when faced
3- the nothingness of death = fearful, speaker = uncertain + scared, death is the one moment when you are truly alone

comp - wants or next please

Question 8

wants - perception of death

Answer 8

1- idea of death = serene, calming, obscure, provides an escape from human life
2- speakers desire for death is hidden + ambiguous, images intertwined with daily life, finds comfort in inevitability + peace of death
3- the nothingness of death = desirable, provides the speaker with a moment of isolation, craved

comp - going

Question 9

next please - perception of death

Answer 9

1- death is obscure + unobtrusive, humans don’t think about it until it is too late - detrimental to achieving dreams
2- universal, shown through pronouns, and expectancy is universal
3- comfort in the inevitability if death through serene imagery

comp - going

Question 10

wires - effects of restriction

Answer 10

1- acknowledgment of restriction imposed by society
2- idea of leaving + subverting expectations
3- realisation of entrapment, societal restrictions cannot be escaped

comp - toads

Question 11

toads - effect of restriction

Answer 11

1- acknowledgment of restrictions imposed by society
2- idea of leaving + subverting expectations
3- realisation of entrapment, societal restrictions cannot be escaped

comp - wires

Question 12

age - legacy

Answer 12

1- youth = prime, it is fleeting, time for fame and legacy, but this is a struggle
2- old age = accepted, idea of serenity + freedom
3- yet there is a hint of regret for all not accomplished

comp - at grass

Question 13

at grass - legacy

Answer 13

1- youth = prime, fleeting, a time for fame and legacy
2- old age = accepted, legacy fades, idea of serenity + freeedome
3- yet there is a hint of regret for all not accomplished

comp - age

Question 14

age - changing perceptions with age/time

Answer 14

1- initial youth, faces difficulty
2- maturity + gain of wisdom, sense of enlightenment, understanding of place in the world, but time has still been lost
3- aged - still holds onto dreams

comp - wires

Question 15

wires - changing perceptions with age/time

Answer 15

1- initial youth, difficulty of societal restrictions, hopes and dreams
2- maturity + gain of wisdom, experience, understanding of place in the world, trapped
3- aged - still holds onto dreams

comp - age

Question 16

myxomatosis - death

Answer 16

1- obscure nature of death
2- death is the one moment when you truly are alone
3- comfort in inevitability of death is gone when you face it

comp - going

Question 17

absences - celebration of the absence of life / metaphor for change

Answer 17

1- danger, where humans cannot cope, idea of eerie loneliness - represents initial resistance to change
2- nature unobstructed - romantic - highlights inevitability of change, change = constant
3- speaker feels at home, no pressures, finds comfort in freshness, not holding onto past

comp - going

Question 18

arrivals departures - life + death through metaphor of ships

Answer 18

1- birth + life is loud + obtrusive, unlike death which goes unthought of, sense of ease in life is dreamed of but criticised
2- realisation of the difficulty of like is universal shown through pronouns
3- death is not comforting when faced with it, uncertain, despite inevitability - aged perspective?

comp - next please

Question 19

LOAYLPA - youth

Answer 19

1- identity + heritage are rooted in youth
2- youth = purity + innocence + vulnerability
3- youth = fleeting, transient, nostalgic tone

comp - maiden name

Question 20

maiden name - youth

Answer 20

1- identity + heritage are rooted in youth
2- youth = purity + innocence + vulnerability
3- youth = fleeting, transient, nostalgic tone

comp - LOAYLPA

Question 21

wedding wind - disappointment surrounding marriage

Answer 21

1- emphasis on societal expectations of marriage + larkins criticism of it
2- identity or lack thereof - caused by marriage
3- devaluation of women through time due to marriage

comp - maiden name

Question 22

maiden name - disappointment surrounding marriage

Answer 22

1- emphasis on societal expectations of marriage + larkins criticism of it
2- identity or lack thereof - caused by marriage
3- devaluation of women trhough time due to marriage

comp - wedding wind

Question 23

wedding wind - disappointment

Answer 23

1- looks for passion + happiness in what society dictates
2- life becomes unwelcoming, sense of entrapment
3- pointlessness of a perfect life, it must be accepted + criticism of trying to craft a perfect life

comp - poetry of departures

Question 24

poetry of departures - disappointment

Answer 24

1- realisation that happiness comes with rejecting societies rules
2- life becomes unwelcoming, desire to escape portrays sense of entrapment
3- pointlessness of a perfect life, it must be accepted + criticism of trying to craft a perfect life

comp - wedding wind

Question 25

reasons for attendance - appearances / attraction

Answer 25

1- appearances are desirable, foundations of attraction
2- appearances are fleeting, a result of the speakers desire to impose barriers, perhaps underlying insecurity
3- ultimately deceptive, they ignite self deception from the speaker

comp - latest face

Question 26

latest face - appearances / attraction

Answer 26

1- appearances are desirable, foundations of attraction, even obsession
2- appearances are fleeting, a result of the speakers desire to impose barriers, fear of the hurt of relationships
3- ultimately deceptive, the object of speakers attractions can never live up to his internal perceptions, he feels deceived

comp - reasons for attendance

Question 27

whatever happened - passage of time

Answer 27

1- emotional decay/trauma causes a sense of dissociation + memory loss
2- time is expected to be a healing force but speaker remains disturbed, question the extent of his damage
3- speaker traps self in the past - memry doesn’t fade so easily, while time moves on, speaker cannot

comp - no road

Question 28

no road - passage of time

Answer 28

1- emotional decay of the end of a relationship, still emotionally invested, memories do not fade easily
2- time is a healing force, or so it seems, the speaker seems to bury his problems
3- speaker traps self in the past - speaker doesn’t want to end relationship but feels a sense of obligation, sacrifice - reader can predict this may never fade

comp - whatever happened

Question 29

church going - the past

Answer 29

1- reminder that the past was once the present, nothing is eternal
2- influence of the past is inescapable, constantly draws people back - compulsion
3- despite degraded nature of things from the past, they retain their power

comp - i remember i remember

Question 30

i remember i remember - the past

Answer 30

1- reminder that the past was once the present, nothing is eternal, displayed through nostalgia
2- influence of the past/childhood is inescapable, constantly draws people back, idea of regret, things never done - compulsion
3- despite distance of the past, it retains its power over a person, larkin advocates for moving on

comp - church going

Question 31

triple time - the effects of time

Answer 31

1- change as a result of time = inevitable, a reminder of mortality
2- idea of durability, some things remain, despite superficial changes
3- reminder of 1 single life, should be fully appreciated, larkin criticises the inability of people to live up to expectations

comp - skin

Question 32

skin - the effects of time

Answer 32

1- change as a result of time = inevitable, a reminder of mortality
2- idea of durability, some things remain, despite superficial changes
3- permanence of skin is a reminder of 1 single life + who you are, larkin addresses past mistakes

comp - triple time