Sunny Prestatyn - notes Flashcards
What is the tone of sunny Prestatyn? overall, then stanza by stanza.
What makes it so complex?
(A02)
-Intended to be a darkly comic poem.
-Achieved by creating a mood of uncertainty.
-Light tone stanza 1.
-Humorous (observer seems amused). -stanza 2.
-Sinister (Mention of knives, stabbing etc.) -Stanza 3.
-Shift to somewhat desolate, note of resignation.
-can never be entirely sure of the attitude of Poet/observer.
What are the main subject matters of the poem?
-Responses to erotic public image of women.
-Objectification of the female image.
-illusions promoted by advertising.
-Relationship between masculinity and male violence.
What affect doe the language of this poem have on it’s subject matter? (A02)
-Tends to make light of the subject matter.
-phrase “slapped-up”, may suggests slapstick comedy.
-Phrase ‘Snaggle-toothed and boss-eyed’ conjures a grotesquely humorous image.
-Naughty post card quality in the description of ‘huge tits’.
-Implied that the observer shows some admiration for Titch Thomas’s handiwork.
What is the effect of the observer referring to the woman as ‘Her’ and ‘she’?
(A02)
-Suggests the observer is thinking of the woman’s image as though she was an animate, human.
- intentionally or not, it creates sympathy from the reader to the woman.
How is advertising a theme in this poem? (A01)
-The poem portrays a type of advertising common after WW2.
-used to allure men - bread-makers.
-used to allure women - want to be like poster girl.
-The poems suggest that the unrealistic expectations encouraged by advertising, stimulate bad side effects of class resentment, especially misogyny and destruction of property.
-The image of perpetual youth and happiness she promotes is obviously false, along with the leisurely life she promises.
-This perhaps explains the anger of Titch Thomas towards the poster which promises him a life that he can never have.
How is the theme of social class prominent in this poem? (A01)
the unseen vandals are implicitly identified, by Larking, as working class:
-Colloquial and vulgar language is used to describe defacing.
-Seems to belong to the banter of young working-class male at the time.
-Class resentment and misogyny seem to lie behind the damage.
How is the theme of gender/misogyny prominent in this poem? (A01)
-1stanza, observer has clear admiration. for the poster representation of womanhood:
-Admires the ‘tautened white satin’.
-Sense of unreality introduce due to simile between her body and the landscape.
-Second stanza, observers view shifts to something akin to the vandal, he seems almost amused by the metaphorical rape.
-Final Stanza, Resignation about the fate of the perfect female image in this highly flawed world.
How is Enjambement used in this poem?
-Consistent use of enjambement in second stanza give reader a sense of relentless assault upon the female image - symbolic rape.
-Give the poem a disjointed, irregular feeling, which matches with the tone of observer, whose view seem constantly changing and contradictory.
How is Rhyme used in this poem?
Rhyme schem: a, b, c, a, b, d, c, d.
-Uncomfortable and irregular to match subject matter.
-Last stanza uses more straight forward full rhymes (while/smile; knife/life; through/blue; tear/there).
-Where as 1st stanza (Prestatyn/satin;
poster/coast, a; palms/arms).
-as though to suggest something predictable about the destruction of the original
poster and the message of its replacement.
How is Rhyme used in this poem?
Rhyme schem: a, b, c, a, b, d, c, d.
-Uncomfortable and irregular to match subject matter.
-Last stanza uses more straight forward full rhymes (while/smile; knife/life; through/blue; tear/there).
-Where as 1st stanza (Prestatyn/satin;
poster/coast, a; palms/arms).
-as though to suggest something predictable about the destruction of the original
poster and the message of its replacement.
Why is the poem comedic?
Larkin balances humour with disgust, colloquialisms with
pessimism to shock the reader through sharp language and
imagery.
Poem proves that what is funny can come from dark and
serious subject matter and the presentation of taboo.
The poster presents a degree of triviality.
The disparity between utopian advertisements and reality.
Irony of the title and the clash between the first stanza with the second and third - not much is sunny’ in the poem.
Presentation of flawed men and rebelling against expected
behaviour.
Compound epithets
‘snaggle-toothed’ / boss-eyed’. The description of the scribbles could be seen as comic.
Crass, complex poem which on the surface depicts men
partaking in a prank.
“laughed” “Tautened white satin” “kneeling”
-presented for the male gaze, young, innocent yet sexual.
-White satin connotates innocence, reflects a wedding dress, which is used to convey purity and virginity.
-Laughter conveys a youth and happiness.
-the kneeling pose is sexual and juxtaposes with the innocence – intended to please the male gaze, sexualizes her.
-Observers description suggests admiration for this representation of women.
-Satirical of society.
-Mocking consumerism and how easily society buys into things.
“Hunk of coast, a/Hotel with palms/…expand from her thighs and/Spread breast-lifting arms.”
-Simile.
-Ambiguous.
-Sexual connotations.
-Implies a direct connection between the women’s physique and the landscape and the attractions the resort offers. Suggests experience will be pleasurable.
-Could convey two men holding her up as a trophy.
-’Hunk’ suggests muscly man.
-Implies the spectator is projecting his own sexual fantasies onto the image on the poster.
-Enjambement conveys the idea of stretching out and relaxing on a beach.
-representation of the taboo.
-Crude.
“Slapped up”
-refers to the cursory was the poster was put up, but also connotates a hint of violence against women.
- However, it also connotates playfulness, makes the tone ambiguous.
-May suggest slapstick comedy.
“Snaggle toothed and boss-eyed”
“Huge tits” “fissured crotch”
-Taboo/crude humor.
-Snaggle toothed and boss-eyed may reflect the natural process of decay/aging.
-Observer betrays an unhealthy fascination with by paying attention to detail, seems to be amused by pictures.
-Colloquialisms and informal expressions.
-Crude.
