The Less Decieved Quotes Flashcards
“At last you __________ up the album.”
yielded
What is suggested through the word “yielded?”
it suggests that the speaker has almost been demanding to see the photo album of the young woman, with her feeling somehwat resistant.
“matt and _______, on the _______ black pages.”
glossy, thick
What is suggested about the woman’s past through the quote “matt and glossy on the thick, black pages?”
it is filled with experience and rich in detail- thick with possibility.
“too much _____________, too ______.”
confectionary, rich
“I choke on such ___________ images.”
nutritious
“my swivel eye __________ from pose to pose.”
hungers
What technique is used at the beginning of Lines On a Young Lady’s Photograph Album?
semantic field
What type of semantic field is used at the beginning of Lines On a Young Lady’s Photograph Album?
semantic field of food
What does the semantic field of food at the beginning of Lines On a Young Lady’s Photograph Album suggest?
the speaker almost wants to consume the photos. “confectionary,” suggests that the metaphorical consumption of thie photos is unneccessary but pleasurable.
Provide some of the quotes that link to the semantic field of food in Lines On a Young Lady’s Photograph Album.
“too much confectionary”
“I choke on such nutritious images”
“My swivel eye hungers”
“___________ chaps who loll.”
disquieting
What is suggesting about the speaker through the quote “disquieting chaps who loll?”
the speaker is seemingly jealous of seeing the women with other men, as he presents them as unserious.
“Not quite your _______.”
class
“____ o, photography!”
But
What technique is used in the quote “But o, photography?”
volta
What is the effect of the volta used in the quote “But o, photography?”
it shows how the speaker shifts to the merits and limitations of photography
“Faithful and ___________!”
disapppointing
“_________ and disappointing!”
Faithful
What does the speaker suggest about photography through the quote “Faithful and disappointing!”?
the speaker praises photography for being faithful, but also sees it as disappointing, as we are confronted with the imperfections of reality.
“this is a ____ girl in a ____ place.”
real
What technique is used in the quote “this is a real girl, in a real place?”
repetition
What is the effect of the repetition in the quote “this is a real girl, in a real place?”
the speaker emphasises the fact that the photo gives him a true depiction of the girl, blemishes and all. He sees this candour as giving her a sense of grace in a similar way to a flattering portrait.
“you Contract my ______ by looking out of _____.”
heart, date
What does the speaker suggest when he says “you Contract my heart by looking out of date.”
the speaker perhaps feels a sense of melancholy because the photograph’s represent a past that is “out of date” and irrecoverable.
“we ____,” “ to _____,” “our ______.” (Lines)
cry, cry, grief
What technique is used in the quotes “we cry,” “to cry,” “our grief?” (Lines)
semantic field of sorrow
What does the semantic field of sorrow in the quotes “we cry,” “to cry,” “our grief,” suggest about the past? (Lines)
the speaker presents the past as bringing pain and sadness, as the past is a time we cannot recapture or change.
“It holds you like a ________.” (Lines)
heaven
What technique is used in the quote “It holds you like a heaven?” (Lines)
simile
What is the impact of the simile used in the quote “It holds you like a heaven?” (Lines)
it suggests that the girls past is preserved forever, in a state of perfect, almost holy, purity.
In the title ‘Wedding Wind’ what technique is used? (Wedding Wind)
pathetic fallacy
What is the main technique used throughout ‘Wedding Wind’? (Wedding Wind)
extended metaphor
What is the extended metaphor in Wedding Wind perhaps used for? (Wedding Wind)
the wind can represent a change in identity
“The ______ blew all my wedding day.” (Wedding Wind)
wind
“a stable door was _________ and __________ again.” (Wedding Wind)
banging
What technique is used in the quote “a stable door was banging and banging again”? (Wedding Wind)
repetition/onomatopoeia
“my ________ night was the night of the high ______.” (Wedding Wind)
wedding, wind
What technique is used in the quote “my wedding night was the night of the high wind”? (Wedding Wind)
pathetic fallacy
What is suggested through the pathetic fallacy used in the quote “my wedding night was the night of the high wind”? (Wedding Wind)
the pathetic fallacy could emphasise the destroying of past identities through marriage.
“leaving me _______ in candlelight.” (Wedding Wind)
stupid
What is suggested through the speaker feeling “stupid in candlelight”? (Wedding Wind)
it suggests she feels awkward/uncomfortable in her role in marriage. Candles could also represent romance, which is a cliched expectation of a wedding night.
“Seeing my face in the __________ candlestick.” (Wedding Wind)
twisted
What is suggested about the woman’s identity in the quote “Seeing my face in the twisted candlestick”? (Wedding Wind)
her identity has become distorted now that she is married, she feels unrecognisable
“I was ___ that any man or beast that night should lack the ___________ I had.” (Wedding Wind)
sad, happiness
What does the speaker suggest through the quote “I was sad that any man or beast that night should lack the happiness I had”? (Wedding Wind)
the speaker acknowledges that the change is unfamiliar but exciting- the new face she wears, the illusion, the change makes her feel happy.
What is used in the poem to show a change in time? (Wedding Wind)
there is a gap before the line begins
What technique is used in the second stanza to suggest that the speaker has a more optimistic outlook? (Wedding Wind)
pathetic fallacy
“All’s ravelled under the ____.” (Wedding Wind)
sun
“my actions turn on, like a ______ carrying _______?” (Wedding Wind)
thread, beads
What technique is used in the quote “my actions turn on, like a thread carrying beads”? (Wedding Wind)
simile
What does the speaker suggest through the simile “my actions turn on, like a thread carrying beads”? (Wedding Wind)
to perhaps suggest that marriage is an intricate process which takes time, it is delicate but can become something beautiful
“now this __________ morning shares my ____?” (Wedding Wind)
perpetual, bed
What could the “perpetual morning,” represent? (Wedding Wind)
the ‘perpetual morning’ represents her new love and the beginning of her marriage - it is so intense she feels that it will be ‘perpetual’ (eternal)
“Can even ______ dry up, these new delighted _______?” (Wedding Wind)
death, lakes
Why might the speaker in Wedding Wind question whether ‘even death [will] dry up these new delighted lakes’? (Wedding Wind)
the ‘new delighted lakes’ are a metaphor for the vitality and joy of her new marriage. Her love seems so powerful she wonders if even ‘death’ could end it.
What technique is used in the quote “new delighted lakes”?
metaphor
“Our _________ as cattle, by all generous _______.”(Wedding Wind)
kneeling, waters
What technique is used in the final image of Wedding Wind - “our kneeling as cattle”? (Wedding Wind)
simile
What does the speaker suggest through their “kneeling as cattle by all generous waters”? (Wedding Wind)
“kneeling” suggests that there is an an almost holiness to their marriage in this final image of simple joy of nourishing themselves through “generous waters” in this idyllic scene.
“___, I have never found.” (Places, Loved Ones)
No
Why does the opening line of Places, Loved Ones begin with “No”?
it suggests that the speaker is bluntly rejecting the societal expectation of finding happiness through a person or place.
“This is my _______ ground, Here I shall _____.” (Places, Loved Ones)
proper, stay
Why is the quote “This is my proper ground, Here I shall stay,” written in italics? (Places, Loved Ones)
it is imitating the voice of society, with the language being pompous, to mock the generic ideas of finding happiness through a person or place.
“Who has an instant ________.” (Places, Loved Ones)
claim
What does the legal terminology “claim” suggest? (Places, Loved Ones)
the legal terminology suggests that relationships are actually a form of resistive contact and a mere transaction
“To find such seems to prove you want __ ________.” (Places, Loved Ones)
no choice
“You ask them to _____ you off _____________.” (Places, Loved Ones)
bear, irrevocably
Why does Larkin use multiple negators in Places, Loved Ones, e.g. ‘No, I have never found’/’Nor met that special one’/’You want no choice’ (Places, Loved Ones)
to convey how the speaker is entirely and forcefully rejecting the cliched expectations of society.
“____, having missed them.” (Places, Loved Ones)
Yet
What is the technique used in the quote “Yet, having missed them”? (Places, Loved Ones)
volta
What is the effect of the volta used in the quote “Yet, having missed them”? (Places, Loved Ones)
the speaker is reflecting- there is no clear resolution, which is typical of a Movement writer.
“You’re _______, none the less.” (Places, Loved Ones)
bound
In the final verse of Places, Loved Ones, why does the speaker say the speaker is ‘bound’?
to convey ideas of restriction, the speaker suggests that ‘having missed them’ - the person you hoped to meet and love - you are trapped by having to pretend you are happy with what you ‘settled for’.
“your ________, your _______.” (Places, Loved Ones)
person, place
What type of stanza is used in Places, Loved Ones?
octaves
What might the title of “Coming” be referring to?
the arrival of spring
“light, chill and _______.” (Coming)
yellow
“Bathes the serene ___________ of houses.” (Coming)
foreheads
What image does the quote “Bathes the serene foreheads of houses,” create? (Coming)
an image of baptism, purifying the landscape from the ravages of winter.
Why might the speaker have referred to spring coming over the houses? (Coming)
it is more realistic, bringing it to an urban environment. Are we decieved into thinking that nature has to be grand and found elsewhere?
“_________-surrounded.” (Coming)
Laurel
What is a laurel? (Coming)
a laurel is given to someone significant, which highlights the significance of this scene
“It will be ______ soon, It will be ______ soon.” (Coming)
spring
What technique is used in the quote “It will be spring soon, It will be spring soon”? (Coming)
repetition
Why might the speaker have repeated the quote “It will be spring soon, It will be spring soon”? (Coming)
it conveys the speakers excitement and anticipation of the coming spring. The monosyllables also conveys the simple beauty of this new season.
“feel like a ______.” (Coming)
child
What technique is used in the quote “feel like a child”? (Coming)
simile
Why does the speaker compare himself to feeling like a “child”? (Coming)
the speaker feels a sense of innocence and child-like wonder, as he feels the simplicity of life.
“The trumpet’s voice ____ and ____________.” (Reasons for Attendance)
loud, authoritative
What might the trumpet be a metaphor of? (Reasons for Attendance)
jazz
What is the metaphor for jazz a symbol of? (Reasons for Attendance)
societal expectations, suggesting that their behaviour is social conformity
“draws me a moment to the ________ glass.” (Reasons for Attendance)
lighted
What is the significance of the “lighted glass”? (Reasons for Attendance)
It is a berrier between the speaker and those who conform within society
“_________, on the beat of ___________.” (Reasons for Attendance)
Solemnly, happiness
What technique is used in the quote “Solemnly, on the beat of happiness”? (Reasons for Attendance)
antithesis
What does the speaker suggest through the antithesis used in “Solemnly, on the beat of happiness”? (Reasons for Attendance)
the speaker suggests there is a strange formality to their movement, implying their joy is regulated and controlled.
Why does the speaker use a list of questions- “Why be out here? But then, why be in there? Sex, yes, but what is sex?” (Reasons for Attendance)
he questions why he should go, stating that sex is a reason, but knows that it doesn’t being happiness.
“to think the _____ share of happiness is found by ________.” (Reasons for Attendance)
lion’s, couples
“sheer __________.” (Reasons for Attendance)
Innacuracy
What technique is used in the lines “sheer
Innaccuracy”? (Reasons for Attendance)
enjambment
What is the effect of the enjambment in the lines “sheer
Innaccuracy”? (Reasons for Attendance)
it suggests that the belief that being in a couple makes you hapy is a sheer belief.
”(____, if you like) whose __________ sound Insists I am too __________.” (Reasons for Attendance)
Art, individual
What does the speaker suggest about himself when he says “(Art, if you like) whose individual sound Insists I am too individual”? (Reasons for Attendance)
the only thing that calls him in his life is a feeling of individuality, which is connected to art (jazz)
“It speaks; I _____.” (Reasons for Attendance)
hear
“Therefor I stay _________.” (Reasons for Attendance)
outside
What does the speaker suggest about himself when he says “Therefor I stay outside”? (Reasons for Attendance)
the difference that exists between himself and the dancers, is that what makes them happy is not a part of him, thus he stays outside.
“they _____ to and fro.” (Reasons for Attendance)
maul
What does the speaker suggest through the quote “they maul to and fro”? (Reasons for Attendance)
he is suggesting that their desires are animalistic and primitive. They are undignified because they conform like animals who obey.
“If no one has _________ himself. Or ____.” (Reasons for Attendance)
misjudged, lied
What is the significance of the last line “If no one has misjudged himself. Or lied”? (Reasons for Attendance)
the speaker is perhaps suggesting that the dancers are lying to themselves about being happy and are decieved, or is the speaker lying to himself about individuality bringing him happiness, so that he is no better than the dancers and their illusory desires?
“Endlessly, time-honoured _________.”
irritant
What is used in the first line of Dry Point to imply that sexual desire is inescapable?
time-markers
(“Endlessly, time-honoured irritant”)
“A _______ is restively forming at your tip.”
bubble
“till we’re _________, and forced to start the _________ to get out.”
enclosed, struggle
What is suggested about sexual desire through the quotes “till we’re enclosed, and forced to start the struggle to get out.”?
it calls us out to be trapped/restricted
“________, intent, real.”
Bestial
What technique is used in the quote “Bestial, intent, real.”?
tricolon
What does the tricolon “Bestial, intent, real,” suggest?
it emphasises that sexual desire is ongoing, and “bestial” as it erodes a part of our humanity, making us primitive and less civilised.
“the bright, ______ walls collapse.”
blown
What is the technique used in the quote “the bright, blown walls collapse”?
alliterative metaphor/plosive alliteration
What is the effect of the alliterative metaphor “the bright, blown walls collapse”?
it represents the sexual release
“what ____ scapes.”
sad
“what _______ hills, what salted, ________ lakes.”
ashen, shrunken
What image is created through the quotes “sad scapes,” “what ashen hills,” “what salted, shrunken lakes”?
images of barren, lifeless landscapes represent the speakers feelings of emptiness/dissatisfaction after giving into his desire.
What quotes suggest that the speaker feels dissappointed after giving into his desire?
“sad scapes,” “what ashen hills,” “what salted, shrunken lakes”
“____________ magic.”
Birmingham
Why does the speaker refer to the city of Birmingham?
the city when it was famous for manufactering rings. the metaphor represents how sex devalues/contaminates the purity of marriage
“that padlocked cube of ________.”
light
What does the speaker suggest through the quote “that padlocked cube of light”?
it symbolises enlightenment and a state of purity, free from sexual desire, however, he feels he won’t achieve this state because it is padlocked and remote.
“Where _____, ___ dream, obtain no right of entry.”
you, we
What is the speaker addressing through the quote “Where _____, ___ dream, obtain no right of entry”?
the speaker addresses “you” which is desire itself. By seperating “you” from “we” Larkin potentially suggests that desire is not inherently part of us, and he may hope we can rid ourselves of it.
What might the title “Next, Please,” be referring to?
the next person to experience some form of disappointment, or the arrival of the next opportunity/hope
“Always too _______ for the future, we
Pick up bad ________ of expectancy.” (Next, Please)
eager, habits
What does the speaker suggest through the quote “Always too eager for the future, we Pick up bad habits of expectancy.”? (Next, Please)
it implies that society rely on the future to solve all problems, they disregard the present.
What is the main technique used in Next, Please? (Next, Please)
extended metaphor
“the tiny, clear ______________ armada of __________ draw near.” (Next, Please)
sparkling, promises
What technique is used in the quote “the tiny, clear sparkling armada of promises draw near”? (Next, Please)
hyperbolic metaphor
In Next, Please, how does Larkin mock the attitude of society? (Next, Please)
By using a voice that is childishly impatient and excitable - via the exclamations:
‘How slow they are! And how much time they waste/Refusing to make haste!’
“How _____ they are! And how much time they _______/Refusing to make haste!” (Next, Please)
slow, waste
What technique is used in the quotes
“How slow they are! And how much time they waste/Refusing to make haste!”? (Next, Please)
atypical exclamations
“Yet still they leave us holding ____________ _________.” (Next, Please)
wretched stalks
What technique is used in the phrase “they leave us holding wretched stalks”? (Next, Please)
metaphor
What is suggested through the metaphor “they leave us holding wretched stalks”? (Next, Please)
it connotes the idea of how we are left clinging on to dead dreams.
“wretched ________ of disaapointment, for, though nothing _______.” (Next, Please)
stalks, balks
What technique is used in the quote “wretched stalks of disaapointment, for, though nothing balks”? (Next, Please)
rhyming couplet
Why does Larkin use rhyming couplets throughout Next, Please?
it creates an upbeat, childish tone which presents how society is naive and immature.
“with __________ prinked, each rope ________.” (Next, Please)
brasswork, distinct
What is bathos? (Next, Please)
an abrupt change in tone, normally used to create comedy, shifting from the sublime to ridiculous.
How is bathos used in Next, Please?
The ship is initially described as majestic with ‘brasswork prinked and ‘each rope distinct’. However, the language then dramatically shifts as Larkin refers to the ‘golden tits’ of the ship’s figurehead.
“the _________ wit golden _____.” (Next, Please)
figurehead, tits
Why does Larkin describe the “figurehead wit golden tits”? (Next, Please)
this is used to mock our dreams for the future - we see them as brilliant and full of possibility, when in fact they are silly and crude.
“only one _____ is seeking us.” (Next, Please)
ship
What does the metaphor in “one ship is seeking us,” represent? (Next, Please)
death
What technique is used in the quote “one ship is seeking us”? (Next, Please)
metaphor
“a _______, sailed ___________.” (Next, Please)
black, unfamiliar
What technique is used in the quote “a black sailed unfamiliar”? (Next, Please)
colour imagery
What does the colour imagery in “a black sailed unfamiliar” suggest? (Next, Please)
it represents death, which contrasts the “golden tits” of how we falsely view life.
“a ____ and _________ silence.” (Next, Please)
huge, birdless
What technique is used in the quote “a huge and birdless silence.” to show that death is an absolute end to life? (Next, Please)
caesura
What does the caesura in the quote “a huge and birdless silence,” suggest about death? (Next, Please)
death is an absolute end to life, and there is nothing afterwards.
“No waters ______ or ______.” (Next, Please)
breed, break
What technique is used in the quote “No waters breed or break”? (Next, Please)
plosive alliteration
What does the plosive alliteration in “No waters breed or break” suggest about death? (Next, Please)
death is presented as sinister and absolute- showing no mercy.
“There is an _________ coming in.” (Going)
evening
What is the “evening” in Going a symbol for? (Going)
death
What is suggested about death through the quote “There is an evening coming in”? (Going)
it portrays the continous presence of death in life and its inevitability.
“one _____ seeen before.” (Going)
never
What is suggested about the speaker’s view on death when he says “Across the fields, one never seen before”? (Going)
he has never experienced it, it takes a long time to navigate but cannot be avoided.
“That _______ no ______.”(Going)
lights, lamps
What technique is used in the quote “lights no lamps.”? (Going)
alliterative metaphor
What does the alliterative metaphor in the quote “lights no lamps.” suggest? (Going)
death offers no hope, it is an inescapable darkness/harshness
“_______ it seems at a _________.” (Going)
Silken, distance
What does the speaker suggest about death through the quote “Silken it seems at a distance”? (Going)
to suggest that when viewed from afar - when a person is younger - death seems almost like an easy and comforting resolution to life.
“It brings no _________.” (Going)
comfort
How does the tone change in the penultimate stanza of Going? (Going)
it becomes interrogative, with three questions following.
“Where has the _____ gone, that locked _______ to the ____?” (Going)
tree, Earth, sky
Why does the speaker question “Where has the tree gone, that locked Earth to the sky?” (Going)
the tree is a metaphor for stability that connects life on ‘earth’ with the hope of something after (‘sky’). As the speaker confronts death, he questions whether such a link really exists.
What is the three line stanza used in Going called? (Going)
tercets
Why is the tercet structure broken down at the end of the poem, using a single-line final stanza? (Going)
the sudden break down in structure perhaps represents the speaker’s increasing confusion and uncertainty. The single line might be seen as symbolising the notion that ultimately we all have to face death alone.
“Beyond all this, the _____ to be _______.” (Wants)
wish, alone
“_________, the sky grows ______ with __________ cards.” (Wants)
However, dark, invitation
“_________, we follow the __________ directions of _____.” (Wants)
However, printed, sex
Why does the speaker refer to sex having “printed directions”? (Wants)
to suggest that sex, something that should be meaningful and personal, is actually just another dull societal expectation.
“_________, the family is __________ under the _____-staff.” (Wants)
However, photographed, flag
What societal expectation does the main character mock in the line ‘the family photographed under the flag-staff’? (Wants)
the expectation that we all take part in society through having a family and being a proud part of our nation.
What technique is used in the repetition of “however” at the beginning of the poem Wants?
anaphora
What is the impact of the anaphora used at the beginning of Wants?
it emphasises the impossibility of escaping contemporary life. We spend all our time doing things because of society, therefore lacking freedom.
What phrase does the speaker repeat at the beginning and end of the first stanza? (Wants)
“Beyond all this, the wish to be alone.”
What is suggested by the repetition of the quote “Beyond all this, the wish to be alone,” at the start and end of the first stanza? (Wants)
the cyclical structure emphasises that the desire for solitude is at the beginning and end of everything that one may want.
“the desire for ________ runs.” (Wants)
oblivion
“the ________ aversion of the eyes away from _________.” (Wants)
costly, death
Why does the speaker say that averting our eyes from death is “costly”? (Wants)
because it means that we don’t fully engage with life; by not accepting our own mortality, we don’t truly live.
Why does “beyond all this” change to “beneath all this”? (Wants)
to convey how societal expectations inevitably come to weigh us down.
What is the name for the 5 line structure used in Wants?
quintains
“_________ left your ________ name disused.” (Maiden Name)
Marrying, maiden
“its _____ light _______.” (Maiden Name)
five, sounds
What could the “five light sounds” be referring to? (Maiden Name)
Winifred Arnott, who Larkin met at the University of Belfast. she got married to another man which is thought to have inspired the poem.
“thankfully ________.” (Maiden Name)
confused
What technique is used in the phrase “thankfully confused”? (Maiden Name)
oxymoron
Why does the speaker suggest that the woman is “thankfully confused”? (Maiden Name)
to juxtapose the cliched positive sentiments connected with marriage - being ‘thankful’ - with the starker reality: that you lose your identity and become ‘confused’ with someone else.
“since you were so _________ confused by _____ ‘ (Maiden Name)
thankfully, law
Why does the speaker suggest that the woman is thankfully confused “by law”? (Maiden Name)
to suggest that the marriage is nothing more than a legal contract, Larkin disconnects marriage from ideas of romance or intimacy.
“_______, just where you left it.” (Maiden Name)
lying
What technique is used in the quote “lying just where you left it”? (Maiden Name)
pun
What could the pun in the quote “lying just where you left it,” suggest about the woman? (Maiden Name)
it could refer to the items where her old name is written, but also how her name is left lying around/ discarded, and she is lying to herself about the realities of marriage- where you lose your former identity.
“old ______, old ___________, a ________ prize or two.” (Maiden Name)
lists, programmes, school
What does the speaker suggest through the quote “old lists, old programmes, a school prize or two”? (Maiden Name)
he suggests that her old self was notable and worth celebrating, in contrast to her less remarkable married self.
“scentless, __________, strengthless.” (Maiden Name)
weightless
\Why is the “less” suffix repeated in the quote “scentless, weightless, strengthless”? (Maiden Name)
to show the extent of what she has lost through marriage. ‘Strengthless’ in particular implies that by giving herself to another she has been weakened.
“un______marked.” (Maiden Name)
finger
What technique is used in the word “unfingermarked”? (Maiden Name)
pun
What might the pun “unfingermarked” be referring to? (Maiden Name)
- it could refer to a time where she was untainted and not marked by someone else
- it could refer to a time where her finger was literally not marked by a ring
“with your ___________ luggage _______.” (Maiden Name)
depreciating, laden
What technique is used in the quote “your depreciating luggage laden”? (Maiden Name)
metaphor
What does the metaphor of “depreciating luggage laden” suggest? (Maiden Name)
it is used to describe her new life or perhaps her new partner - something that is losing value and quickly becoming a burden.
Does Maiden Name use a regular rhyme scheme? (Maiden Name)
Yes. ABBACCA.
Why might Maiden Name have a regular rhyme scheme? (Maiden Name)
the regularity of the rhyme, alongside the regular stanza and line length, perhaps represent the monotony and routine nature of marriage.
What may the title of Born Yesterday be referring to?
- the literal birth of Sally Amis, the daughter of Kingsley Amis
- it has connotations of naivety and foolishness which is how the cliched expectations of society can be viewed as
Who was Kingsley Amis? (Born Yesterday)
a fellow friend of Larkin’s and a Movement writer
“Tightly- folded ____.” (Born Yesterday)
bud
What technique is used in the quote “Tightly-folded bud”? (Born Yesterday)
metaphor
What is implied through the metaphor “Tightly-folded bud”? (Born Yesterday)
to convey ideas of potential and possibility, but also to suggest that at this early age she is protected from societal pressures and expectations.
“not the usual _______ about being ____________.” (Born Yesterday)
stuff, beautiful
What does the speaker suggest about societal expectations through the quote “not the usual stuff”? (Born Yesterday)
the use of colloquial language suggests its unimportance, as well as its unoriginality.
What technique is used in the quote “being beautiful”? (Born Yesterday)
plosive alliteration
Why does Larkin make use of plosive alliteration in the quote “Not the usual stuff about being beautiful”? (Born Yesterday)
the harsh sounds are perhaps intended to present the speaker’s blunt rejection of these societal expectations.
“running of a spring of __________ and love.” (Born Yesterday)
innocence
“Well, you’re a ______ girl.” (Born Yesterday)
lucky
“____ if it shouldn’t, then may you be ___________.” (Born Yesterday)
But, ordinary
What technique is used in the quote “But if it shouldn’t then may you be ordinary”? (Born Yesterday)
volta
“not ____, not ____-_________.” (Born Yesterday)
ugly, good-looking
What technique is used in the quote “not ugly-not goodlooking”? (Born Yesterday)
repeated negators
What does the speaker suggest through the repeated negators in the quote “not ugly-not good-looking”? (Born Yesterday)
perhaps we are not defined by what we have, but rather what we don’t as happiness is about having unique achievements, a life free from external pressures.
“Nothing ________, to pull you off your __________.” (Born Yesterday)
uncustomary, balance
What does the speaker suggest about societal expectations through the quote “nothing uncustomary to pull you off your balance”? (Born Yesterday)
society pulls us off our dreams, removing us from our individual identity.
“may you be _____.” (Born Yesterday)
dull
“skilled, ________, flexible, ___________, enthralled.” (Born Yesterday)
vigilant, unemphasised
What are the five qualities that the speaker of Born Yesterday wants the young girl to be?
“skilled, vigilant, flexible, unemphasised, enthralled.”
What does Larkin make use of in the last lines of Born Yesterday?
rhyming couplet
What rhyming couplet is used at the end of Born Yesterday?
“enthralled, catching of happiness is called.”
What tone is created through the rhyming couplet at the end of Born Yesterday?
it creates a tone of resolution and certainty suggesting that happiness can only be found by avoiding general cliches and not being based on societal expectations.
Does Born Yesterday use a regular rhyme scheme?
no, it is not regular, although there are some instances of rhyme.
Why does Larkin employ an irregular rhyme scheme in Born Yesterday?
because he does not want her to have a ‘regular’ life. He wishes for her to be free from societal expectations, like the unstructured rhyme scheme.
“At _____, whatever happened starts ________.” (Whatever Happened)
once, receding
What does Larkin utilise at the start of Whatever Happened?
opening discourse marker- “At once”
What does the opening discourse marker “At once” suggest? (Whatever Happened)
it shows how desperate we are to forget the trauma
What does the poem Whatever Happened speak about? (Whatever Happened)
the speaker hints at a violent, ambigious trauma, in which he attempts to suppress the memories.
“trousers _________, light _________, and lips ____________.” (Whatever Happened)
ripped, wallets, bleeding
What technique is used in the quote “trousers ripped, light wallets, and lips bleeding”? (Whatever Happened)
caesura
What does the caesura in “trousers ripped, light wallets, and lips bleeding” suggest? (Whatever Happened)
it reflects how the speaker is broken down and shocked, shows a sense of panic and disturbance following the event.
“All’s _______ distant.” (Whatever Happened)
kodak’s
Why does the speaker say that “All’s kodak distant”? (Whatever Happened)
it shows the attempt to reduce the trauma to something which can be controlled and understood.
“Easily, then (though _____)” (Whatever Happened)
pale
What technique is used in the quote “Easily, then (though pale)”? (Whatever Happened)
colour imagery/caesura
What does the quote “Easily, then (though pale)” suggest? (Whatever Happened)
it suggests the speaker is mentally still not well following the trauma
“Perspective brings __________, we say.” (Whatever Happened)
significance
Why does the speaker say “Perspective brings significance we say”? (Whatever Happened)
the speaker mocks society’s excuses as to how they try and rationalise their trauma
“What can’t be _________ can be thrown away.” (Whatever Happened)
printed
“Later, its just a ________, the _____.” (Whatever Happened)
latitude, map
“such _________ bedding.” (Whatever Happened)
coastal
What is the significance of the speaker referring to the ‘latitude on a map’ and blaming what happened on ‘coastal bedding’? (Whatever Happened)
the language shows a desire to reduce the trauma to something technical, rather than emotional.
“Curses? The _______? Struggling?” (Whatever Happened)
dark
What does the questions at the end suggest about the speaker? (Whatever Happened)
the incomplete, incoherent questions create a jarring tone, suggesting the speaker is left anxious and uncertain.
“Where’s the source Of these ______ now” (Whatever Happened)
yarns
How might the quote “Where’s the source Of these yarns now” have a double meaning?
yarn can mean both a story and a type of thread. Therefore, Larkin suggests that the story of what happened, like unspooled thread, becomes tangled and difficult to make sense of.
“(except in ____________, of _______.)” (Whatever Happened)
nightmares, course
What technique is used in the quote “(except in nightmares of course)”? (Whatever Happened)
parenthesis
What does the parenthisis in “(except in nightmares of course)” suggest about the speaker? (Whatever Happened)
the speaker hasn’t actually overcome his trauma it shows the truth.
What is the form used for the poem Whatever Happened?
It is a sonnet.
What is the three-line interlocking rhyme scheme called that is used in Whatever Happened?
terza rima
What is the significance of the tight rhyme scheme (terza rima)?
it symbolises how the speaker tries to control and compartmentalize the trauma he has experienced. However, this rhyme scheme is eventually broken in the final two lines, representing how the painful memory cannot be repressed.
“Since we agreed to let the _____ between us Fall to ________.” (No Road)
road, disuse
What is the main technique used in No Road? (No Road)
extended metaphor
What is the significance of the line break in the opening sentence “since we agreed to let the road between us Fall to disuse”? (No Road)
the line break acts as a representation of the new separation between the speaker and the unnamed character.
“And bricked our _______ up, planted trees to ______ us.” (No Road)
gates, screen
What does the quote “And bricked our gates up, planted trees to screen us” suggest about the couple? (No Road)
it shows the active measures they have taken to force this seperation
“and turned all ______ eroding agents _____.” (No Road)
time’s, loose
“silence, and ______, and __________.” (No Road)
space, strangers
What does the quote “silence, and space, and strangers” suggest? (No Road)
the repeated conjunctions seperate the words so that the words on the page present the couples agreed divide.
“Leaves drift ________, perhaps; grass creeps ___________.” (No Road)
unswept, unmown
What does the quote “Leaves drift unswept, perhaps; grass creeps unmown” suggest about the relationship? (No Road)
the stasis (the stanza defined by what isn’t happening anymore) creates a sense of neglect, as the couple don’t tend to the relationship anymore
“a little ________, and time would be the _________.” (No Road)
longer, stronger
What technique is used in the quote “a little longer, and time would be the stronger”? (No Road)
rhyming couplet
What is the effect of the rhyming couplet in “A little longer, and time would be the stronger”? (No Road)
it suggests that the speaker will feel stronger once time has passed.
“from ____ to ____.” (No Road)
you, me
What is significant about the speaker saying “from you to me”? (No Road)
the singular pronoun shifting from “us” shows a seperation and increase in divide between the couple.
“to watch that world come up like a _____ sun.” (No Road)
cold
What technique is used in the quote “to watch that world come up like a cold sun”? (No Road)
oxymoronic simile
What is suggested about life without his partner through the oxymoronic simile “to watch that world come up like a cold sun”? (No Road)
to present how such an existence would be unnatural and lifeless.
“Not to prevent it is my will’s ___________. Willing it, my __________.” (No Road)
fulfillment, ailment
What does the speaker admit that his “ailment” is? (No Road)
he prefers a simple life of solitude to the complexity and compromise of being with another.
Why does the speaker repeat the word “my” in the last stanza? (No Road)
it suggests that he gains freedom from no relationship, and ultimately admits that he wants to be alone.
What do the half rhymes in No Road suggest?
the speaker is torn between upholding the relationship and allowing time to overtake it.
“The ________ prairies have electric _______.” (Wires)
widest, fences
What technique is used in the quote “The widest prairies”? (Wires)
superlative
“___ cattle know they must not _____.” (Wires)
old, stray
“_______ steers are always scenting ______ water.” (Wires)
young, purer
What is the difference between the old cattle and young steers? (Wires)
the old cattle are the older generation who understand and accept societal restrictions, however the younger steers- the young generation, are optimistic and naive to the restrictions they face.
“whose _______- shredding violence gives no _________.” (Wires)
muscle, quarter
What technique is used in the quote “muscle-shredding violence”? (Wires)
sibilance
What is the effect of the sibilance in the quote “muscle-shredding violence”? (Wires)
it represents the brutal and unforgiving pain caused by the electric fences.
“_______ steers become ___ cattle from that day.” (Wires)
young, old
What is Myxomatosis?
a deadly disease in rabbits
“While hot ___________ hours go by?” (Myxomatosis)
inexplicable
What is the effect of the enjambment after “while hot inexplicable hours go by?” (Myxomatosis)
it shows the passing of time, it is elongated to make people see the reality of suffering.
“What ____ is this? Where were its _______ concealed?” (Myxomatosis)
trap, teeth
“I make a ______ reply.” (Myxomatosis)
sharp
What is said to give a “sharp reply”? (Myxomatosis)
death- it is shown to catch you unexpectedly, as it is a silent killer
“Then clean my _______.” (Myxomatosis)
stick
What does the sudden stanza break in the line “Then clean my stick” suggest about death? (Myxomatosis)
it shows the sudden nature of death.
“just in what _____ you were to suppurate.” (Myxomatosis)
jaws
What technique is used in the quotes “were its teeth concealed?” “what jaws you were to suppurate?” (Myxomatosis)
semantic field of predatory- highlights how death shows no mercy.
“If you could only keep quite ______ and _____.” (Myxomatosis)
still, wait
“Why should I let the _____ work _______ on my life?” (Toads)
toad, squat
What is the toad an extended metaphor for? (Toads)
working life
What is suggested about the nature of work as it “squats”? (Toads)
it is uncomfortable, a burden, and a pest
Why has the speaker used a “toad” as a metaphor for work? (Toads)
to suggest it is venomous and impending on our health.
“six days of the week it ______ with its ____________ poison.” (Toads)
soils, sickening
What technique is used in the quote “six days of the week it soild with its sickening poison”? (Toads)
sibilance
What is suggested through the sibilance in “six days of the week it soild with its sickening poison”? (Toads)
the toad/work plagues him, which emphasises the speakers distaste for work as a brute
“Lecturers _________, losers, lob-lolly men, ______.” (Toads)
lispers, louts
How does the speaker feel towards the “Lecturers, lispers, losers, loblolly-men and lous”? (Toads)
he mocks them via the use of alliterative listing.
“their ___________ wives, are as _______ as __________.” (Toads)
unspeakable, skinny, whippets
What technique is used in the quote “their unspeakable wives as skinny as whippets”? (Toads)
simile
Why does the speaker refer to the “unspeakable wives as skinny as whippets”? (Toads)
he is dehumanising and mocking those that don’t work; although Larkin’s narrator resents the restrictions of work, he also looks down on those that don’t.
“But I know all too ____, that’s the stuff _______ are made on.” (Toads)
well, dreams
What technique is used in the quote “But I know all too well, that’s the stuff dreams are made on”? (Toads)
intertextual reference
What does the speaker suggest through the intertextual reference “But I know all too well, that’s the stuff dreams are made on”? (Toads)
he mocks the notion of a perfect society without work, as the magician Prospero dreams of a utopian world.
“For something sufficiently ____ like _______ in me too.” (Toads)
toad, squats
What technique is used in the quote “For something sufficiently toad-like squats in me too.” (Toads)
volta
What does the volta suggest about the speaker’s view on work “For something sufficiently toad-like squats in me too”? (Toads)
he realises that despite resenting the restrictions of work, he also deems it necessary.
“It’s _________ are as heavy as _____ luck.” (Toads)
hunkers, hard
What technique is used in the quote “It’s hunkers are as heavy as hard luck”? (Toads)
simile
What is suggested through the quote “It’s hunkers are as heavy as hard luck”? (Toads)
it links to the fact that the speaker perhaps feels he is unfortunate that he has this work drive within him.
“the _____ and the _____ and the ________.” (Toads)
fame, girl, money
What technique is used in the quote “the fame and the girl and the money”? (Toads)
polysyndeton listing
What does the polysyndeton emphasise in the quote “the fame and the girl and the money”? (Toads)
the listing of superficial desires, suggests that the speaker is mocking society.
