Afternoons

Question 1

Point 1 - Larkin describes the change in young mother’s lives after they have children

Answer 1

‘Young mothers assemble’ - seems almost professional
‘Our wedding lying’ - Larkin disapproved of weddings as they meant people were tied down in life
‘the wind is ruining their courting places’ - showing that the mother’s wistful love life was ruined
‘but the lovers are all in school’ - shows the mother’s gave up education

Question 2

Point 2 - he highlights the effects of industrialisation on the lives of young working class children growing up in cities

Answer 2

‘The new recreation ground’ - showing the industrialisation
‘setting their children free’ - suggesting that they weren’t free in their everyday lives
‘their children so intent on finding more unripe acorns’ - shows the children are interested in the potential life that the mother’s lost

Question 3

Point 3 - The fathers are rarely mentioned in this poem but do play an important role as they emphasis the expectation of men and women in the 1960s

Answer 3

‘Behind them at intervals’ - this shows that the mother’s are dependant on the fathers
‘stand husbands in skilled trade’ - shows they are working class
‘something is pushing them to the side of their own lives’ - showing that the women are being overpowered by men in the 1960s

Question 4

Context

Answer 4

Larkin was a miserable poet and many of his poems have a pessimistic outlook on life
He was part of the ‘movement’ to focus on more mundane things in poems
In the 1950s women’s roles were very domesticated and women looked after children
There was also economic struggle

Question 5

Techniques