Afternoons Flashcards
(9 cards)
key themes
Transience of Youth and Beauty
The opening line, “Summer is fading:”, serves as a metaphor for the waning of youth and vitality. Just as summer gives way to autumn, the carefree days of the young mothers have transitioned into the responsibilities of adulthood.
- Monotony and Routine
The depiction of mothers assembling in the “hollows of afternoons” suggests a repetitive, perhaps unfulfilling routine. The word “hollows” conveys emptiness, hinting at a lack of purpose or excitement in their daily lives. - Loss of Individual Identity
The line “Something is pushing them / To the side of their own lives” encapsulates the idea that these women have become secondary characters in their own stories, overshadowed by their roles as mothers and wives
language and imagery
Colloquial Language: Larkin employs everyday language to depict ordinary scenes, making the poem relatable and grounded in reality.
Sibilance: The repetition of ‘s’ sounds in phrases like “setting free their children” creates a soft, whispering tone, perhaps reflecting the subdued nature of their lives.
Symbolism: Objects such as “Our Wedding” albums and the “television” symbolize the passage of time and the shift from romantic ideals to mundane realities
structure and form
Form: The poem consists of three unrhymed stanzas of eight lines each, reflecting the uniformity and predictability of the lives depicted.
Enjambment: Larkin frequently uses enjambment, allowing sentences to flow over multiple lines, mirroring the continuous, unbroken routine of daily life.
Caesura: The use of pauses within lines, such as in “Summer is fading:”, emphasizes moments of reflection and the passage of time
context
Post-War Britain: Written in the late 1950s, the poem reflects societal norms where women were often expected to prioritize domestic responsibilities over personal aspirations.
Larkin’s Perspective: As a bachelor and librarian, Larkin observed family life from a distance, often portraying it with a sense of detachment and skepticism
quotations
‘summer is fading’
‘In the hollows of afternoons’
‘behind them, at intervals’
‘the wind/Is ruining their courting places’
‘summer is fading’
contextual significance:
This opening line sets a melancholic tone, symbolizing the transition from the vibrancy of youth to the monotony of adult responsibilities. The fading summer parallels the lives of the young mothers depicted in the poem, who are moving away from the freedom of their youth into the structured routines of parenthood. This seasonal shift underscores the central theme of time’s relentless progression and its impact on personal identity
literary techniques:
Pathetic Fallacy: Larkin uses the natural decline of summer to mirror the emotional and physical decline experienced by the mothers, suggesting a loss of vitality and joy.
Enjambment: The continuation of the sentence into the next line without a pause reflects the ongoing, unceasing nature of time and life’s routines.
Metaphor: “Summer” serves as a metaphor for youth and happiness, and its fading signifies the inevitable end of these transient states
thematic implications:
Transience of Youth: The line encapsulates the fleeting nature of youth, emphasizing how quickly the carefree days give way to adult responsibilities.
Monotony of Domestic Life: By starting with the decline of summer, Larkin hints at the repetitive and unfulfilling routines that characterize the lives of the young mothers.
Loss of Individual Identity: The fading season symbolizes how the women’s personal identities and desires are overshadowed by their roles as caregivers and homemakers
structural considerations:
The poem’s structure, comprising three eight-line stanzas, mirrors the uniformity and predictability of the women’s lives. The lack of rhyme and the use of enjambment contribute to a sense of ongoing, unvaried routine, reinforcing the themes introduced by the opening line
‘In the hollows of afternoons’
literary techniques:
Metaphor: The word “hollows” metaphorically represents the emptiness and lack of purpose in the young mothers’ lives.
Alliteration: The repetition of the ‘s’ sound in “swing and sandpit” creates a soft, almost monotonous rhythm, mirroring the repetitive nature of the mothers’ daily routines.
Imagery: Larkin’s choice of words paints a vivid picture of the scene, emphasizing the ordinariness and lack of excitement in the mothers’ activities.
thematic implications:
Monotony of Domestic Life: The phrase highlights the repetitive and unvaried nature of the mothers’ daily activities, underscoring the poem’s theme of the dullness of domestic life.
Loss of Individual Identity: By depicting the mothers as gathering in the “hollows,” Larkin suggests that their personal identities are overshadowed by their roles as caregivers, leading to a sense of loss and invisibility.
Passage of Time: The setting of “afternoons” implies a time of day associated with the decline of the sun, symbolizing the fading of youth and vitality in the mothers’ lives
structural considerations:
The line’s placement at the beginning of the poem introduces the central motif of emptiness and sets the stage for the subsequent exploration of the mothers’ lives. The use of enjambment, where the sentence flows into the next line without a pause, mirrors the continuous and unbroken nature of the mothers’ routines
‘behind them, at intervals’
literary techniques:
Juxtaposition: The positioning of the husbands “behind them” contrasts with the active presence of the mothers, highlighting the passive roles the men play in family life.
Alliteration: The repetition of the ‘s’ sound in “stand” and “skilled” creates a soft, almost monotonous rhythm, mirroring the repetitive nature of the mothers’ daily routines.
Imagery: Larkin’s choice of words paints a vivid picture of the scene, emphasizing the ordinariness and lack of excitement in the parents’ lives
thematic implications:
Emotional Distance: The husbands’ positioning “behind” the mothers suggests a lack of emotional engagement, reflecting the poem’s theme of isolation within family life.
Monotony of Domestic Life: The phrase contributes to the portrayal of a repetitive and unfulfilling daily existence, underscoring the poem’s exploration of the dullness of suburban life.
Loss of Individual Identity: The passive roles of the husbands imply that both partners have become secondary characters in their own lives, overshadowed by their roles as parents and providers.
structural considerations:
The line’s placement after the mothers’ active engagement with their children emphasizes the contrast between the dynamic roles of the women and the passive roles of the men. This structural choice reinforces the poem’s commentary on gender roles and emotional disengagement in post-war Britain.
‘the wind/Is ruining their courting places’
literary techniques:
Metaphor: The word “hollows” metaphorically represents the emptiness and lack of purpose in the young mothers’ lives.
Alliteration: The repetition of the ‘s’ sound in “swing and sandpit” creates a soft, almost monotonous rhythm, mirroring the repetitive nature of the mothers’ daily routines.
Imagery: Larkin’s choice of words paints a vivid picture of the scene, emphasizing the ordinariness and lack of excitement in the mothers’ activities
thematic implications:
Monotony of Domestic Life: The phrase highlights the repetitive and unvaried nature of the mothers’ daily activities, underscoring the poem’s theme of the dullness of domestic life.
Loss of Individual Identity: By depicting the mothers as gathering in the “hollows,” Larkin suggests that their personal identities are overshadowed by their roles as caregivers, leading to a sense of loss and invisibility.
Passage of Time: The setting of “afternoons” implies a time of day associated with the decline of the sun, symbolizing the fading of youth and vitality in the mothers’ lives
structural considerations:
The use of enjambment, where the sentence flows into the next line without a pause, mirrors the continuous and unbroken nature of the mothers’ routines.
