A04- both imply domestic drudgery. Windows- universal, Afternoons-
centred around the female experience.
Dockery and son- both show personas who are envious of others in their
comparisons-semblance of superiority complexes-undertone of
resentment.
“how do you earn a life…how do you learn it”- Rhetorical question-
insecurity disguised through jealousy. Repetition of rhetorical questions
demonstrates an envious and isolated perspective as the persona feels
dissatisfied with the unrewarding nature of their own quotidian life-
yearning for the idealised, romanticised domestic bliss. Duffy’s
intentions=portray the insecurity that society as a whole is taught to
disguise. Similar syntactic structure-internal rhyme, abundance of
questions-inability to grasp concept of this quotidian suburban life-
universal inaccessibility for humanity (social comment). Economical
connotations of “earn”- sense of bitterness as the class system restricts
people from moving upwards (outsider due to class, not as fully explored
in here).
“going on/behind yellow windows, writing at night/the Latin
names of plants for a garden/opening the front door to a wet
dog?”- “windows” is plural-common occurrence. The windows are also a
lens the persona is looking through-separating them from their happiness.
“behind”- metaphor for the class divide (extremely distinct under
Thatcherism). “yellow”-tainted-society’s dishonesty. AI=yellow could be
the glow from the fireplace-nostalgic image-image of warmth and comfort,
that they are not a part of-social barrier-outsider. “Latin names”-wealth
and education-stereotypical middle class comfortable existence.
“those you love forgive you, clearly/with steaming casseroles and
red wine”-bitter tone, alludes to a potential tension within the family that
is alleviated through temporary fixes-indicative of the bourgeoisie.
Wholesome luxuries are the object of incessant yearning-symbolic of
suburbia-juxtaposes the innate warmth that Larkin has towards the
pastoral. “clearly”- convinced they are the epitome of knowledge
surrounding this family despite only grasping brief glimpses of the interior
through visuals or fragments of sound-situational irony.
“It’s the same film down all the suburban streets. It’s a wonderful
life”-intertextual reference to pop culture/classic Hollywood film from
1946- consoling celebration of small-town life, where the ordinary man
has considerable significance, touching the lives of many and being loved
by his family. AI= could refer to the consumerism that fuels middle class
indulgence, perhaps as an escape from the inherent dullness of their lives.
Repetitiveness of domesticity- ‘suburban streets’ are well known for their
similarity in build and lack of individuality-speaker longs for a sense of
belonging.
centred around the female experience.
Dockery and son- both show personas who are envious of others in their
comparisons-semblance of superiority complexes-undertone of
resentment.
“how do you earn a life…how do you learn it”- Rhetorical question-
insecurity disguised through jealousy. Repetition of rhetorical questions
demonstrates an envious and isolated perspective as the persona feels
dissatisfied with the unrewarding nature of their own quotidian life-
yearning for the idealised, romanticised domestic bliss. Duffy’s
intentions=portray the insecurity that society as a whole is taught to
disguise. Similar syntactic structure-internal rhyme, abundance of
questions-inability to grasp concept of this quotidian suburban life-
universal inaccessibility for humanity (social comment). Economical
connotations of “earn”- sense of bitterness as the class system restricts
people from moving upwards (outsider due to class, not as fully explored
in here).
“going on/behind yellow windows, writing at night/the Latin
names of plants for a garden/opening the front door to a wet
dog?”- “windows” is plural-common occurrence. The windows are also a
lens the persona is looking through-separating them from their happiness.
“behind”- metaphor for the class divide (extremely distinct under
Thatcherism). “yellow”-tainted-society’s dishonesty. AI=yellow could be
the glow from the fireplace-nostalgic image-image of warmth and comfort,
that they are not a part of-social barrier-outsider. “Latin names”-wealth
and education-stereotypical middle class comfortable existence.
“those you love forgive you, clearly/with steaming casseroles and
red wine”-bitter tone, alludes to a potential tension within the family that
is alleviated through temporary fixes-indicative of the bourgeoisie.
Wholesome luxuries are the object of incessant yearning-symbolic of
suburbia-juxtaposes the innate warmth that Larkin has towards the
pastoral. “clearly”- convinced they are the epitome of knowledge
surrounding this family despite only grasping brief glimpses of the interior
through visuals or fragments of sound-situational irony.
“It’s the same film down all the suburban streets. It’s a wonderful
life”-intertextual reference to pop culture/classic Hollywood film from
1946- consoling celebration of small-town life, where the ordinary man
has considerable significance, touching the lives of many and being loved
by his family. AI= could refer to the consumerism that fuels middle class
indulgence, perhaps as an escape from the inherent dullness of their lives.
Repetitiveness of domesticity- ‘suburban streets’ are well known for their
similarity in build and lack of individuality-speaker longs for a sense of
belonging.
