Potential Themes for Philip Larkin’s The Less Deceived

Larkin Potential Themes

Place – I Remember, I Remember; Poetry of Departures; If, My Darling; Church Going

The effects of time – No Road; Next, Please; Born Yesterday; Whatever Happened?; Church Going;
Age; Triple Time; I Remember, I Remember; Skin; At Grass

The future – Next, Please;

The past – Church Going; At Grass

Change – At Grass; Maiden Name; Whatever Happened?; Church Going; I Remember, I Remember;
Latest Face; Skin; At Grass

Outsiders – Reasons for Attendance;

Limits on freedom – Toads;

Voice – Poetry of Departures;

Women – Lines On A Young Lady’s Photograph Album;

Memory – Lines On A Young Lady’s Photograph Album; Whatever Happened?

Youth - Lines On A Young Lady’s Photograph Album

Control - Lines On A Young Lady’s Photograph Album; Absences; Latest Face

Judgement - Lines On A Young Lady’s Photograph Album

Marriage – Wedding-Wind; Places, Loved Ones; Maiden Name

Relationships – Wedding-Wind; Places, Loved Ones; Reasons for Attendance; Dry-Point; Maiden
Name; No Road; Latest Face

Loss – Wedding-Wind; No Road; Deceptions; At Grass

Disappointment – Wedding-Wind; Next, Please; No Road

Expectation – Wedding-Wind; Next, Please; Triple Time

Regret – Wedding-Wind; No Road; Age; Triple Time; Deceptions; Skin

Love – Places, Loved Ones

Commitment – Places, Loved Ones; Latest Face;

Society – Places, Loved Ones; Reasons for Attendance; Dry-Point; Wants; Born Yesterday; Wires;
Church Going; Toads; Spring; At Grass

Childhood – Coming; I Remember, I Remember;

Nature – Coming; Spring; Absences

Change – Coming; Age

Symbolism – Coming; Reasons for Attendance

Freedom – Reasons for Attendance; Poetry of Departures