How Do the Poets Present the Range of Feelings Associated with Family Relationships?
How Do The Poets Present The Range Of Feelings Associated With Family Relationships?
Parents have their own way of showing their feelings towards their children, whether it’s by their actions or words, they all have a meaning behind them. Larkin and Scannell both show their affection towards their child in different ways, but both want to achieve the same goal for their child, happiness.
In the poem Born Yesterday by Philip Larkin, there are a lot of techniques used to present the feelings of the poet on the birth of a baby. He describes that being ‘dull’ is an openness to change and growth. He hopes that Sally may be ‘ordinary’ and ‘have an average of talents’ and even ‘be dull’. These wishes may seem like he has low expectations for her and makes the reader question if that is what happiness is. However, by the last stanza we realize why he wishes for her to be ‘dull’, and that is ‘if that is what a skilled, vigilant, flexible, unemphasized, enthralled catching of happiness is called.’ Larkin is aware that although it would be a nice thing for a child to be beautiful or running off a spring of innocence, he sees it as impossible. Instead he wishes her to find her own happiness. He wishes the best for the child, but not the fairy tale happy life that a romantic would wish her. He is realistic and would even wish for her to be ‘dull’ if that is what could gain her happiness, which is what any parent would want for their child.
In the poem Nettles by Vernon Scannell we can see that his son has fallen into a nettle bed, and goes to his father for comfort. The boy is firstly mentioned as ‘My son’, this quote shows us that the boy belongs to his father. It is also an affectionate term, this suggests that his son is very dear to him and that there is a lot the father will do to protect his son. He doesn’t want his son to be hurt again, so he ‘went outside and slashed in fury with it only to fully well know that they will grow again and that he needs to learn
Parents have their own way of showing their feelings towards their children, whether it’s by their actions or words, they all have a meaning behind them. Larkin and Scannell both show their affection towards their child in different ways, but both want to achieve the same goal for their child, happiness.
In the poem Born Yesterday by Philip Larkin, there are a lot of techniques used to present the feelings of the poet on the birth of a baby. He describes that being ‘dull’ is an openness to change and growth. He hopes that Sally may be ‘ordinary’ and ‘have an average of talents’ and even ‘be dull’. These wishes may seem like he has low expectations for her and makes the reader question if that is what happiness is. However, by the last stanza we realize why he wishes for her to be ‘dull’, and that is ‘if that is what a skilled, vigilant, flexible, unemphasized, enthralled catching of happiness is called.’ Larkin is aware that although it would be a nice thing for a child to be beautiful or running off a spring of innocence, he sees it as impossible. Instead he wishes her to find her own happiness. He wishes the best for the child, but not the fairy tale happy life that a romantic would wish her. He is realistic and would even wish for her to be ‘dull’ if that is what could gain her happiness, which is what any parent would want for their child.
In the poem Nettles by Vernon Scannell we can see that his son has fallen into a nettle bed, and goes to his father for comfort. The boy is firstly mentioned as ‘My son’, this quote shows us that the boy belongs to his father. It is also an affectionate term, this suggests that his son is very dear to him and that there is a lot the father will do to protect his son. He doesn’t want his son to be hurt again, so he ‘went outside and slashed in fury with it only to fully well know that they will grow again and that he needs to learn