Preview

This Be the Verse by Philip Larkin(Poem)

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
859 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
This Be the Verse by Philip Larkin(Poem)
Being punished as a young child, life seemed harsh and uneasy. The way parents would yell at you, tell you what to do, what not to do, and they always seemed to have gotten in the way of doing what us children wanted to do. It was all done for a reason however. The "cruelty" our parents showed us was out of love. They just want to use their experience to help guide our lives to success. With their guidance we are given opportunities to change some of the things we do for the better. Parents were raised a generation before us, therefore making them not as "chat-friendly" as someone whose our age. Mom and dad have helped in so many ways that we would not be able to name them all. From teaching us about nutrition to what words not to say they have helped us grow, mature, and turn into wonderful young adults.
"They fuck you up, your mum and dad." (ll.1) the first line of this poem comes off very harsh, because it is! Larkin is getting the reader's attention with the first line. Your mom and dad "fuck you up" by giving you insights on how to better yourself and punishing you for the wrong things you have done. "They may not mean to, but they do" (ll.2) Parents don't mean to hurt you, they are trying to mold you into a better person by sharing some of their life experiences with you. M They sometimes comes off as being rude, but really they are being firm and attempting to rub off some of their experience on you. "They fill you with the faults they had" (ll.3) Larkin is basically saying that they share their experience with you because they know that it is very valuable information which can better your life. "And add some extra, just for you" (ll.4) Parents not only use their own experience but also look at their children's life and they try to explain to them what they notice is wrong and how to change that for the better. "But they were fucked up in their turn (ll.5), by fools in old-style hats and coats" (ll.6) Larkin is saying that the parents who

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Powerful Essays

    ethical autobiography

    • 4707 Words
    • 19 Pages

    My parents always seemed odd to me as a child. They were very wordy and overbearing. I always wanted them to just ‘stop ' with the explanations and reasons behind everything that they did. They always had a story, explanation or ditty to give you when they told you something that you did not know. Little did I know as a child that I was part of a limited group of people who were afforded such a luxury. The stories of struggle and choice. The stories of importance and the value behind the choice to become something and to do right was always a topic in our household. There is…

    • 4707 Words
    • 19 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    My mother would always weep to hear the voice of a young man ,who has taken care of himself and his little sister. My father was more than proud of the person who I was becoming, and in that moment I realized these certain changes that were occurring through my life. Numerous of flashbacks of when I had to walk from school holding my young sister's tiny hand, or when I had to bring errands such as vegetables or tortillas for dinner, all the responsibilities I was given everyday to complete, it was to help me become the person I am today. I have seen young people nowadays, and it’s hard to watch them mistreat their parents and not give them the proper love and respect they really…

    • 594 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    While children are influenced by many things, there are no greater influences than that of their parents. Parents are a child’s first playmate and while their world grows parental influence will always be one of the most determining factors in how the child will grow and develop.…

    • 629 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Syntax structure is a key area in which the poem uses the format of words to convey the specific meanings between the four different stanzas. Three ways he is able to do this are listing, enjambment, and transitions between the different parts of the poem. Listing is one technique applied to the poem. In the second stanza, the poet begins to list off materialistic things that the people all around him want that he does not particularly care for: things such as “cheap suits, red kitchen-ware, sharp shoes, [and] iced lollies.” This use of sentence structure can lead the reader to assume the author holds the material wants of a large town in contempt, as he is clearly showing the things that others want while using a negative, almost chiding, tone. In addition, the listing done in the third stanza continues to bring out this negative aura even of smaller towns, of which Larkin describes to have “tattoo-shops, consulates, [and] grim headed-scarf wives.” The structure of listing in this stanza too shows that the poet knows just what it is about these two certain areas that he does not like, and he is not afraid to simply list them off one by one. The poet also uses enjambment in order to distinguish between the mentioned places, though not as clearly noticeable as the listing before it. The enjambed line 24’s transition cleanly into a new stanza beginning with line 25 is one of the clearest examples of the syntax at work, as well as of the distinct shifts between the many stanzas.. The poet’s tone has already shifted a few lines before this move, yet one still is able to feel the third stanza end and the fourth begin while still reading the same sentence. This shift shows the feelings towards the…

    • 1339 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    My parents are always willing to teach their four children a lesson. Most of the time they only have to teach my brothers a lesson because my sister and I are angels! That statement may not be true, but in my mind it is. My parents also think you’re never too old to learn new lessons, even to this day. Whenever I do something stupid that results in me getting hurt, my dad always reminds me that “education is expensive”.…

    • 432 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Themes of Frankenstein

    • 1106 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Parents learn how to parent from their own parents. Each generation socializes children on what is expected in the home, how to behave in public, and how to treat other people. They show by example how valued the child is as he goes through his developmental stages and the crises of life. Not all parents are equipped with the knowledge of how a child develop. (Scholz 5)…

    • 1106 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Poetry assignment

    • 1551 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Your marks for the Poetry unit of work will be derived from an assignment and from a short test.…

    • 1551 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Your adulthood is just an extension of your childhood. Childhood experiences are important because they are what bring up one’s character and personality. A child’s influences on how he/she perceives life will stay with them for the remainder of his/her life. Often, childhood experience’s affect people’s thinking and the way that they behave in their adulthood. Children are influenced from both the outside world, but ultimately a child learns right from wrong, good from bad from their parents. Though most people do not remember the first few years their life the experiences still influence them well in to adulthood. It is important to realize that a parent is a child’s first role model. Negative behavior of a parent increases the risk of a…

    • 696 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    The parents are there to nurture, love and care for the child. Most parents want their child to succeed and have the best life possible. This influence starts from the child being born. This is also known as the attachment…

    • 1224 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    CYPOP5

    • 1552 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Parents nobody understands their own children like their parents, so it is imperative to have a good relationship with the most important people in their lives.…

    • 1552 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    “Writers write to influence their readers, their preachers, their auditors, but always, at bottom, to be more themselves.” the person who has had the most significant influence on me is my mother. This influence goes way beyond the usual “I have great admiration towards my mom because she is the best.” My mom has been the sole guardian of me for as long as I can remember and her actions have turned me into the person I am today. My mother is one who leads by example. She has always given the prime example for me to follow; she has made me look at life like no other person could. My mother has turned me into someone who is responsible for myself and my own actions. Raising two children as a single parent would be, to say the most difficult. But as my brother and I were growing up under the care of my mom, I never saw my life as a struggle even though we were going through so many obstacles at the time . She helped us grow stronger as the problem got worse. I am not saying that my mom took everything with grace and ease; unlike most other children, I have seen my mom both laugh and cry through the experiences of a terrible divorce and sometimes being stuck at the end inbetween my parents was the worst . But this made our home more open to feel and nothing to be hidden. As my mother went through this horrible stage of divorce with my father she never spoke bad things about my father like many mothers’ do Instead she said to love him because we had nothing to do with adult issues. This unpremeditated approach to guidance over my brother and me did not lead to a treacherous pushing of boundaries. In fact, it brought my brother and me closer to my mom; it made us less likely to act out because we knew she trusted us. Many parents create disadvantages to oblige their children before they even have broken the rules.. My mom never utilized this mindset. This has led me to make good decisions because, if I didn’t, I would mostly…

    • 551 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    The priceless bond between a parent and a child is so vital to possess, yet there are some people who will destroy it in a heartbeat. When someone is upset with a loved one, they should always be reminded that they need one another to survive in this world. Without love and family, life would be a constant and lonely battle filled with many struggles and breakdowns. During those hard times, we are reminded of the people who love us and stand by us through it all. "One of the greatest titles in the world is parent, and one of the biggest blessings in the world is to have parents to call mom and dad", said by Jim…

    • 1205 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The people that get to know us best, from our virtues to flaws, are our parents. They have the greatest influence in our life because they are the people we see the most and have known for the longest. They sacrifice many luxuries in order to give their children the best life possible.…

    • 400 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Parents are their children's first teachers. It is from parents that children learn about their culture, values, and language. Parents play a very valuable role in their children's education in and out of the classroom. Because of this reason, parents need to take on the challenge and provide their children the tools they will need in order to be successful in school and life. Education does not only involve acquiring academic qualifications it also involves learning how to be a productive member of society, it involves how to behave in social settings, it involves learning how to figure everyday problems, and so much more. By talking to their children, parents can help them increase their vocabulary, they help their children in their receptive and expressive language, and they help their children feel empowered. Also, parents that talk with their children build lasting positive and strong relationships.…

    • 370 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    I used to think my parents could do no wrong. They were telling me all the right things to do in life, simply because they were near perfect. I remember as a kid, hearing the words “I’m disappointed” was worse than any “over the knee” spanking. The purpose in life was to get approval from my parents. I strived for good grades so I wouldn’t disappoint Mom and Dad. I was a kid and the Saturday morning cartoon line up had more impact on my life then knowing that the capital of Nebraska is Lincoln. I know that now, because my parents were the law, and disappointment was the death penalty. Growing up happened and a greater understanding of the world came about. No longer were my parents perfect. In fact, they all of a sudden became liars and hypocrites.…

    • 621 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays

Related Topics