Toad In The Poem Toads By Philip Larkin

In the poem “Toads” by Philip Larkin, a man who never makes himself known begins to talk about two toads. Although not being literal, the man uses toads as a metaphor for objects within his life which hold him back from feeling purely accomplished. The first toad that he speaks of is the influence and pressures which society forces on individuals to work. The second toad is one which he finds within his subconscious which prompts him to work and never quit, despite how bad he wants to. The man soon realizes that although one toad does not create the other, it is hard to lose one toad when he has both. The use of meter, form, and rhyming within the poem help to demonstrate that in some cases, dissatisfaction is inevitable. The poem was written