Consider the impact of the last few liens of a poem you have studied, referring closely to the language of the whole poem, examine how well these lines act as a conclusion to the whole poem. Afternoons by Philip Larkin.

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AFTERNOONS

Consider the impact of the last few liens of a poem you have studied, referring closely to the language of the whole poem, examine how well these lines act as a conclusion to the whole poem.

In the poem “Afternoons” by Philip Larkin the closing lines are an effective conclusion top the poem as a whole. The closing lines conclude the fact that young mothers are being repressed by society and that they are being forced into a dull joyless life.

‘Afternoons’ is based around young mothers looking after their children. The pressures of society have forced them into marrying young and having children. Due to this they have lost all the joy in their lives and are settling down into a dull meaningless life.

The closing lines of afternoons state that

                                “Something is pushing them

                                  To the side of their own lives”

This effectively concludes the poem as it refers closely to the poems main theme which is developed throughout the poem. The last lines sum up the fact that the pressures of society have forced the mothers into the dull lives that they are currently living.

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The idea that the young mothers have lost their lives is developed through the whole of the poem.

It is effectively introduced in the opening lines of the poem where the poet states

                  “Summer is fading

                    Leaves fall in ones and twos, from

                    Trees bordering the recreation ground”

Summer is a metaphor for the lives of the young mothers which are fading away. Summer is the high point in the ...

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