New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Understanding 'Afternoons'

I can explain what I think ‘Afternoons’ is about and support my opinion with evidence.

New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Understanding 'Afternoons'

I can explain what I think ‘Afternoons’ is about and support my opinion with evidence.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Larkin arguably presents us with a cynical view of family life in the poem.
  2. This cynicism could be reflective of his mother’s attitudes towards marriage, which she shared with Larkin
  3. The passage of time is a key theme in the poem; Larkin arguably presents time as a threat to the young parents.
  4. Larkin arguably presents the monotony of family life as unfulfilling and arduous.
  5. Larkin presents the young couples as emotionally-distant, their responsibilities have forced them apart.

Common misconception

Students often think that Larkin must have had a hostile relationship with his family because of this poem and some of his other poems.

Larkin didn't have a hostile relationship with his parents - he was just a cynical man who held quite bleak views. This doesn't mean he hated his parents - he just recognised that people are products of their own parents.

Keywords

  • Pessimistic - seeing the worst in things or people and believing that the worst will happen

  • Cynicism - being distrustful of people - believing the worst about their intentions and their integrity

  • To stifle - to restrict or restrain something

  • To dilute - to make something weaker

  • To expose - to uncover or reveal the truth about something

There are some fantastic articles about Larkin's relationship with his family that you could give to students for additional reading. They would help the students to think critically about Larkin's perspective.
Teacher tip

Equipment

A copy of the Eduqas poetry anthology is essential for this lesson.

Content guidance

  • Depiction or discussion of sensitive content

Supervision

Adult supervision recommended

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
Philip Larkin (the poet) was born in 1922 and died in 1985. Which of the following did he witness?
WWI
Correct answer: WWII
Neither world war
Q2.
When did WWII occur?
1937-1944
1936-1945
Correct answer: 1939-1945
1939-1944
Q3.
What do you think we mean when we use the term the "post-war" era?
before the war
during the war
Correct answer: after the war
Q4.
What might the verb "to assemble" mean?
to rejoice and celebrate
to disperse and separate
Correct answer: to gather together
to condemn and criticise
Q5.
What might the word "pessimistic" mean?
being distrustful of people - believing the worst about their intentions
Correct answer: seeing the worst in things or people and believing that the worst will happen
to restrict or restrain something
to make something weaker
Q6.
What are the connotations of the word "expect"?
optimism
Correct answer: demand
freedom
Correct answer: lack of choice
kindness

6 Questions

Q1.
When did Larkin write 'Afternoons'?
in the late 1940s
Correct answer: in the late 1950s
in the late 1960s
Q2.
What word does Larkin use to describe summer in the first line of 'Afternoons'?
Correct Answer: fading
Q3.
Which of the following is true about Larkin?
Correct answer: He had a cynical outlook on family life.
He was a soldier in WWII.
Correct answer: Many of his poems contain themes of death, relationships and the passage of time
He did not share a positive relationship with his family.
Q4.
What might Larkin be exposing in 'Afternoons'?
the achievement of parenthood
the passage of time
Correct answer: the lack of autonomy in motherhood
the freedom in marriage
Q5.
What might 'Afternoons' be a warning about?
the difficulties of being a child
the lack of romance in marriage
Correct answer: the passing of time
Q6.
Match the vocabulary with its definition.
Correct Answer:pessimistic,believing that the worst will happen

believing that the worst will happen

Correct Answer:cynical,being distrustful of people's intentions

being distrustful of people's intentions

Correct Answer:to stifle,to restrict or restrain something

to restrict or restrain something

Correct Answer:to dilute,to make something weaker

to make something weaker

Correct Answer:to expose,to uncover or reveal the truth about something

to uncover or reveal the truth about something