Afternoons

Afternoons expresses Larkin's view of women and housewives, demonstrating his misogynist attitude by focusing on the things they do in what he considers to be the empty part of the day, when you should be at work. 

Stanza 1:

• 'summer is fading' shows its before winter, suggesting it it an empty part of the year, reinforcing it being an afternoon. Also it is before winter, before things get bad and 'leaves fall' (things fall apart).
• 'Hollows of afternoons' show the time has no purpose. 
• 'setting free their children' suggests they are animals, as well as connoting mothers cage them and have too much control. 
• 'young mother's assemble' sounds formal, juxtaposing what they are actually doing which is going to the sandpits, therefore mocking the women. 
• 'young mothers' shows how judgmental Larkin is of new things, reinforced by 'new'.

Stanza 2:

• 'husbands in skilled trades' shows how its the men that have the talent. 
• 'estateful of washing' demonstrates Larkin being judgmental of the things women do, as well as being stereotypical and suggesting they are rough. 
• 'Our wedding, lying' followed by a line break emphasizes the 'lying' suggesting weddings are lies, women are sentimental and the album is out to remind everyone of the happiness that is no longer there. 
• 'near the television' shows Larkin's dislike for mod cons as they seem more important than history. 
• men 'at intervals' suggests they are more independent compared to women in groups.
• 'wind is ruining' is pathetic fallacy, linking to it being autumn as the wedding season is over and now the marriages begin to break up. 
• 'courting places...still courting places' shows Larkin's repetitive view of life and marriage, suggesting they are all the same. 

Stanza 3:

• 'the lovers still in school' shows how Larkin doesn't like young people and he thinks people get together too young. 
• 'more unripe acorns...to be taken home' reinforces this, and suggests women are possessions to be taken home.
• 'beauty has thickened' demonstrates their only good feature has gone, ironic because he doesn't like young people but is even more judgmental as they age. 
• 'pushed them to the side of their own lives' links to them being on the side of the playground suggesting their children dominate their lives as they are only 'mothers' now, they are only bit parts.