Here is a poem about a journey into Hull (Philip Larkin's home town) and it give his perspectiveon his home town and the people who live their. It has three main focuses throughout. Those being; movement and speed, attractive descriptions of place and other (less positive) descriptions of place.
Firstly the movement references, Larkin talks about "swerving east" which gives us a sense of speed and direction as well as an understanding of sharp movements. He continues to use the word swerving, which could also be interpreted as the train avoiding things or more metaphorically Larkin avoiding things himself. Once into the city Larkin describes the "dead straight miles" this suggests the city is repetitive, or boring and goes on for as far as he can see. Finally in the fourth stanza the movements become more free and natural, he talks about how "leaves unnoticed thicken" and "neglected waters quicken" both of which are natural movements rather than that of a train or man made streets. Also the quote "luminously-peopled air ascends"is an image of the smoke and fumes of the city rising away and leaving behind fresh and natural air of the outskirts.
Next the attractive descriptions of place, these seem to stay outside the city centre and away from new and industrialised parts. Larkin describes "meadows" and "skies and scarecrows, haystacks, hares and pheasants" in a seemingly fond way and also talks about "widening rivers" "gold clouds" and "shining gull marked mud" the way theses are listed and the fact he uses alliteration emphasises his positive view on these things which are mostly natural and agricultural images. However in the second stanza Larkin does provide a seemingly positive view on the "domes and statues, spires" of the city, creating a nice image of the skyline. Again in stanza three the only attractive description is of the thriving land, when Larkin says "wheat fields running high as hedges" which puts the image of successful farming and healthy land into the mind of the reader. Finally in the last stanza he describes "poppies" and the beach and sun, giving us an ending image of natural beauty.
In contrast Larkin gives a lot of more negative descriptions of place including that of "cranes" and "grain scattered streets, barge crowded waters" making Hull sound dirty and crowded. These kinds of description continue into the third stanza when Larkin describes his surroundings as "urban yet simple" and "fishy smelling" both of which are almost repulsive descriptions which certainly do not make hull seem like a place someone would want to visit. However there are no more unpleasant descriptions after the third stanza and the poem ends on an attractive and natural, yet thought provoking image.
Next the attractive descriptions of place, these seem to stay outside the city centre and away from new and industrialised parts. Larkin describes "meadows" and "skies and scarecrows, haystacks, hares and pheasants" in a seemingly fond way and also talks about "widening rivers" "gold clouds" and "shining gull marked mud" the way theses are listed and the fact he uses alliteration emphasises his positive view on these things which are mostly natural and agricultural images. However in the second stanza Larkin does provide a seemingly positive view on the "domes and statues, spires" of the city, creating a nice image of the skyline. Again in stanza three the only attractive description is of the thriving land, when Larkin says "wheat fields running high as hedges" which puts the image of successful farming and healthy land into the mind of the reader. Finally in the last stanza he describes "poppies" and the beach and sun, giving us an ending image of natural beauty.
In contrast Larkin gives a lot of more negative descriptions of place including that of "cranes" and "grain scattered streets, barge crowded waters" making Hull sound dirty and crowded. These kinds of description continue into the third stanza when Larkin describes his surroundings as "urban yet simple" and "fishy smelling" both of which are almost repulsive descriptions which certainly do not make hull seem like a place someone would want to visit. However there are no more unpleasant descriptions after the third stanza and the poem ends on an attractive and natural, yet thought provoking image.
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