Toads

Analysis of 'Toads' by Philip Larkin

'Toad' - not literal toad, but a metaphor for work and its obligations in society

Stanza 1

'Why should I let the toad work' - really hates work to compare it to a slimy old toad

'Squat' - not pleasant, work is dreary and soul-sucking 'brute'

Stanza 2

Life sucks because he has to work to pay his bills. 'Six days a week' ruined by work, poisonous to the mind. Quantity of work compared to what he gets out of it isn't in proportion.

Stanza 3

People have escaped the system and use their brains to work - lecturers just talk about what they know, 'losels, loblolly-men, louts' - worthless, foolish, offensive; not really what to aspire to be like. Alliteration of 'l' - like all these people are in some kind of team who have escaped hard work.

Stanza 4

'live up lanes with fires in a bucket' - homeless people, taking fallen food, 'seem to like it' - can't really do anything about it, have to make do.

Stanza 5

'Their nippers have bare feet' - can't afford shoes for the kids, families are malnourished yet not starved - looking on the bright side.

Stanza 6

'were I courageous enough to shout Stuff your pension!' - wishes he could do something to change it but knows he never will because that only happens in 'dreams'.

Stanza 7

'For something sufficiently toad-like squats in me, too' - he has an internal obligation to work, that is 'heavy as hard luck, And cold as snow' - internal struggle.

Stanza 8

Will never be able to sweet-talk his way to the big three; 'the fame and the girl and the money' - doesn't want to have to work for them.

Stanza 9

The internal toad didn't create the external one, and vice versa, but their co-existence makes life hard for him.