Water, First Sight, Days, and Nothing To Be Said

Analysis of Water, First Sight, Days, and Nothing To Be Said by Philip Larkin

Water

- Aims to challenge religion and its followers

- Larkin is not religious but understands that for some people it's their escapism, church is their comforting safe place.

- 'contruct a religion' - fabrication, manmade concept, not real, not worth the time.

- Lazy rhythm - flows irregularly like water

- Alliteration - 'dry, different' 'devout drench' - sounds like a dripping tap.

First Sight

- First step into the world on your own without your mother.

- Lambs born in winter, first sight is cold snow, think the world is cold and cruel.

- 'Earth's immeasurable surprise' - that it will be sunny and warm eventually.

- Represents life - you'll have bad days when everything sucks, but good things will be just around the corner, you just aren't aware of it yet.

Days

- Doesn't seem too concerned about the fact that he's dead.

- Doctor will visit when you die, priest at the funeral will pray for you.

Days to 'be happy in' - don't worry about the future, it's futile, live in the now. Don't worry about things you can't control.

- 'Solving the question' of death, how you're going to die. Only answer to life is death, so don't worry about how or when it's going to come.

Nothing To Be Said

- ' advance on death equally slowly' - Whatever you do in life, death is still coming.

- It doesn't matter where you're from, how nice you are, what you do in life - you're still going to die.

- Some people have accepted this - it 'means nothing' to them, as it's just what's coming to everyine. Some people fear it, it ruins their lives as they are constantly worrying about when it's coming.