Wednesday 12 February 2014

Wild Oats

The title 'Wild Oats' itself shows the idea of having fun and living a little before marriage. Here Larkin talks of two girls who he likes but he gets to one by using the other. Larkin describes the first girl as a "bosomy English rose" which shows she is pretty and classical, perhaps out of his league. Whereas her "friend in specs" is easily approachable and he feels he has more security with her, the way he describes her just as a "friend" may suggest she means very little to him and he gets bored easily. His relationship with this girl is quite selfish and means very little to either because after "four hundred letters" they break up yet, there is no sympathy explaining little passion. He describes having "two snaps" of the pretty girl in his wallet and that perhaps its his "unlucky charm" his dream is unrealistic and perhaps implying that beauty leads to trouble.
Larkin seems to use objectification because he cares more about the looks rather than personality showing that there's a failure and resignation in the face of unstainable beauty.

This poem is based on Larkin's own life as the "bosomy English rose" is meant to be a girl who frequently visited Larkin in the library where he worked. Over time they connected by letters but often didn't maintain the correspondence, perhaps due to being bored of Larkin as she had other offers because she was so pretty. Showing many people believe that 'beauty' is more of an object.

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