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Part 1: Reflection
Philip Larkin's "This Be the Verse" should indeed be considered "great literature”. He has written this piece not for himself but for his readers. More so than that, he has written it for all readers. Larkin suggests that human beings “fuck” up their children, and have been “fucked up” by their parents before them. The fact that his poem was first published in 1971 and is still being used today as a literary study, illustrates its ability to stand the test of time and apply to all ages. Everyone has been or will be a youth. This will never change. And those youths will more likely than not, blame their parents for the misgivings in their lives. Even more so than his theme, his choice of tempo and diction create a great piece of writing. The variation in tempo and diction used in “This Be the Verse” creates an interesting and even comical atmosphere. When Larkin uses a sing-song tune and shocking language during the first verse, he appeals to the young people who may be reading the poem. Switching to a more sombre and dark tone in the middle of the poem creates more sophisticated passages, appealing to the adults that may be reading. With a final switch back to light hearted language but with a dark message, leaves the readers with the ability to take from the poem what they want. Whether it be a bit of fun surrounding the relationship between parents and children, or a warning toward perspective parents to think twice, Larkin has created a poem that spans generations and will be considered “great literature” for years to come.
Part 2: Looking Ahead
Madeline Thien’s “Simple Recipies” ties directly into the theme of Philip Larkin’s “This Be the Verse”. The main discussion in Larkin’s poem is the relationship between parent and child and what is passed down to the child, whether it is positive or negative. Thien’s story touches directly on the subject and even goes so far as to provide an example of the intense impact parents have upon their children. Larkin and Thien are also similar with their approach to laying out the story for the reader. Thien starts out her story with what seems like a pleasant anecdote about memories a daughter shares in with her father. She then changes dramatically to a tense scene of child abuse and capital punishment within the home. Larkin’s poem mimics this, starting with light hearted rhyming before changing to serious and biblical messages. Both authors attempt to show the positive and negative impact parents have upon their children. It is the dark impact however, that stands out. Thien does a fantastic job of illustrating not only what a child sees but how they process information. The daughter in the story is ridden with guilt about doing nothing to help her brother, and also about thinking negatively about her father. This guilt is brought on not only inwardly, but more so by seeing the guilt that her mother bears. Thien also illustrates the moments in a child’s life that are shaped by the acts of the parents. The daughter encounters one of these moment when she realized her relationship with her father will one day been torn apart by his violence. The influence a parent has on a child is immense; maybe Larkin isn’t so wrong in suggesting getting out as early as possible and refraining from reproducing. They sure do fuck you up don’t they?