Self’s the Man
Beth Kemp | Saturday March 12, 2011
Categories: Courses, A Level, AQA A Level, AQA A Level English Language & Literature A, ELLA4, Poetry, Analysing Poetry, Larkin, Whitsun Weddings
This poem is included as a taught poem in the scheme of work, as it could be used for three different questions. It could be recommended to more able students for the theme of marriage.
The persona compares himself to Arnold, who initially appears less selfish than the persona because he is married, but the speaker concludes that Arnold was looking out for himself too.
Links to Duffy/Plath: narrative voice (Duffy/Plath), family (Duffy/Plath), love and romance (Duffy), marriage (Plath)
Lang-Lit points: lexis and register, humour in structure and rhyme (e.g. last line of first stanza as a kind of punch line; houses/trousers)
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