A Stylistic Analysis of Philip Larkin’s Toads

文史艺术2013年8期(中)A Stylistic Analysis of Phillip Larkin's ToadsFu Yanli( Guangdong U niversity of Science and T echnology , Guangdong Dongguan, 523083 )Abstract T his paper analyzes the syistic features of the poem“T oads" written by Philip Larkin. This paper focuses on the sylistic features lexis grammar, rhetoricalteies ponetisand so At te endof this QPer sone inrpetiris wll be made to lutle the impotarce of syisis 0o petry apeceainin1 Stylistic Features of the Poembroadening of the description of the first toad.obeys the traditional rules and it is still aPoetry as a kind of literature owns somtraditional English poem.unique linguistic features and it can givethe toad is linked to a type of poison. Larkin has2.2.2 Meteranalvzed stvlisticallv and the stvlistic featuresan thattheamoutofhienoiconone Phasthe frstineg ithere Reoresseserswhilthrerewill be presented in terms of lexis, grammaringest is not proportional to the benefit it bringsare three stresses in the second line. Taking aand phoneticspanoramie view of the poem, we will find that1.3.2 Alliterationsuch kind of form is regular, because it is the1.1.1RegisterThe third stanza marks the beginning of asame in each stanza. That is to say, there areLarkinouusedtmanyPoollouialwordswhich follouinotwostanzasHerethenoetstartstoeach stanza. The reason why I arkin used suchcould be heard in everyday speech. It also explore the seeming escape’ of certainkind of form, from my understanding: Firstly,accords with his style. For example, I arkinindividuals from the toad, Work, and theirhe obeys the traditional rules to a large extent.uses. the word “nippers' ’，which is slang forapparent happiness. He effectively usesHe tries to make the poem regular. Secondly, hechildren, as a way of showing how these peoplealliteration in the line “Lecturers, lispers, /wants to express the strong feelings.Thistuseofdicon reatvexpandsthemeaninghoisspaoupetotreatasdronineyafeet thattenerpretanonormnetoem) images of aof the stanza.makes the list seem to go on indefinitely. Thisgrotesque, lttle amphibian and yet it is this1.1.2Semantic deviation,seems to make Larkin's argument better bylittle animal that Larkin decides to base hisIn this poem, the word“squat” is not theshowing this seemingly long list of individualspoem on. He describes two toads. One is theoriginal meaning， it has another differentwho supposedly escape work by using theirexterior influence that society has on and1.3.3 Symbolismndividual to work, and the other Isthe Interioris definitely not one of the English languagesIn the fourth stanza, Larkin examines. thethirty six line attempt at finding away to eludemost attractive words. Rather by stretchingpoor, people. who seem to escape work.. Ththe“squatting" of the toads, and yet in the endone's mind it can be seen as an“ugly" verb. Thewords“windfalls” and“tinned sardines" arehis conclusion is that there is no way to hideuse of this "ugly" verb with a noun that alreadysymbolic for poverty.“Windalls"* represent thefrom them.has the connotation of being ugly. In fact, itldeaot.being tlled with nothing. These peoplew Thepoethere reters to his retrement tromgets involved in the athor's lfetsardines" are viewed as the food poor peoplehe wants the Toad to endow him with a kind of1.2 Grammareat. Larkin says these people manage to eluderoutine, so that though he does. not live life1.2. 1 Voicethe toad and live on nothing or near nothingevocatively, he can impart some significance toIn this poem, generally speaking, the wholewhile remaining happyit. He cannot lead the road to Death sluggishly.vorce 18 active, except one part. Thereason whyLarkin uses a pun "hat's stuf as dreams are .However, Larkin ironically admits that dreamsgive a vivid description of the picture. Even it ismade on" derived from the tempest act scene 1iust”something you can throw awav. Heeasy for the reader to imagine such a picture.when Prospero said to Miranda and Ferdinandcompares the toad-like being to“hard luck" and1.2.2 Tens"we are such stuff that dreams are made on" Itcold snow. Larkin recognizes that despite hisThe whole poem is in the present tense,means that all mortal things in this life,complaints, he will never get out of the rat racewhich means it can stand the time. For theincluding human, are only parts of short dreams.because thenall his hopes and dreams for thepresent situation and also to universal. timeless .matter how hated it is, no one would getmatters. Whenever the reader reads the poem, itAfter reading the whole poem, we can findanywhere.can have a fresh. impression and ponderLarkin holds a sarcastic tone. He describes the4 Conclusionsomething of the societytoad as sickening and poisonous and bemoansBased on the poem“Toads", this paper1.2 Rhetorical Devicesthe tact that he works sIx daysaweek andreapsanalyzes the stylisie.featuressuchas lexisFree repetition is the exact copying of somestanzas he describes the people who are lazier:paper also presents the deeper interpretation ofprevious part of a text, of course, if there were“losels, loblolly-men, louts." Though he admitsthe poem. The significance of the stylisticmerely a partial repetition, this would amountthat they are poor, with barefooted children andfeatures makes_ the readers have a betterto a parallelism. And it includes immediateskinny wives, he sarcastically writes that,“Nounderstanding of the poem and enhance theirrepetition and intermittent repetition. While inone actually starves.”appreciation of the poem. When reading. aexample *lots of folk live on their wits". "1lotsLarkin makes an analogy between toad andcontents but on their stvlistic features sinceof folk live up lanes". It contains a regular partwork. He also exploresthe relationshipthey are of great help for appreciating poems.“lots. of folk live" and varying parts“on theirbetween work and play with an extendedBibliography :wits",“up lanes"." It expresses the author'sanalogy in his poem "Toads". Larkin admits1] Geoffrey N. Leech. A Linguisticstrong feeling and stresses that there are lots ofthat even his dreams will not be met, butiuide, to English, Poetry [M]. 北京:外denotes an ironic meaning and a great satire on play. This wraps up the poem nicely for the9 2]常耀信，索金梅:《英国文学通史》society. Larkin's parallel between work andreader, who will agree with the author in theM]， 南开:南开大学出版社toads is completed, and while one may. try toend because of the realization that there can be[3] 刘世生，朱瑞青:《文体学概论》deny the strength and power of the toads, oneM]，"will never truly escape them.something no one truly wants to give up for that[4]李明滨:二十世纪欧美文学史》As the poem begins, Larkin wastes no time2.2 Phonetics[6吴元迈:、《20 世纪英国文学史》[M]，in introducing the first toad,“Why should I let2.2.1 Rhyme scheme青岛:青岛出版社the toad work 1 Squat on my life." The first toadThe rhyme scheme of the whole poem is“a,is said to be equal to work. The use of this, except for the seventh stanza in the付艳丽、(1987.07-) ，女，河南许昌，metaphor links one's memory to the social second line. “Too” can be regarded. as喜子The second stanza continues on with asometimes goes against the tradition, he still中国煤化工MHCNMH G111