"The saddest heart in the post-war supermarket" - With close reference to two poems evaluate Larkin's presentation of consumers, consumerism and advertising in the post-war supermarket.
After world war two, there was a move within literature from an early symbolistic style, to a development of the poetic voice. Larkin was an example of such expressionism, and writes his poetry in such a persuasive form that we feel we have to accept his views as our own. "The art of the poet is to remove the feelings of others by exhibiting his own".
In looking at Larkin's poetry, it becomes apparent that Larkin is cynical towards the world in which consumerism has replaced religion. Although Larkin was an Agnostic, describing religion as "the moth-eaten musical brocade created to pretend we never die", the persona in "Church going" has taken time to visit the church and Larkin seems to be well acquainted with the religious terms of the various furniture within it, suggesting he has some sort of respect for it. Religion represents an old Britain and an era of which Larkin appears very nostalgic towards. In 1950, the decade in which this poem was written, only ten percent of the British people attended church. "Church going" reflects on the decline of the church and The less deceived collection generally focuses on an acceptance of post-war austerity and the decline of a lost England.
The Whitsun weddings consists of many poems which constantly focus on advertising and the material world.
"Sunny Prestatyn" expresses Larkin's views on advertising, reinforcing his view of photography in "lines", to be "faithful and disappointing". The fight cancer poster shows a reality of illness, which the deceiving poster, construed by the dominating advertising world, has tried to mask. Terry Whalen views the "healthy rebellion" of Titch as the male aescration of a false image/idol". Titch could be seen as the "less deceived", liberated by the violation of the unreal image that advertisers produce.
One of the actions I took to promote a system change was to partner with The John Burton Foundation (JBF), The Children's Law Center (CLC) and Larkin Street Youth Services (LSYS) and go up to the Sacramento State Capitol and Lobby and inform legislators about SB 528 (Parents in Foster Care). ...
