Larkin’s persona has eaten an apple and is trying to throw the core into a basket, but keeps missing. Although he cannot get it into the basket, he keeps picking it up and trying again.
Failure – Although the persona keeps trying to get it into the bucket, he cannot hit the target
Determination – Although you might fail, you should keep going until you get it right
Religious imagery – The story of Adam and Eve – they ate the apple even though God forbid them from doing so, and they were banished from the Garden of Eden. So, this could be saying that taking the “forbidden fruit” or giving into temptation can cause failure and irreversible effects
“Watching the shied core”
The word “shied” has different meanings:
Past participle of shy (so being shy/afraid of Larkin’s persona?
Avoiding doing or being involved with something due to nervousness or lack of confidence (links to theme of failure – core is afraid of not going in the basket, so afraid of failure)
To fling or throw something at a target – this is the literal meaning as the persona is throwing the apple core at the basket
“Striking the basket, skidding across the floor”
Poetic devices:
Use of “s” sound in “striking” and “skidding”
Onomatopoeic sounds in “skidding”
Repetition of “s” sound suggests a routine, or the action being repeated .
“Shows less and less of luck, and more and more
Of failure..”
Repetition of “less” and “more” for emphasis
“less” used twice, again like a routine, with the chance of success decreasing each time
“more” used twice, creates the feeling of wanting to give up when you don’t succeed
“more” is usually used for a positive meaning (e.g. more money = more happiness) but is used as a negative here
“Of failure spreading back up the arm”
“up the arm” – like a heart attack. As he continues to fail the persona begins to take it more personally
The heart is the most important part of the body, so if the heart fails, the body fails
The persona is letting the failure affect him emotionally and psychologically, so this then creates a bigger failure
“Earlier and earlier, the unraised hand calm”
Going back in time, before Larkin had even eaten the apple – “unbitten”
“unraised hand calm” – he hasn’t tried to throw it yet, so he isn’t feeling frustrated or like a failure
Not afraid of failure, the possibility of success is still there
“The apple unbitten in the palm”
Possibilities – when you are young, you have more opportunities whereas in later life you are more limited
Pessimism – in hindsight, you can see that you have failed, so may be reluctant or hesitant to carry on doing something
Getting older – the apple being eaten is like getting older, more is taken away (both physically and metaphorically) and you become weaker, until eventually you are a dead core
Throwing the core away is like throwing a life away
Life and death – you only live once, so don’t be afraid to take an opportunity and be ambitious
Determination – even if you fail, you should keep trying
Age – when you are young, you are ambitious and feel like you can do anything. In old age there are some things you can’t do and see yourself as a failure because of it.
Links: Dockery and Son – life choices and questioning your own success/failures
Whitsun Weddings – feeling of being young, having your whole life ahead of you, but also Larkin’s persona feeling like a failure because he’s not married/with children
Abse: In Landough Hospital
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