1/15/2024 0 Comments A study of reading habits![]() ![]() Symbolic Significance of Stanza IĪnalysis of Philip Larkin poem “A Study of Reading Habits”depicts two symbolic meanings in the last line of this stanza firstly, the speaker may have read books to show himself busy secondly, he may want to suggest to us that knowledge is power through which a person can deal with the people who are stronger to him. He changes his motive and it seems to the readers that the speaker does not read books for learning but to avoid “dirty dongs twice my size”. First part of the poem shows the strong love of the speaker with the books however, in the last lines the poet clears the purpose behind reading so much. ![]() He used to indulge himself in reading books to that extent that he ruined his eyes. In the next two lines, the poet shows his deep interest in reading books. He says that books provide such knowledge that is absolutely rare in real life experiences things that we expect to learn in the last days of life can be learnt by reading books at any stage of life. Analysis of this stanza of “A Study of Reading Habits” in concise words is that Philip Larkin gives a general message. Needless to mention that there are two ways of learning firstly, by knowledge and secondly by experience. He says that when he (the speaker of the poem, whom we consider definitely Philip Larkin) involves himself in reading books, it gives him knowledge that no school can provide. The poet uses the phrase “get nose into something” in the first line of the poem. It is about a situation that is very clear to the readers. The poem starts with an action of doing something. ![]() Words “dirty dogs” and “twice my size” are highly symbolic and establish a connection between the poet and his classmates in his early school life. Philip Larkin does critical analysis of life and summarises it in his poem “A Study of Reading Habits. Symbolically, the poem also talks about the three stages of life in the first stage, a child likes to learn new things in the second stage of life he takes interest in physically pleasurable activities whereas in the third and last stage of life a person stops learning new things as he gains much experience which become enough for him. ![]() He humorously presents some situations in the poem to show the importance of books. He does not lament the habit of not reading books. Critical Analysis of “A Study of Reading Habits” by Philip Larkin As the poem illustrates a universal theme of habit of reading books, hence, he does not only talk about himself but about the relationship of people with the books with a passage of time. In the first part, he shows his own habits of reading books. As a matter of fact, the poet has divided the poem into three parts. The poem contains three stanzas and each stanza contains six lines. He remembers the old days of his life firstly in school when he avoided his bad classmates secondly in teenage when he took interest in sex finally, in old age when he enjoyed the most, hence, the major theme of this poem is sentimentality.Ĭlick to Read Philip Larkin Poem A Study of Reading Habits Text instead of its analysis. In it, the speaker portrays a different world. Most of the poems of Philip Larkin portray death and despair as their main themes however, it is not the case with this poem. Philip Larkin wrote “A study of Reading Habits” in 1960 as obvious from critical analysis of his volume “The Whitsun Weddings” in which the poem under discussion was published. In fact, these were the years when movement poetry emerged. Philip Larkin wrote many wonderful poems from 1960 to 1964. ![]()
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