Philip Larkin: Born Yesterday Analysis Revision Notes

Meaning –

 Born Yesterday conveys Larkin’s belief that by living a simple life, that is the best way to achieve happiness.

Language –

• The title ‘Born Yesterday’ is a pun as Sally was born a short time before the poem was written. Phrase can also be used to describe someone who is naïve about the world.
•  ‘Tightly-folded bud’ – The metaphor implies that the ‘bud’ is soon to be ready to bloom, but also a baby that is in foetal position – vulnerable
• Larkin uses informal and colloquial language, to remove himself from the clichés and traditions that people normally present young children: ‘Not the usual stuff /’
• The alliteration of ‘being beautiful’ with the indirect praise makes it sound natural
• The personification of the spring which is ‘running’ links to nature
• ‘But if it shouldn’t…’ The conjunction ‘but’ which introduces the second stanza and separates the worldly wishes of ‘they’ and Larkin’s wishes
• Repeated belief of ‘ordinary’, ‘average’, ‘dull’; life doesn’t require more than expected
• ‘Not ugly, not good-looking, /Nothing uncustomary’ – The ‘not… not… nothing’ highlights, again, Larkin’s removal for traditional wishes. Moreover, the juxtaposition between ‘ugly’ and ‘good-looking’ presents the belief that being average is the best
• Larkin also mentions how life will introduce you hardships, but they will be overcome: ‘pull you off your balance’

Structure –

• The two stanzas work in conjunction to reinforce Larkin’s well-wishes for Sally
• The second stanza consists of 14 lines, and is sonnet-like which conveys an indirect love for Sally whilst capturing how happiness will come to Sally naturally
•  ‘– /They will all wish you that,’ – The dash forces a separation between the worldly view of others which Larkin mocks and isolates his own personal view
• The poem’s volta happens at ‘In fact, may you be dull –’ introduces Larkin’s wishes for Sally’s future, with the dash to place emphasis, contrasting normal expectations
• The use of five consecutive adjectives in an asyndetic list ‘skilled, /Vigilant, flexible, /Unemphathised, enthralled’ reveals how hard happiness is to obtain
• The final rhyming couplet of the poem rhymes ‘enthralled’ with ‘called’ and perhaps, ‘called’ can be read as her vocation

Context –

• Addressed and dedicated to Sally Amis, who is the daughter of Kingsley Amis, one of Larkin’s close friends
• In Larkin’s works, he often adopted ‘sad-eyed realism’ and spoke of life in a honest way which is clearly represented by this poem as he addresses clichés and counters this with reality