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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In the poem "Deceptions," what does the ruined woman in the epigraph claim?

2. What animal is mentioned in the poem "Wires"?

3. What does the coming season do to the narrator of the poem "Coming"?

4. What season does the poem "Coming" discuss?

5. In the poem "Is It for Now or For Always," what does the narrator call his lover?

Short Essay Questions

1. In "Friday Night at the Royal Station Hotel," to what does the narrator compare the hotel? What kind of letters do the people write?

2. Where is the narrator in the poem "Climbing the Hill"? What is the tone of the poem?

3. In "Livings," where is the narrator? Why does he go there?

4. In the poem "Toads Revisited," where is the narrator? What does he contemplate?

5. In the poem "The Large Cool Store," what does the store sell? What is the end of the poem about?

6. In the poem "Ugly Sister," why does the girl go to her room? Where does she find solace?

7. In the poem "Maiden Name," what has marriage done to the subject? What is the result of this?

8. In "Pigeons," what are the pigeons backing against? What are they doing at the end of the poem?

9. In the poem "Within the Dream," of what does the narrator dream? What is his reaction to this dream?

10. Where is the narrator in the poem "Night Music"? What does the poem celebrate?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Throughout his collected poems, Larkin calls upon the theme of youth to illustrate age and longing. Write an essay about the topic of youth in the collection "The Less Deceived," using at least three examples.

Essay Topic 2

In the collection "High Windows," Larkin uses light in many of his poems to create imagery and metaphor. Using at least three examples, write an essay showing Larkin's use of light.

Essay Topic 3

Larkin uses nature often in his poetry. Using at least two poems, write an essay that explains his comparison of human characteristics vs. those of nature.

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