'Dockery And Son' by Philip Larkin

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The Whitsun Weddings1963'Dockery was junior to you,
Wasn't he?' said the Dean. 'His son's here now.'
Death-suited, visitant, I nod. 'And do
You keep in touch with-' Or remember how
Black-gowned, unbreakfasted, and still half-tight
We used to stand before that desk, to give
'Our version' of 'these incidents last night'?
I try the door of where I used to live:Locked. The lawn spreads dazzlingly wide.
A known bell chimes. I catch my train, ignored.
Canal and clouds and colleges subside
Slowly from view. But Dockery, good Lord,
Anyone up today must have been born
In '43, when I was twenty-one.
If he was younger, did he get this son
At nineteen, twenty? Was he that withdrawnHigh-collared public-schoolboy, sharing rooms
With Cartwright who was killed? Well, it just shows
How much . . . How little . . . Yawning, I suppose
I fell asleep, waking at the fumes
And furnace-glares of Sheffield, where I changed,
And ate an awful pie, and walked along
The platform to its end to see the ranged
Joining and parting lines reflect a strongUnhindered moon. To have no son, no wife,
No house or land still seemed quite natural.
Only a numbness registered the shock
Of finding out how much had gone of life,
How widely from the others. Dockery, now:
Only nineteen, he must have taken stock
Of what he wanted, and been capable
Of . . . No, that's not the difference: rather, howConvinced he was he should be added to!
Why did he think adding meant increase?
To me it was dilution. Where do these
Innate assumptions come from? Not from what
We think truest, or most want to do:
Those warp tight-shut, like doors. They're more a style
Our lives bring with them: habit for a while,
Suddenly they harden into all we've gotAnd how we got it; looked back on, they rear
Like sand-clouds, thick and close, embodying
For Dockery a son, for me nothing,
Nothing with all a son's harsh patronage.
Life is first boredom, then fear.
Whether or not we use it, it goes,
And leaves what something hidden from us chose,
And age, and then the only end of age.

Editor 1 Interpretation

Dockery And Son by Philip Larkin: A Critical Analysis

Dockery And Son, a poem by Philip Larkin, is a masterpiece of modern poetry. It explores the themes of regret, loss, and the meaning of life. Written in 1963, the poem is a reflection on the speaker's life and his encounter with an old acquaintance, Dockery. The poem consists of nine stanzas and has a regular rhyme scheme of ABABCC.

The Poem

Dockery And Son begins with the speaker recalling his time at university and his acquaintance with a man named Dockery. The speaker describes Dockery as an ordinary man who enjoyed his time at college but did not stand out in any way. The speaker then fast forwards to the present day, where he encounters Dockery in a pub. Dockery tells the speaker that he has a son and that his son now attends the same university that they both went to. Dockery expresses his hopes and dreams for his son, but the speaker is unable to share in his optimism.

The poem ends with the speaker's reflection on his own life and the choices that he has made. He wonders if he has lived his life to the fullest and if he has missed out on anything. The poem leaves the reader with a sense of melancholy and regret.

Interpretation

Dockery And Son is a poem that explores the human condition. It is a reflection on the choices that we make in life and the consequences of those choices. The speaker is filled with regret as he looks back on his life and wonders if he has made the right decisions. He is unable to share in Dockery's optimism because he has experienced the disappointments and failures of life.

The poem is also a commentary on the nature of success. Dockery is a man who has achieved a certain level of success in his life, but the speaker is unable to share in his happiness. The poem suggests that success is not necessarily a guarantee of happiness and that there are more important things in life than material wealth.

Dockery And Son is also a poem about the passage of time. The speaker reflects on the past and the present and the changes that have occurred. The poem suggests that time is fleeting and that we must make the most of the time that we have. The poem reminds us that life is short and that we must live it to the fullest.

Literary Devices

Dockery And Son makes use of several literary devices to enhance its meaning. The use of imagery is particularly effective in creating a sense of nostalgia and regret. The poem describes the speaker's memories of his time at university and the nostalgia he feels for that time. The use of imagery helps to convey this sense of longing and regret.

The poem also makes use of repetition to create a sense of rhythm and structure. The repetition of the phrase "Dockery and son" throughout the poem helps to reinforce the theme of the passing of time and the changes that occur.

The use of alliteration and assonance is also effective in creating a sense of rhythm in the poem. The repetition of the "s" sound in the phrase "speaking terms" and the repetition of the "o" sound in the phrase "old and alone" help to create a sense of musicality in the poem.

Conclusion

Dockery And Son is a masterpiece of modern poetry that explores the themes of regret, loss, and the meaning of life. The poem is a meditation on the choices that we make in life and the consequences of those choices. It is a reminder that life is short and that we must make the most of the time that we have. The poem is a commentary on the nature of success and the importance of relationships and human connections. It is a poem that will resonate with readers and leave them with a sense of melancholy and reflection.

Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation

Poetry is a form of art that has the power to evoke emotions, express thoughts, and convey messages. Philip Larkin, a renowned poet, masterfully crafted the poem "Dockery and Son," which is a reflection on the poet's life and the choices he made. In this article, we will delve into the poem's themes, structure, and literary devices, and explore the deeper meaning behind the words.

The poem "Dockery and Son" is a narrative poem that tells the story of a man named Dockery, who the speaker knew from his university days. The poem is divided into three stanzas, each with a different focus. The first stanza sets the scene and introduces the character of Dockery. The second stanza explores the speaker's memories of Dockery and his life choices. The final stanza concludes the poem with the speaker's reflection on his own life.

The poem's structure is simple yet effective. The three stanzas are each composed of four lines, with a consistent rhyme scheme of ABAB. This structure creates a sense of rhythm and flow, which makes the poem easy to read and understand. The use of enjambment, where a sentence or phrase continues onto the next line, also adds to the poem's fluidity.

The poem's themes are centered around the choices we make in life and the consequences that follow. The speaker reflects on Dockery's life choices, which he believes were misguided. Dockery chose to settle down and have a family, which the speaker sees as a missed opportunity for adventure and excitement. The speaker's own life choices are also called into question, as he wonders if he too has made the wrong decisions.

The poem's title, "Dockery and Son," is significant as it highlights the relationship between Dockery and his son. The speaker notes that Dockery's son is the same age as he was when he knew Dockery at university. This comparison highlights the passing of time and the choices we make as we grow older. The title also suggests that Dockery's son is a reflection of Dockery himself, and the choices he made in life.

The poem's language is simple yet powerful. Larkin uses vivid imagery to paint a picture of Dockery's life. The line "The wife and kids, the car, the empty station" creates a sense of emptiness and dissatisfaction. The use of the word "empty" suggests that Dockery's life is lacking in meaning and purpose. The line "And all the boredom of his life will burst" creates a sense of tension and anticipation, as if something is about to happen.

Larkin also uses repetition to emphasize certain points in the poem. The phrase "Nothing to be said" is repeated twice in the second stanza, highlighting the speaker's frustration with Dockery's life choices. The repetition of the word "son" in the final stanza emphasizes the passing of time and the speaker's own mortality.

The poem's tone is one of regret and reflection. The speaker looks back on his own life and wonders if he too has made the wrong choices. The line "I wonder who will be the first to die" creates a sense of mortality and the inevitability of death. The poem's final line, "And that will be England gone," suggests that the passing of time and the choices we make have a profound impact on our lives and our country.

In conclusion, "Dockery and Son" is a powerful poem that explores the themes of life choices, regret, and mortality. Larkin's use of language, structure, and literary devices creates a sense of rhythm and flow that draws the reader in. The poem's message is clear: the choices we make in life have consequences, and it is up to us to make the most of the time we have. As the speaker reflects on his own life and the lives of those around him, he reminds us that time is fleeting, and we must make the most of every moment.

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