Sarah Westvik & Gwen Sim

The author’s perception of the unpleasantness of work life His envy of those who are able to live off their wits only THEME

Metaphor of the toad Alliteration Simile Enjambment Negative connotation HOW

“Why should I let the toad work squat on my life? Can’t I use my wit as a pitchfork And drive the brute off?” A toad reflects the unpleasantness of work for the narrator. Toads are generally perceived to be something ugly and repulsive Suppresses his wish to use wit to drive away the need to work THE TOAD METAPHOR

“Lots of folk live on their wits: Lecturers, lispers, Losels, lolbolly-men, louts- They don’t end as paupers;” Words have degrading connotation through meaning and sound of words to establish the banality of work Alliteration with letter “L” also helps to establish connotation with the “slippery” sound it makes CONNOTATIONS

“Their nippers have got bare feet, Their unspeakable wives Are skinny as whippets- and yet No one actually starves.” “Nippers”, “unspeakable” and “skinny” are all words that hold a negative connotation Larkin utilizes these connotations to express the narrators envy at those who can live off their wit and still get by life well enough. CONNOTATIONS

“Ah, were I courageous enough To shout Stuff your pension! But I know, all too well, that’s the stuff That dreams are made on.” Number of stanzas have a slow pace Use of excess of punctuation and emdashes To represent the drudgery of work life PACE

“And will never allow me to blarney My way to getting The fame and the girl and the money All at one sitting.” Uses enjambment to speed up pace to show: Frustration at the toad-like unpleasantness and how it pervades his life and prevents him from achieving good things And desire, shown in his expanded idea about the fame and the girl PACE