Planning marxist question

H.Bertens suggests that "capitalists grow rich and shareholders do well because the labourers that work for them and actually produce goods (including services) get less- and often a good deal less- for their efforts than their labour is actually worth." Looking closely at 'The Large Cool Store' by Philip Larkin and the critical anthology. How far do you agree with this? 

Is there an outright rejection of socialism in the work?
Larkin shows no out right rejection to socialism in his work. 

Does the text raise fundamental criticism about the emptiness of life in bourgeoisie society? (a society where the bourgeoisie is in charge of the proletariats)
in Larkins collection Whitsun weddings some of his poems do show the emptiness of living for example in the large cool store, this was because they are already planned out and have false consciousness which shows the emptiness. This also happens in Mr Bleaney when  his flat is referred to as a coffin and he is living in a box. 

In portraying society, what approximation of totality does the author achieve? What is emphasized, what is ignored? Why? (what society he focuses on and what part of there life does he focus on)
He focuses on a capitalist society

Preparing essay

Researching the writer you have chosen’s autobiography – what events from his/her life may have affected their work?
Larkin survived the bombings in the second world war. His mother was also a nervous and passive women. His mother liked being dominated by her husband. His father loved literature.
What society is the text set in?
The society that Philip Larkin writes Whitsun weddings is a patriarchal society.
What society is the text written for?
The society that this is written for is

Dreams Hopes and Plans for Hollow Men

What does the last stanza mean to you? Is the poem really describing the end of the world, or do the lines merely express a belief held by Hollow men?


The last stanza suggests that the world is slowly ending and the last stanza shows that there is nothing left in the world. This is because throughout the poem T.S Elliot is always talking about how the world is slowly degrading. " This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms". This shows that the world is slowly disappearing. It also shows that T.S Elliot's plans are working as he wants the reader to feel miserable. We can also see that everyone in the poem is boring and has a dull life. " Not with a bang but a whimper". This shows how boring their lives are. This also shows that the world does not end suddenly and it usually slowly fades away.But you can also see as the poem goes on and further towards the end the more miserable and boring the poem and there lives get. This shows that the world is ending slowly as there is eventually nothing left. The hollow men are also described as passive and pathetic as they are described by a "whimper". This shows that they are described as pathetic men as they are seen as small things and boring things.

Possible questions for my marxist essay.

The Times literary supplement argue that Larkins poems portray "a sense of order and a sense of waste." To what extent does Philip Larkin resemble this in his poetry collection 'Whitsun Weddings', using the critical anthology to inform your argument. To what extent do you agree with this view?


H.Bertens suggests that "capitalists grow rich and shareholders do well because the labourers that work for them and actually produce goods (including services) get less- and often a good deal less- for their efforts than their labour is actually worth." Looking closely at 'The Large Cool Store' by Philip Larkin and the critical anthology. How far do you agree with this?

P.Barry believes "a writers social class, and its prevailing 'ideology' have a major bearing on what is written by a member of that class." To what extent is this true when looking at Philip Larkins poetry work. 


I am unsure which question i prefer between question one and two.