Commentary on One of the Poems by Philip Larkin

873 Words4 Pages
How does Philip Larkin present the themes of illusion and reality in Sunny Prestatyn? In the poem Sunny Prestatyn, Philip Larkin uses harsh reality to show the depth of the illusion. At the beginning of the poem as the reader you are presented with an idealistic, sunny picturesque scene on a billboard, with a young pretty woman inviting people to “Come to Sunny Prestatyn”. This idealistic scene gives the illusion that Prestatyn is always sunny, when the truth is it is most likely to rain in Prestatyn due to being located in Wales. The woman in the advertisement is shown to be laughing and is wearing white satin, “In tautened white satin”. This gives the idea that the woman is unspoilt, pure and virginal. This image misleads the reader into thinking that the poster indicates that Prestatyn is unspoilt and pure. The illusion carriers on when Larkin describes the palm trees and the coast at Prestatyn. “…a hunk of coast, a hotel with palms”. The “hunk of coast” is a colloquial term of men and suggests manliness. The palm trees suggest an erotic type of Eden that is paradise and perfection. This also gives the reader the illusion that Prestatyn will be the holiday of their dreams. Larkin also makes the woman on the billboard the ultimate sex appeal with “a hotel with palms/ Seems to expand from her thighs”. This suggests that she is giving birth to the hotel. The reader is also given the image of the woman offering her palms to the reader, “…and spread breast-lifting arms” by doing this it suggests that if men went to Prestatyn then they are likely to find a woman like her. In the first stanza the image and illusion of this perfect place is built up. The illusion and image that was built up in the first stanza begins to break down and is slowly destroyed when Larkin uses harsh reality. “She was slapped up one day in March.” The tone used in this line suggests that

More about Commentary on One of the Poems by Philip Larkin

Open Document