Larkin’s poetry in known to have an ironic understatement and to use commonplace experiences. This poem provided a great example of both of those styles. The irony behind the poem is that the condition’s in the pet shop for these animals was not ideal, but neither was the situation once they were bought by children. Regardless of the situation these animals were not being treated properly and they deserved to be in their natural habitat. Also, a pet shop is a commonplace; many families take their children to a pet shop to buy one of those creatures that Larkin mentions. It is a normal everyday experience that he depicts. I thoroughly enjoyed his poem and I was able to find a deeper meaning after reading the poem several
Larkin’s poetry in known to have an ironic understatement and to use commonplace experiences. This poem provided a great example of both of those styles. The irony behind the poem is that the condition’s in the pet shop for these animals was not ideal, but neither was the situation once they were bought by children. Regardless of the situation these animals were not being treated properly and they deserved to be in their natural habitat. Also, a pet shop is a commonplace; many families take their children to a pet shop to buy one of those creatures that Larkin mentions. It is a normal everyday experience that he depicts. I thoroughly enjoyed his poem and I was able to find a deeper meaning after reading the poem several