Respect Religion

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During the Modern Age, there was a popular growth in education. Phillip Larkin was a known figure in the “The Movement.” His ideas were more direct and personal. Larkin enjoys writing about typical everyday things. The views of this poem are about going to church, not religion. Phillip Larkin’s “Church Going” shapes the poem with the speaker’s attitude, observation of the decline importance of churches, and the change in tone throughout the poem. To start with, the reader is greeted with the speaker of the poem. He strolls into an empty church. Larkin is very descriptive of this church. He describes everything from the little books to the restored roof. The speaker unveils himself here, “From where I stand, the roof looks almost new— Cleaned, or restored? Someone would know: I don't” (Larkin lines 11-12). This state statement is bold. The speakers is showing attitude and his view of religion. What does the roof have to do with religion? He is pondering if the roof has been cleaned or restored. He does not know because this is not his church, but it is someone else’s. This church perhaps might have been significant to someone and they would know about the roof. The speaker tries to hide his care for religion by pointing out structures in the church. In the third stanza, the speaker wonders why he has stopped in the first place because this church is at a loss to him. He has developed a pessimistic attitude to this church. He comments, “Shall we avoid them as unlucky places? (Larkin 27). People do not think of a church as an unlucky place. Someone who is not religion can often view a church as just another building. The speaker is spiritual, but not religious. He slightly hinting that he is seeking God. Secondly, Larkin is expl... ... middle of paper ... ...r theme. A touchy subject that Larkin makes direct and personal. He also chooses to write about a church, a typical everyday place. The views of this poem deals with physical things, but in the end reveals a more religious side. He was not taking religion seriously and in the end he decides he needs to. Phillip Larkin’s “Church Going” forms the poem with the speaker’s attitude, observation of the decline importance of churches, and the alteration in tone throughout the poem. Works Cited Larkin, Phillip. “Church Going.” The Norton Anthology: English Literature. 9th ed. Ed. Stephen Greenblatt. New York: Norton, 2013. 2842-2844. Print. West, Robert. "Here's The Church, Here's The Steeple": Robert Morgan, Philip Larkin, And The Emptiness Of Sacred Space." Southern Quarterly 47.3 (2010): 91-97. Academic Search Premier. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. .

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