Poem Analysis - Story

The Allure and Illusion of Escape

Philip Larkin's "Story" is a concise narrative exploring the human desire to escape the mundane and forge a new identity. The poem follows a man who leaves his familiar, yet unfulfilling, village life for a seemingly idyllic existence in the South. Initially, the tone is one of dissatisfaction and weariness, which gives way to hopeful optimism, but ultimately settles into a state of detached oblivion. Larkin suggests that while change can be initially invigorating, the past, and perhaps a sense of authentic self, can be easily lost in the pursuit of an imagined ideal.

Longing and Dissatisfaction

One of the central themes of "Story" is the theme of dissatisfaction with one's present circumstances. The poem opens with the protagonist's explicit weariness: "Tired of a landscape known too well when young." This weariness encompasses not just the physical environment ("shallow hills, the boring birds, / Flying past rocks") but also the social and emotional landscape of his youth ("the village children and their naughty words"). He is not just bored; he actively seeks an alternative, implying a deep-seated yearning for something more stimulating or fulfilling. The poem clearly indicates a theme of escape.

The Siren Song of the South

The poem develops the theme of the illusion of paradise through the protagonist's experience in the South. He immediately "Recognised at once his wished-for lie," suggesting that his idealized vision of this new life is, from the outset, a fabrication. However, he willingly embraces this lie, finding pleasure in "the inhabitants' attractive mouth, / The church beside the marsh, the hot blue sky." This idyllic imagery contrasts sharply with the drabness of his previous life, highlighting the seductive appeal of manufactured happiness. The phrase "mirage" underscores the unreal and ultimately unsustainable nature of his Southern existence.

Familiarity Versus Forgetting: A Loss of Self

Recurring symbols in the poem reinforce the theme of lost identity. The "village children and the rocks" serve as symbols of the protagonist's past and his authentic self. When he occasionally wonders "If the children and the rocks were still the same," it suggests a flicker of doubt and a potential longing for his roots. However, this moment of introspection is fleeting. The phrase "But he forgot all this as he grew older" is the poem's most poignant line. It indicates not just a forgetting of his past, but also a kind of self-imposed erasure, a deliberate choice to bury any connection to his former life in favour of the comforting illusion he has constructed in the South. Did he forget because he was happy, or because the truth was to painful to remember?

Final Thoughts

"Story" is a cautionary tale about the dangers of pursuing a life built on illusion. While the protagonist finds temporary solace in his manufactured paradise, he ultimately sacrifices his connection to his past and perhaps a part of his authentic self. The poem suggests that true fulfillment is not found in escaping one's reality but in confronting it, or at least acknowledging its enduring presence. The final line, "But he forgot all this as he grew older," leaves the reader with a sense of melancholy, highlighting the potential emptiness of a life lived in denial.