Larkin and Duffy- Materialism

Materialism

Materialism- Larkin: The Large Cool Store, Sunny Prestatyn, essential beauty Duffy: Litany, The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form team 

Thesis

both- explore materialism by highlighting how society and individuals are obsessed with possessions, status, appearances.

Larkin - critiques social and consumerist values with irony

Duffy examines the emotional and cultural impact of material obsession on identity.

P1 Superficiality and Desire for Status

Both - critique superficial desire of status

Larkin focuses on consumer culture

Duffy on personal and societal pressure.

• Larkin – Sunny Prestatyn : Consumer goods, glamour, and advertising create illusions of status and happiness, masking emptiness and monotony.

• Duffy – The Captain of the 1964 Top of the Form Team: Achievement and recognition are tied to social validation and material success, but fail to provide fulfillment.

P2 Facade vs Reality

Both poets show materialism as a superficial façade

Larkin emphasizes social illusion

Duffy personal and emotional concealment

• Larkin – Essential Beauty: Billboards and advertising promise perfection but conceal the dull reality of life.

• Duffy – Litany: Lists of achievements, possessions, or societal markers create a façade, masking emotional truth and authentic identity.