Theme and message

The main theme of the poem “This Be the Verse” by Phillip Larkin is that of the negative influences parents have on children. The author’s argument is that no one can escape passing some bad things on to future generations, and since this happens involuntarily, the only way out is death and stopping procreation.

The poet’s message is that negatively influencing one’s children happens regardless of one’s wishes; that it is almost like a natural process which cannot be avoided. Consequently, he argues that death/suicide and refusing to have children are the only ways out of this vicious generational cycle.

Negative influences parents have on children

The poem explores a universal theme; that of the way parents influence the development of children. In the poem, Larkin focuses on certain negative aspects.

First of all, parents tend to project their faults and flaws onto their children and even “add ...