Dockery and Son

'Dockery and Son' is a poem by Larkin which follows a theme of ageing and contrasting generations. The tone used throughout is questioning and doubtful; this is complemented by Larkin's intriguing use of punctuation. There are many caesuras in this poem which disturb the flow and create pauses, and this could echo the hesitant nature of Larkin's narrative. For example, many questions are executed in the middle of lines, such as: 'At nineteen, twenty? Was he that withdrawn'. The pause and rupture in rhythm created by the question mark echos Larkin's hestitance and doubt effectively.
     In the first stanza, Larkin includes many hints that the past he is referrring to takes place in a university. He attempts to remember how 'Black-gowned, unbreakfasted, and still half-tight / [he] used to stand before that desk'; this creates an image for the reader of a university student who rushed towards trouble concerning '[those] incidents last night'. The final line of the first stanza runs into the second: 'I try the door of where I used to live: / Locked.' By beginning the second stanza with a single word cut off by a full stop creates a dramatic sense of sudden realisation; it presents the idea that Larkin has abruptly grasped the fact that he can no longer go back to those youthful university days, and age has propelled him into a world outside his past years. He is again depicting himself as an outsider, as he does in the majority of his poems from The Whitsun Weddings. Larkin goes on to describe how he 'catch[es] [his] train, ignored.' This creates a persona of someone who has reached that 'invisible age' - he isn't young and attractive anymore, and it appears that he does not draw any attention to himself.
     The third stanza presents yet more intriguing use of punctuation. Larkin displays the question of: 'Cartwright who was killed?', with the question mark appearing in the middle of the line which is finished with: 'Well, it just shows'. The third line is oxymoronic, as he ponders upon 'How much... How little...' - Larkin's use of ellipsis creates bewilderment, and strengthens the unsure, slightly confused tone of the poem. The odd additional detail of Larkin eating 'an awful pie' is included towards the end of the stanza, and it could be argued that the significance of this is the lack of importance in his life; he has 'no son, no wife / No house or land', and his lonely days of being 'ignored' appear to be filled with the dissappointments of insignificant details, such as his pie. This generates a depressing feeling of gloom.
     Larkin goes on to narrate the shock of finding out Dockery's son is now a university student in the fourth stanza. 'Only a numbness registered the shock / Of finding out how much had gone of life,' - he is ageing with what seems to him a very quick pace, and so much has already become the past. The fifth stanza begins with the word 'convinced', and this contrasts with the uncertain, doubtful tone which Larkin narrates with earlier on. It is as if he has just realised that the reason Dockery had children is because he was sure that 'he should be added to!' because he thought 'adding meant increase'. This line is offensive; it hints at a genetic legacy which appears to be very important to Dockery, making him sound self-righteous and vain, and it could be argued that Larkin is being facist here. To Larkin, having children 'was dilution'; he would have to become selfless, and stop living solely for himself.
     In the sixth stanza, Larkin describes having children as 'habit', 'suddenly ... harden[ing] into all we've got'. Habit becomes routine, and routine becomes tradition, and eventually it becomes impossible to break. This negative perception of having children makes it clear to the reader that Larkin's personna within the poem does not long for the company of adolescents, however much he appears lonely. In the final stanza, he illustrates how 'Life is first boredom, then fear.' This line is extremely pessimistic, and the cynicism which Larkin narrates with creates a dull tone with a depressive view on the future. The line suggests that you will be bored when young, and fearful when you begin to age because of the prospect of death.