FAITH HEALING- PHILIP LARKIN

Contents of the Poem• ‘Faith Healing’ is a poem which explores the absence of love, and the

way in which some people try to make up for this through religion. Larkin provides a narrative which depicts the flaws of religion, and he also portrays his personal opinion that both love and religion are untruths. He tells of how for many people, faith healing – a form of religious healing – is just like love; they wish it could solve and fix everything but this is an unreality, and the fact is (from Larkin’s point of view) ‘That nothing cures’.

• Within the poem, Larkin describes faith healing as something to be mocked; his tone is sarcastic, showing that he does not believe in the religious activity, just as he does not believe in the healing powers of love. The healer is faced with ailments about ‘this eye, that knee’ – Larkin adds insignificance to the activity in a patronising tone. He also portrays the people who believe in love and faith healing as ‘dumb and idiot[ic]’, showing clearly his disapproval of the movement. Both love and faith healing are shown as things that other people believe in, but Larkin does not – yet again he creates an external persona which is viewing the poem’s topic from the outside looking in.

• The contents of ‘Faith Healing’ could be seen as misogynistic at times. He describes those who are partaking in the faith healing process as ‘women’; it could be argued that he is saying women are more naïve, ‘dumb’ and ‘stupid’ than men, and that the male population would not get caught up in such an activity. He also describes these women as being ‘Moustached in flowered frocks’, which is offensive and rude.

• The overall message of the poem is that love is seen as something powerful enough to solve every issue within a person’s life – this is a romantic view. However, the reality is that love is disappointing, even untrue, and faith healing is just another untruth which is relied upon by the human population to fix their problems, when in fact it can do no such thing. Although this strong message is carried through the poem, the final line depicts a slither of doubt from Larkin; he comes to talk about proof, which contrasts with faith (believing without proof). The voice saying ‘Dear Child’ could be interpreted as God or the healer – Larkin leaves the last line down to personal interpretation.

Poem techniques by Larkin• Larkin has included several alliterative sentences, examples include; “lift and lighten,” “sheepishly

stray,” and “thick tongues.” He uses them to speed up the flow of the poem, when read aloud it allows for the reader to speak freely.

• “Within whose warm spring rain of loving care.” This is a metaphor and it is describing the comfort the women can find in the priests voice. He has used it to show how woman can be easily manipulated into thinking everything is ok, as long as they feel safe.

• He has also used repetition of the words; “what’s wrong,” however, in one stanza it is in italic, but the other it is not. This could be because before it was being spoken, and perhaps in the other it is being thought, as if Larkin is scoffing and sort of laughing at their stupidity.

• Anthropomorphism has been used when describing the scenery; “the rigid landscape weeps.” This is giving nature a human emotion, and he does this because perhaps he is referring to how solid fact is offended at how people are believing in such ridiculous theories; as if nature is offended by people’s question of it.

• The word he uses in the second stanza; “blort,” is not a real word, and is therefore neologism. Larkin uses this because it represents how much he doesn’t believe in the idea of being healed by faith, that he feels he has to create a new word just to get rid of his emotions.

• Pathos has been used when he says; “their eyes squeeze grief.” This shows his slight pity on women, as if they keep bottling up their emotions and then their eyes are the give away, as if they open up the lid.

• Larkin has used a cliché phrase in this poem; “dear child,” it is commonly used by priests and despite this it is still extremely stereotypical of him. It also sounds sarcastic because you would read it with a Texan accent.

• Another technique would be empiricist because he has used an old, grey haired priest, it makes him innocent and therefore the audience (the women) more gullible.

• Larkin is a humanist, he doesn’t believe in the supernatural, and therefore the idea of being healed by faith.

• Imagery has been used to describe the reaction of the audience; “some stay stiff, twitching and loud.” This is used to allow the reader to imagine how they all look, almost deranged and laughable.

• He has used a parody when he says; “moustached in flowered frocks they shake.” It is a comical description of what the crowd of women look like, and it also sexist because he is making a fool of them.

• And finally, antithesis has been used in the last stanza, using two contrasting ideas in one sentence. “To some it means the difference they could make by loving others, but across most it sweeps as all they might have done had they been loved. He has used this because it shows how different people are from one another, and by being loved allows for the faith to be restored in it.

Context of the poem• Description of Faith Healing: It is founded on the belief that certain people or places have the ability to cure and heal that someone or something can eliminate disease or heal injuries through a close connection to a higher power. This can involve prayer, visit to a religious shrine or simply a strong belief in a supreme being.

• Overview: Available scientific evidence does not support claims that faith healing can cure cancer or any other disease.

• -Many religious sects claim healing can cure blindness, deafness, cancer, AIDS, developmental disorders etc.

• A few ‘faith healers’ have been caught using fraud as a way to get others to believe in their methods. These people often solicited large donations or charged money for their healing sessions.

• Larkin fell in love with a school- girl aged 16, Ruth bowman, when he was a Librarian, aged 21. She was described as a ‘small town girl, with a Methodist background’. This may give us some sense of Larkin’s view on love and his views on religion as his love fizzled out after seven years of ups and downs.

• ‘Throughout his time at Oxford, Larkin had been snubbed by girls, He wrote a letter to his friend saying: ‘'I personally think that going out with women is not worth it. I don't want to start a serious argument exactly, but the amount of time one has to lay out in tedious and expensive and embarrassing pursuits seems to me too much for what sketchy and problematic gains may accrue. If there were a straightforward social code that copulation could be indulged in after a couple of drinks (one of which the woman stood) then I should be more enthusiastic’

• ‘The whole business of sex annoys me. As far as I can see, all women are stupid beings. What is more, marriage is a revolting institution.' -Larkin