Many of Larkin's poems do suggest that many people's lives are disappointing. He talks about the ways in which people cant find love or happiness often using persona.
On one hand, Larkin writes poems such as, 'Afternoons,' where he focuses on the lives of women after having children. He uses pathetic fallacy; using nature to reinforce a character's emotions or experiences. This metaphorical language is a good technique for giving a sentence two meanings. A good example of this is at the beginning of the poem, 'summer is fading.' Larkin could just be talking about the weather/seasons changing, however, he could be suggesting that the women's lives are in actual fact fading, giving a disappointing view on life.
As summer is seen as a 'happy,' 'uplifting' time, the fact that it's fading could suggest that the enjoyable, happy times in the women's lives are disappearing. 'Hollows in afternoons,' could suggest that the afternoons seem empty and meaningless, however it also could suggest that the women are in the 'afternoons' of their lives and are feeling empty.
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Line art drawing of a "pathetic fallacy".When saying, 'behind them at intervals,' the second stanza suggests that the husbands aren't the leading care-takers. They take a 'back seat' role when it comes to looking after the children. It suggests that they only intervene when they want to. 'And the albums, lettered our wedding,' shows that their wedding albums have been forgotten/abandoned, and just left on the floor, However, as the albums are out in the first place, it suggests that they were maybe reminiscing their wedding. This either shows disappointment or hope for the women and their marriages.
When saying, 'before them the wind is ruining their courting-places,' it shows that their love life/relationship is falling apart. 'The wind is ruining their courting places,' suggests that they're being swept...