The Mower: Philip Larkin

This 23-slide lesson explores Philip Larkin’s poem, ‘The Mower’.

The lesson considers how the hedgehog in the poem - as well as the speaker’s reaction to what he has done to it - functions symbolically and metaphorically. Close attention is paid to Larkin’s language, structure, form, and rhythm, while the poem’s message is deconstructed in light of the elegy’s suspiciously neat conclusion.

Larkin’s poetic and literary influences are also explored with regard to the poem’s genre and imagery.

Questions, discussion points, and tasks are included. An essay question is also featured for students.

This resource includes a copy of the poem.

The lesson is ideal for analysing this poem as an ‘unseen’ text at GCSE, but could also work with KS3 or A level groups.

PowerPoint saved as PDF.