Assignment By Shehreyar

NUML-F20-11977
Section 6A
Submitted To: Madam Munazza
Modern Poetry
Church Going by Phillip Larkin
 Stanza

Dispersed, yet tending to this cross of ground

Through suburb scrub because it held unspilt
So long and equably what since is found
Only in separation - marriage, and birth,
And death, and thoughts of these - for which was built
This special shell? For, though I've no idea
What this accoutred frowsty barn is worth,
It pleases me to stand in silence here;

Detailed Summary:
That last person might have visited the church because he was either bored or uninformed or jut
know that the ghost stories are not true so he came here to chill, not for a religious purpose. Yet
he will tend to come to this cross of the ground meaning the church. He will come to this church
through this suburb and he will wonder what held this church unsplit till this day and he will be
mesmerized by this.
Or
he tends to travel there through the scrub of suburbia to try and experience the power of the
church himself. The Church has stood for so long without being destroyed, so there must be
something there, right?
The church is only built for some special events like separation, marriages, deaths or for other
special occasions and that is the purpose of this church. Larkin says that such thoughts will be on
the mind of the last person. The person will think that for whom that special shell was built? He
might be referring to the church or a room inside the church which the father of the church uses.
The person will wonder why this old and frowsty and rusted barn (a small room in the church to
store multiple things or he might refer to the church as a whole) was built? He doesn’t know the
purpose behind it but he knows one thing that he feels pleasure when he is standing in that
church. From that onward we can dee the real motive of the Larkin that he is a religious person
and the previous part of the poem was just a satire on the modern world about their distance from
the church and from religion.
Or
This “special shell” (i.e. churches) was built to celebrate marriages, births, and the lives of those
who have died; so can religion be all that bad? The narrator shows respect for the church and
religion by saying that even though he doesn’t know what this “frowsty barn is worth,” it still
“pleases him to stand in silence here.” Silence connotes comfort; he doesn’t feel the need to
disrespect the church by making noise any longer, he simply enjoys his surroundings.

Analysis of the Stanza:

1. Imagery and Setting:

The imagery of a "cross of ground" and "suburb scrub" creates a contrast between the sacred and
the ordinary, emphasizing the church's role as a space for human connection and reflection.

2. Themes of Separation and Unity:

 The stanza explores the idea that the church has held the essential aspects of human life, which
are now found "only in separation." This suggests that the church once served as a unifying
force, but these events have become fragmented and disconnected in modern society.

3. The Church as a "Special Shell":

The metaphor of the church as a "special shell" highlights its role as a protective and sacred
space for the experiences of marriage, birth, death, and thoughts of these events. This emphasizes
the church's unique function in providing a space for people to come together and contemplate
the most profound aspects of human existence.

4. The Speaker's Ambivalence:

The speaker admits to having "no idea" what the church is worth, indicating a sense of
ambivalence or uncertainty about the church's significance in contemporary society. Despite this,
the speaker is drawn to the church and finds pleasure in standing silently within its walls,
suggesting that the church still holds a certain power or allure.

5. The Role of Silence:

The stanza concludes with the speaker standing "in silence" within the church. This silence can
be interpreted as a moment of contemplation or reflection, allowing the speaker to connect with
the deeper aspects of human experience that the church represents. The silence also serves to
emphasize the solemnity and reverence associated with the church as a sacred space.

Thank You