Shattering Illusions: A Comparison of Belonging in Phillip Larkin’s Collected Poems and Ian McEwan’s Atonement

Abstract

This essay examines the construction, and crucially deconstruction, of ideas of belonging in Ian McEwan’ss Atonement, and Philip Larkin’s Collected Poems, destabilising the very ideas they seek to demonstrate. This is analysed through the character of Briony Tallis and her obsession with narrative control, Robbie Turner’s precarious struggle against rigid class hierarchies, and the transient nature of his relationship with Cecilia, alongside an exploration of Larkin’s speakers and their experiences in works such as ‘Home is So Sad’, ‘Mr. Bleaney’, and ‘I Remember, I Remember’. Ultimately, both Larkin and McEwan portray affinities to home, time and community as conditional and fragmented, shattering the illusion of belonging.