2020thth Century British Century British LiteratureLiteratureBryan WarwickBryan Warwick

Unifying ThemesUnifying Themes►Social Values – Through their works, Social Values – Through their works,

authors expressed the changing social authors expressed the changing social values that the world was experiencing values that the world was experiencing at the time.at the time.

►War – The 20War – The 20thth Century held some of the Century held some of the worst, most violent wars of history. worst, most violent wars of history.

►Colonialism – British authors also wrote Colonialism – British authors also wrote about the changing ideas towards about the changing ideas towards colonialism, and they called for change.colonialism, and they called for change.

Famous AuthorsFamous Authors► Virginia WoolfVirginia Woolf►George OrwellGeorge Orwell► E.M. ForsterE.M. Forster► Tom StoppardTom Stoppard► Peter ShafferPeter Shaffer►Malcolm LowryMalcolm Lowry

Famous WorksFamous Works► 19841984►Mrs. DallowayMrs. Dalloway► To the LighthouseTo the Lighthouse► Under the VolcanoUnder the Volcano► EquusEquus► A Passage to IndiaA Passage to India

““Toads”Toads” -- -- Philip LarkinPhilip LarkinWhy should I let the toad workSquat on my life?Can't I use my wit as a pitchforkAnd drive the brute off?

Six days of the week it soilsWith its sickening poison Just for paying a few bills!That's out of proportion.

Lots of folk live on their wits:Lecturers, lispers,Losels, loblolly-men, louts They don't end as paupers;

Lots of folk live up lanesWith fires in a bucket,Eat windfalls and tinned

sardines they seem to like it.

Their nippers have got bare feet,Their unspeakable wivesAre skinny as whippets and yetNo one actually starves.

Ah, were I courageous enoughTo shout Stuff your pension!But I know, all too well, that's the stuffThat dreams are made on;

For something sufficiently toad-likeSquats in me, too;Its hunkers are heavy as hard luck,And cold as snow,

And will never allow me to blarneyMy way to gettingThe fame and the girl and the moneyAll at one sitting.

I don't say, one bodies the otherOne's spiritual truth;But I do say it's hard to lose either,When you have both.