Annus Mirabilis: Philip Larkin

Abstract

In the immediate post-World War II period, life was understandably more fractured and disturbed in Britain than before. People had been subject to the onslaught of the Blitz, and had apparently grown more unified in the face of this. The realities of rationing and frugality had emerged with increased sharpness, resulting in a general sense of ennui and apathy which continued beyond the VE and VJ day celebrations, which were themselves somewhat subdued. According to David Kynaston’s citing of Mass Observation data in A World to Build, “riotous abandon was the exception rather than the rule” (9). Soon after, the Franklin D. Roosevelt-initiated lend-lease program, designed to aid the Allied nations during the war with loaned machinery, from industrial to military, was cancelled:

The factories, which people hoped would soon be changing over to the production of goods for the shabby, short-of-everything home consumers are instead to produce goods for export … People are suddenly realising that in the enormous economic blitz that has just begun, their problems may be as serious as the blitz they so recently scraped through.

(ibid. 103)

Bread rationing only ended in 1947, clothes rationing and sweets rationing in 1949 — the public simply had to learn to cope with the results.