Toad by Philip Larkin

In the poem Toad by Philip Larkin, the speaker expresses his disdain for work. He states an opinion that many would agree with, that the system of working one's life away is fruitless. However, what really captures the readers attention is the metaphors he uses to convey this idea. The first metaphor, a toad, is explicitly identified as work. He extends the metaphor, stating that he should not let work "squat on my life" (Larkin). He further compares work to a toad by speaking of its "sickening poison". It is clear the speaker despises work, and believes one can live with out, giving examples of those out-of-work people he knows that remain happy. However, the other toad, that squats inside the speaker, prevents him from quitting work. This toad refers to the man's inner greed. He describes it as heavy and cold, and it urges him to continue to work for the materials and privileges in life, whether it is work the sacrifice or not.