"Why should I let the toad work Squat on my life?" - Philip Larkin
At some point in our lives we've all had this negative outlook about work at some point in our lives. Just as we all do, the speaker realizes that work is inevitable at indeed is what "dreams are made on". Now scroll down to the bottom of this paragraph and watch the video for the song "Hey Now" from the Lizzie McGuire movie. It'll make sense if you listen. Now back to toads. This negativity the author has toward this toad of work pushes him as far as to contemplate the lives of the homeless. There's irony in the statement "no on actually starves", because I think the speaker knows fully that people do starve. The speaker soon realizes how lucky they are to have work.
The attitude toward this toad changes abruptly into something that seems almost positive. I believe the idea of work almost nags at the speaker's thoughts. "And will never allow me to blarney my way to getting the fame and the girl and the money all at one sitting." This toad won't allow him/her to get to materialistic, but only to work hard to get what is needed. I think we all need a little of the second toad in our lives.
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