Pearson Edexcel · A-Level · English Literature

    Course version: 9ET0 · Version from Sept 2015

    Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Post-1900 – The…

    Full specification wording

    Component 3: Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Post-1900 – The Movement – The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse, editor Philip Larkin with foreword by Andrew Motion (OUP, 1973): London is full of chickens on electric spits

    This poem, often identified by its striking opening line (from Peter Porter's 'John Marston Advises Anger'), offers a biting satirical critique of post-war consumerism and urban superficiality in…

    Checked against the Pearson Edexcel 9ET0 specification (opens in a new tab) on .

    • Point 15 of 18
    • 4 key terms

    Study notes

    From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    The idea

    This poem, often identified by its striking opening line (from Peter Porter's 'John Marston Advises Anger'), offers a biting satirical critique of post-war consumerism and urban superficiality in London. Porter uses the grotesque imagery of roasting chickens to symbolise a society trapped in mindless consumption and artificiality. By referencing the Jacobean satirist John Marston, Porter aligns contemporary London with historical corruption, demanding that readers respond with righteous anger rather than passive acceptance of this hollow, materialistic existence.

    What earns the marks

    • Analyse the use of grotesque consumer imagery, such as the 'electric spits', to represent the artificiality of modern urban life.
    • Evaluate the significance of the Jacobean satirical framework and how it elevates the critique of contemporary London.
    • Explore the poet's use of cynical, colloquial diction to create a tone of detached disgust and moral outrage.
    • Discuss the structural choices, noting how the pacing reflects the relentless, mechanical nature of the consumer society being criticised.

    Common mistakes and how to put them right

    • Mistaking the poem for a literal description of London.

      Put it right: Recognise the roasting chickens as a metaphor for a trapped, consumer-driven society.

    • Ignoring the literary allusion to John Marston.

      Put it right: Explicitly connect the poem's anger to the tradition of Jacobean satire and moral decay.

    • Overlooking the tone of the speaker.

      Put it right: Identify the speaker's voice as deliberately cynical and provocative rather than merely observant.

    Exam tips

    • Compare the poem's cynical view of urban life with other Movement poets' treatments of post-war British society.
    • Quote specific jarring images, like the 'electric spits', to demonstrate Porter's use of modern, unromantic diction.
    • Link the theme of moral decay to the broader context of 1950s and 1960s consumerism and the rejection of romanticism.

    Try the lesson

    The start of the Component 3: Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Post-1900 – The Movement – The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse, editor Philip Larkin with foreword by Andrew Motion (OUP, 1973): London is full of chickens on electric spits lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.

    Have a go first

    What aspect of modern life is most directly highlighted by the imagery in the line 'London is full of chickens on electric spits'?

    Listen

    This poem, often identified by its striking opening line (from Peter Porter's 'John Marston Advises Anger'), offers a biting satirical critique of post-war consumerism and urban superficiality in London. Porter uses the grotesque imagery of roasting chickens to symbolise a society trapped in mindless consumption and artificiality. By referencing the Jacobean satirist John Marston, Porter aligns contemporary London with historical corruption, demanding that readers respond with righteous anger rather than passive acceptance of this hollow, materialistic existence. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Analyse the use of grotesque consumer imagery, such as the 'electric spits', to represent the artificiality of modern urban life. Evaluate the significance of the Jacobean satirical framework and how it elevates the critique of contemporary London. Explore the poet's use of cynical, colloquial diction to create a tone of detached disgust and moral outrage. Discuss the structural choices, noting how the pacing reflects the relentless, mechanical nature of the consumer society being criticised. A common slip: Mistaking the poem for a literal description of London. Instead, recognise the roasting chickens as a metaphor for a trapped, consumer-driven society. Exam tip: Compare the poem's cynical view of urban life with other Movement poets' treatments of post-war British society.

    See it

    A top-down flowchart with three parallel starting points that converge. On the left, a node reading 'Grotesque imagery: chickens on electric spits' leads to 'Symbolises mindless consumption and artificiality', which leads to 'Exposes moral decay beneath modern convenience'. In the middle, 'Allusion to Jacobean satirist John Marston' leads to 'Aligns contemporary London with historical corruption', which also leads to 'Exposes moral decay beneath modern convenience'. On the right, 'Cynical, colloquial diction' leads to 'Tone of detached disgust and moral outrage', which leads to 'Demands righteous anger, not passive acceptance'. The moral decay node also leads to 'Demands righteous anger, not passive acceptance'.
    Shows how Porter's grotesque consumer imagery, his allusion to John Marston and his cynical diction combine to expose moral decay and demand righteous anger.

    Key words

    Say what each word means before you turn the card.

    Consumerism

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Urban decay

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Moral corruption

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    Satire and anger

    Try answering aloud or in your head before turning the card.

    See every definition
    Consumerism
    A post-war condition of mindless consumption and artificiality that the poem satirises through grotesque imagery such as roasting chickens on electric spits.
    Urban decay
    The moral decay beneath the veneer of modern convenience in London, which the poet exposes through jarring urban imagery and cynical language.
    Moral corruption
    The historical corruption with which Porter aligns contemporary London by referencing the Jacobean satirist John Marston.
    Satire and anger
    A biting satirical critique demanding that readers respond with righteous anger rather than passive acceptance of a hollow, materialistic existence.

    Label the diagram

    Some boxes have lost their names. Pick the right name for each number.

    The diagram again, with 3 boxes numbered instead of named. A top-down flowchart with three parallel starting points that converge. On the left, a node reading 'Grotesque imagery: chickens on electric spits' leads to 'Symbolises mindless consumption and artificiality', which leads to 'Exposes moral decay beneath modern convenience'. In the middle, 'Allusion to Jacobean satirist John Marston' leads to 'Aligns contemporary London with historical corruption', which also leads to 'Exposes moral decay beneath modern convenience'. On the right, 'Cynical, colloquial diction' leads to 'Tone of detached disgust and moral outrage', which leads to 'Demands righteous anger, not passive acceptance'. The moral decay node also leads to 'Demands righteous anger, not passive acceptance'.

    • 1Box 1

    • 2Box 2

    • 3Box 3

    0 of 3 labelled

    There is more to this lesson

    The full lesson goes on to check your understanding and help you earn the marks. Create a free account to carry on, with your progress saved.

    Carry on with the full lesson

    A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge

    Test your understanding of Component 3: Poetry – Section B: Specified Poetry Pre- or Post-1900 – Post-1900 – The Movement – The Oxford Book of Twentieth Century English Verse, editor Philip Larkin with foreword by Andrew Motion (OUP, 1973): London is full of chickens on electric spits

    Active recall beats re-reading. Take an instant quiz now to test what you’ve learned and lock it into long-term memory.

    Take topic quiz

    A week of Premium from your first lesson · Then the free plan continues · No card, no charge

    Start free

    Cookies on MasteryMind

    Essential cookies keep you signed in.

    Analytics and advertising cookies stay off unless you accept.

    Read our Privacy Policy.