How does Larkin explore ideas of inequality between social classes?

Larkin explores ideas of inequality between social classes by talking about a clothing store focusing on the way it effects and manipulates the proletariat.The poem ‘the large cool store’ is about a clothing store,specifically Marks and Spencers in the 1950s.They sold cheap clothes which were accessible and affordable for the working class. Clothing and fashion and are central themes in the poem. Marxists would view materialism and popular culture as a bad thing as it benefits the upper class. It does this by distracting the proletariat from what the really need to be doing: changing the political regime to a fairer system that benefits all as they believe communism is the only system that will fully benefit a society and its members. The title “the large cool store” could be interpreted in two different ways as it has a dual meaning. Cool could be seen as popular or in fashion or cold uncomfortable,and harsh. This could demonstrate what the reality of keeping up with popular culture and fashion really is,damaging to the proletariat but beneficial to the bourgeoisie having bad consequences on the lives of the proletariat. Cold could represent the way the bourgeoisie treat the proletariat they heartlessly exploit them to benefit themselves. The cool store is just an institution made to exploit the proletariat further. 

The poems rhyme scheme is ABABA. It is structured to be repetitive like the jobs of the working class ' factory, yard and site'  Many working class people would have jobs in factories or do manual labour these jobs would have been boring and consistent and the rhythm of the poem reflects the structured rhythm of the lives of the working class. They also leave at 'dawn' the proletariat have long working hours and therefore rarely have time to themselves and when they do they go to 'large cool stores' to spend the money they earn to make them feel better about their social class even though they know they cant change it.The poem uses mono syllabic language making it simple and making the store seem bland and predictable. When the working class go shopping for new clothes its usually viewed as a fun experience but this contrasts with the bland predictable image Larkin creates to show that buying these clothes isn’t actually a good thing it just reinforces class inequality by becoming materialistic and creating consumer culture. The proletariat also live in 'low terraced houses' this links to the class of the proletariat they are seen as 'lower' and therefore not good enough to live the high quality of lives the bourgeoisie indulge in.

He also creates the image we are all copies of each other leading similar lives ,doing similar work, wearing similar clothes ‘simple sizes plainly’. These factors are all controlled by the bourgeoisie and control even the smallest details of the proletariats lives, from what they eat to what they wear. Simple and plainly could also be how the bourgeoisie see the proletariat and dumb and easy to manipulate to meet their own ends. The jobs the proletariat did was repetitive and didn't require much thought or education and most of the proletariat didn't pass the 11+ to go to grammar schools or couldn't afford to designed to make sure they did repetitive and manual labour in the future while the bourgeois remained the ruling class .

He also uses colours to create contrast in the first stanza he describes weekday clothes of ‘Browns and greys, maroons and navy’ but in the third stanza when describing weekend clothes they are brighter ‘ Lemon, sapphire’. Most people dress differently and brighter at the weekend as if they are living a double life and that when they have their weekend outfits they can escape the reality of being working class. A capitalist society is also illustrated he states the unskilled work of the proletariat ‘factory, yard and site’ the working class would work in factories or doing laborious work but then buy clothes that were mass produced ‘heaps of shirts and trousers’ therefore increasing the demand for factory and laborious work creating a cycle in which the bourgeois reap the benefits as managers, bosses and owners. Andrew motion also recognised this and said about the poem 'drab people during the week trying to change by night into something they are not.'

In the poem he writes 'to suppose they share that world' and 'how separate and unearthly love is'. The proletariat would think by buying these material items they are becoming more like the bourgeoisie and give them the false belief of social mobility. All the proletariat are really doing is contributing to the current capitalist system. As they are just conforming to to capitalist ideology.

The poem could be critiqued by feminists for the way in which it portrays women. Larkin describes women in a derogatory way 'their sort'. He also suggests a clear divide In the genders 'or women are or what they do'. He also describes feminine clothing in a sneering tone 'Nylon baby-dolls and shorties' he uses female sexuality to create a picture of consumerism and also makes women seem like objects themselves. 'thin as blouses' also creates the impression that women are thin and fragile and lack depth. Feminists would criticise Larkin for this and consider the way he writes about women to be misogynistic. But the way he describes the women could also be interpreted as sympathetic as the women in the poem are also being manipulated by the bourgeoisie.As they benefit from the women buying the clothing they are going to make them feel they need it and that they are not good enough and need to impress men reinforcing both the hierarchy and the patriarchy.
 

In conclusion the poem presents the proletariat as desperate to become equal to the bourgeoisie they become materialistic to do so. They believe if they look more like the bourgeoisie they will become more like them. When actually all that really happens is false conciousness. All the proletariat are doing when buying these clothes is contributing to a system of inequality.