Analysis of Robert Frost's Mending Wall - Essay Example

Mending Fences: December 2, Mending Fences: Introduction. The poem Mending Wall presents many interpretations (Fasano 51). The research focuses on determining the purpose of mending the walls. The research delves on explaining why mending the damaged wall should not be prioritized. First, the poem indicates that there is a division between the two areas. In the poem, the wall divides two neighbors. Robert Frost uses poetic language to encourage the poem readers to read between the lines. The poem typifies the old saying indicating bridges are used to connect two or more people while walls are used to separate persons. The poem discusses real life neighborly relations in any global community. England Farms. Robert Frost wrote the poem Mending Walls based on the England 1913 farm environment, while visiting Scotland. The motto “good fences make good neighbors” is the motto equated to the French-Canadian culture of Robert Frost’s time period. Frost heard the motto from Napoleon Guay, a French Canadian. Robert Frost first published his poem collection that contained the Mending Fences poem in England during 1914. Frost intended the poem to mean the relationship between two neighbors in any global community (Tuten 204). Depreciating walls. Further, the poem shows that walls, like buildings, cars, trucks, houses, and other man-made creations, easily depreciate (Fasano 51). To depreciate means to slowly weaken as time goes one. The forces of nature cause the wall parts to slowly fall apart. The poem literally shows that some broken wall parts may allow the entry of small animals or other animals to pass through. Lines 1 to 4. Explaining the above paragraph, the lines 1 to 4 show that something abhors the wall. The something seems to pertain to Mother Nature. Mother Nature slowly destroys the wall’s structure. Rains soften the wall’s structure. Likewise, the wind-pushing movements of hurricanes and cyclones exert strong pressure to break up parts of the wall. Clearly, the first line’s “something there is that doesn’t love a wall,” refers to Mother Nature. Likewise, the poem can be interpreted as the relationship between two persons, including the two neighbors who are bothered by the construction of the wall (Fagan 221). Robert Frost sends a vivid message that the two neighbors are not close friends. The poem portrays the two neighbors are only mere acquaintances. The neighbors are described as two individuals forced by the wall deterioration situation to communicate with one another. In addition, the poem narrator’s neighbor state in the last line “Good fences make good neighbors (Lehman 231).” However the neighbor does not explain what the criteria for a good neighbor is. One possible interpretation of a good neighbor is one who frequently communicates with one another. Another explanation of a good neighbor is one who gives gifts on special occasions like birthdays, Christmas, marriages, and other special events. A third possible description of a good neighbor is one who helps a neighbor during emergencies like floods, earthquakes, fires, accidents and the like. Good neighbors. Likewise, the good neighbor can be described as one who comes to the rescue of a neighbor who is being robbed, invaded, abused, or transgressed. Another possible meaning for a good neighbor is one who goes out of one’s way to avoid a neighborhood quarrel, scuffle, fight, or misunderstanding. Of all the above possible meanings of what makes a good neighbor, the meaning that best fits the poem’s last line is the last description. Since the wall divides the two neighbors, a fight between the two neighbors is reduced to a bare minimum (Fasano 51). Since the walls prevent the two neighbors from seeing each other’s faces, communication between the two neighbors is reduced. With less communication between neighbors, the possibility of future fights between the neighbors is lessened. Clearly, the last definition for building walls is very logical. Daily dealings. Further, the poem can also be interpreted as a person’s everyday dealings. Some individuals build walls during their earthly day. The same individuals avoid talking to complete strangers they meet along the streets. Likewise, several persons do not open up to strangers they meet in malls, groceries and other pubic places. Some difficult- to-please individuals build walls because they do not trust complete strangers. Other persons build walls to avoid future hurts or injury. Other persons build walls to avoid repeating prior lackluster relationships. Other busy individuals build walls because they do not have the luxury of time to build strong personal relationships. Another hurt lady may close her betrayed heart from the overtures of sincere suitors for fear of being betrayed a second time. Bridges, not walls. Moreover, the poem paints a picturesque scene that many individuals, including the poem’s narrator, build bridges, not walls. The wall can be interpreted as lack of freedom, of tyranny. On the other hand, the neighbor interprets the wall as compliance with tradition (Tuten 203). Many individuals prefer meeting complete strangers to help build the strangers’ brighter future, just like the school teachers. Moreover, some individuals choose meeting complete strangers to repair their physical lives, just like the nurses and medical doctors. Other individuals prefer hearing the cries and other hurting stories of disillusioned, crazy, and other problem-laden to offer rehabilitative counseling, just like the psychiatrists and the psychologists. Some persons venture into uncharted territories to generate sales and profits, just like the sales persons. Other individuals are eager to meet individuals of the opposite gender for possible marriage options. The paragraph’s discussion offers many advantages of postponing mending walls to later time periods. Further, the poem states nature plays a vital role in the slow destruction of the wall (Fagan 221). The presence of a rabbit (poem’s line 8), hill (poem’s line 12), sun (poem’s line 3) and the stone (poem’s line 7) shows the time is ripe for mending the slowly deteriorating wall. With the sun up, the neighbor feels enthusiastic to repair the wall. The line 4 stating “And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.” shows the wall destruction is at a stage where repairs cannot be postponed for another day. The poem’s hill scene indicates that the two neighbors are farmers. In addition, the 11th poem line “But at Spring mending time we find them there.” indicates that the neighbor is repairing the broken wall during Spring time. Furthermore, the poem describes an actual occurrence in the Robert Frost’s England community or neighborhood (Tuden 203). The poet may be writing the poem to record a neighborhood occurrence for posterity. The poet unfolds a story that can possible occur in any farm or neighborhood community. There is strong probability that the poet, Robert Frost, may be one of the neighbors. There is a strong probability that Robert Frost may be the narrator neighbor who questions the usefulness of mending the wall. The neighbor may not want Robert Frost as close friend. The poem’s neighbor character may fear that befriending Robert Frost, the poem’s possible narrator, may trigger future quarrels or misunderstandings. Consequently, the poem gives the impression that some neighbors build and mend walls to prevent the neighbor’s altercations. The wall prevents miscommunication and hurt among the neighbors. The wall can beneficially prevent future neighborhood fights. Since the fights are prevented, the two neighbors are friends. The paragraph aptly explains the last poem line “Good fences make good neighbors." In addition, the poem creates a beautiful impression that Spring a good time for making friends (Fagan 221). The poem’s 11th poem line “But at Spring mending time we find them there.” Vividly shows that the neighbor prefers to talk to neighbors during the Spring season. The poem indicates Spring time is a good time for repair activities. Repair activities include. The poem also offers a between the lines message that Spring is a good activity for farming. Just like in today’s time period, Robert Frost is trying to show that Spring time is a warm month. A warm Spring month is right for the human body to go outside the home. Our current time period shows a similar situation during Robert Frost’s time when some plants thrive best during the Spring months. Analyzing the lines, the 24th and 25th lines of the poem states “He is all pine and I am apple orchard (Fagan 221). My apple trees will never get across.” indicate that the two neighbors are farmers. The neighbor is growing pine trees. On the other hand, the poem narrator has an apple orchard farm. The presence of rabbits indicates that the two neighbors are farmers. The poem’s 8th line “But they would have the rabbit out of hiding” shows that the scene of the poem is a wide farm expanse. The rabbits dig the farms to steal the crops, especially carrots. The rabbits thrive in open spaces where they build rabbit holes near the vegetable plots. Scrutinizing the poet’s intentions, the poem shows the importance of the wall (Fagan 221). The wall can provide security to the neighbor. The wall prevents the entry of unauthorized persons. The wall discourages the robbers from continuing with their illegal acts. The wall lessens the powerful winds of the rampaging cyclone. The wall blocks the strong hurricane’s destructive winds from wreaking damage on the neighbors’ properties. Lastly, the high impenetrable wall provides privacy to both neighbors. The 3rd poem line “And spills the upper boulders in the sun (Fagan 221).” clearly shows that wall is high. The wall is high enough to cover the sun’s rays from touching the neighbor’s eyes. The line indicates that the neighbors build high walls to increase their security. In terms of security and privacy, the high walls are better than low walls. A burglar can easily jump over a low wall to steal the neighbor’s valuable items. The evil robber can easily trespass over the low wall to rob the rich neighbor. In the process, the assailants may even kill the neighbor who refuses to give what the robber wants. Different intentions. More importantly, the poet, Robert Frost, vividly wrote the poem to show that the two neighbors do not agree on the purpose of building or building the wall. The poem readers are left to decide who is telling the truth (Faggen 231). The poet shows that the two neighbors are not in good speaking terms with one another. The poet discusses one neighbor’s penchant for closing up the communication line with the friendly neighbor, the narrator. The narrator is not eager to mend the wall. However, the strict neighbor persuades the narrator to help mend the wall during the favorable Spring season. In addition, Robert Frost makes a mockery of the neighbor’s unfounded fears (Fagan 221). The 25th and 26th poem lines “My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.” indicate that the narrator’s apple trees will not cross over into the neighbor’s farm. The neighbor should stop his unfounded fear of suspecting his neighbor will cross over and rob his pine trees’ fruits or other parts of the neighbor’s pine trees. The narrator doubts the necessity of building or mending walls. Robert Frost’s presumed intention. During his time period, Robert Frost uses the poem Mending Walls to vividly illustrate both the American society and the England community. The poet describes the American and British communities are busy with their daily itineraries. The poet reiterates society is has no time to communicate with one’s neighbors. American itineraries. Furthermore, the poet, Robert Frost, abhors the American societal itineraries of his time period. The author recommends that everyone should not prioritize mending fences. Instead of building and mending walls, everyone must building bridges. With bridges, new friends are gained. With bridges, more new knowledge is learned. With bridges, one can get help and even a future marital partner. Conclusion. Summarizing the important points of the above discussion, the poem Mending Wall has several interpretations. The above poem shows the many advantages of building and mending. The same poem also presents some of the disadvantages of building and mending walls. The wall reduces communication between neighbors. The wall wards off uninvited guests. The wall offers the advantage of privacy among the neighbors. Evidently, the Poem discusses real life neighborly relations in any part of the world. Works Cited Fagan, D. Critical Companion to Robert Frost. New York: Infobase Press, 2009. Print. Faggen, R. The Cambridge Companion to Robert Frost. New York: University Press, 2001. Print. Fasano, T. The Selected Early Poems of Robert Frost. New York: Coyote Press, 2008. Print. Lehman, D. The Oxford Book of American Poetry. New York: University Press, 2006. Print. Tuten, N. The Rober Frost Encyclopedia. New York: Greenwood Press, 2001. Print. Read More