Robert Frost Mending Wall
Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall,” through its depiction of neighbors coming together to build a wall between each other out of tradition, suggests that though there may be hope for progressive thinking, Americans generally possess unoriginal views and act in opposition to fundamental patterns of nature.
While the neighbor blindly follows tradition and justifies the wall-building with clichéd phrases, the speaker is portrayed as dynamic regarding his stance on the concept of wall-building. Frost depicts the speaker’s neighbor as a static, conforming character. The neighbor routinely joins the speaker in mending the wall, and twice throughout the poem announces, “‘Good fences make good neighbors’” (Frost 27, 45). However, the tone of this line
emits a sense of superficiality. The neighbor character lacks personality, therefore filling the void with an old and repeated adage which he most likely does not completely understand. Frost seems to imply that Americans generally adhere to outdated policies and refuse to value individualistic originality. Contrastly, the speaker experiences a shift in perspective throughout the poem. Initially, he describes the practical tradition of coming to the wall to mend the damage done by the hunters, stating “I have come after them and made repair” (Frost 6). He seems to be at peace with the idea, having fully accepted it as a custom. However, Frost uses the speaker’s internal dialogue to represent traces of doubt and a hesitant change of perspective. The speaker questions himself and his neighbor’s proverb, asking “‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it // Where there are cows?’” (Frost 30-31). The speaker’s questioning implies that he believes walls to be necessary in only certain places, none which include the boundary between his land and that of his neighbor, on which there are no cows. He continues to express the need for reasoning behind building a wall, eventually stating that “something there is that doesn’t love a wall, // That wants it down” (Frost 35-36). The speaker’s assertion represents a somewhat drastic change in opinion from the beginning of the poem, for he now acknowledges an opposition to wall-building and questions his customary routine. Frost’s use of literary foils demonstrates that while most Americans conform to conventional ideas, it is not only possible but encouraged to recognize the need for individuality and originality.
Frost suggests that the act of wall-building strongly opposes fundamental patterns of nature. He begins by describing natural tendencies to destroy walls, stating that “something there is that doesn’t love a wall, // That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it” (Frost 1-2). Although the speaker later realizes the truth of this phrase, this statement demonstrates that nature is proficient than any human impulse at recognizing and defining the morality of institutions such as wall-building. Frost implies that walls are not natural and yet humans insist on building and mending them due to their innate devotion to convention. He integrates the theme of nature throughout the entirety of the poem, using “apple trees” (Frost 25) and “pines” (Frost 26) to serve as metaphors for differences among humans in terms of character or lifestyle. The fact that walls are built from stones seems to suggest that humans seize nature and transform it into something in direct opposition to nature. Frost indicates that the act of wall-building - which coincides with the act of conformity - opposes natural tendencies and should therefore be avoided.
Frost, through his use of character foils and natural metaphors, suggests that Americans tend to adhere to convention and act in ways that essentially oppose natural proclivities. However, through questioning of “wall-building” and other forms of conformity, there is hope yet for individuality and the recognition of its natural value.
While the neighbor blindly follows tradition and justifies the wall-building with clichéd phrases, the speaker is portrayed as dynamic regarding his stance on the concept of wall-building. Frost depicts the speaker’s neighbor as a static, conforming character. The neighbor routinely joins the speaker in mending the wall, and twice throughout the poem announces, “‘Good fences make good neighbors’” (Frost 27, 45). However, the tone of this line
emits a sense of superficiality. The neighbor character lacks personality, therefore filling the void with an old and repeated adage which he most likely does not completely understand. Frost seems to imply that Americans generally adhere to outdated policies and refuse to value individualistic originality. Contrastly, the speaker experiences a shift in perspective throughout the poem. Initially, he describes the practical tradition of coming to the wall to mend the damage done by the hunters, stating “I have come after them and made repair” (Frost 6). He seems to be at peace with the idea, having fully accepted it as a custom. However, Frost uses the speaker’s internal dialogue to represent traces of doubt and a hesitant change of perspective. The speaker questions himself and his neighbor’s proverb, asking “‘Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it // Where there are cows?’” (Frost 30-31). The speaker’s questioning implies that he believes walls to be necessary in only certain places, none which include the boundary between his land and that of his neighbor, on which there are no cows. He continues to express the need for reasoning behind building a wall, eventually stating that “something there is that doesn’t love a wall, // That wants it down” (Frost 35-36). The speaker’s assertion represents a somewhat drastic change in opinion from the beginning of the poem, for he now acknowledges an opposition to wall-building and questions his customary routine. Frost’s use of literary foils demonstrates that while most Americans conform to conventional ideas, it is not only possible but encouraged to recognize the need for individuality and originality.
Frost suggests that the act of wall-building strongly opposes fundamental patterns of nature. He begins by describing natural tendencies to destroy walls, stating that “something there is that doesn’t love a wall, // That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it” (Frost 1-2). Although the speaker later realizes the truth of this phrase, this statement demonstrates that nature is proficient than any human impulse at recognizing and defining the morality of institutions such as wall-building. Frost implies that walls are not natural and yet humans insist on building and mending them due to their innate devotion to convention. He integrates the theme of nature throughout the entirety of the poem, using “apple trees” (Frost 25) and “pines” (Frost 26) to serve as metaphors for differences among humans in terms of character or lifestyle. The fact that walls are built from stones seems to suggest that humans seize nature and transform it into something in direct opposition to nature. Frost indicates that the act of wall-building - which coincides with the act of conformity - opposes natural tendencies and should therefore be avoided.
Frost, through his use of character foils and natural metaphors, suggests that Americans tend to adhere to convention and act in ways that essentially oppose natural proclivities. However, through questioning of “wall-building” and other forms of conformity, there is hope yet for individuality and the recognition of its natural value.