Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
In the face of temptation, let your conscience be your guide.
“Conscience is the dictate of reason” Thomas Aquinas
As human beings, we are faced with temptations every day of our lives. It allures, excites and seduces us. Our conscience helps us to deal with temptations and it enables us to assume responsibility for our actions. In his poem “ Stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost creates characters, plot, imagery, symbolism, figurative language, metaphor and repetition to send the message of the importance of following ones’ conscience when in the face of temptation.
Frost uses two main characters to develop his plot. A rider, and his horse, tells the story of a person riding on horseback through some snowy woods on the darkest evening of the year. He is caught up in the beauty of the scene, but while he is drawn to the beauty of the woods, he is reminded by his horse of his obligations that he has to keep.
The author uses imagery to give us an idea of the temptations that the rider was facing. Frost uses imagery to appeal to our senses and bring attention to what is around. He uses the strongest example of visual imagery, in the setting to show that the rider wanted to be alone with his thoughts, far removed from outside forces “Between the woods and the frozen lake” (Booth & Kelly 677). He reinforces this idea through “To stop without a farmhouse near” there is no one to interrupt him, as if he is hiding something. He does not want anyone to know what he is thinking or doing. Snow starts falling and the man is caught up in the beauty of the scene. “His woods fill up with snow.” Snow is a beautiful thing to watch, and so Frost uses it as example of to show that the rider is caught up with the beautiful experience of the temptation. There is also an outside force of great desire that is represented by the woods, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” Its beauty is mesmerizing, and tempting, the rider ponders staying put and enjoying the
“Conscience is the dictate of reason” Thomas Aquinas
As human beings, we are faced with temptations every day of our lives. It allures, excites and seduces us. Our conscience helps us to deal with temptations and it enables us to assume responsibility for our actions. In his poem “ Stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening,” Robert Frost creates characters, plot, imagery, symbolism, figurative language, metaphor and repetition to send the message of the importance of following ones’ conscience when in the face of temptation.
Frost uses two main characters to develop his plot. A rider, and his horse, tells the story of a person riding on horseback through some snowy woods on the darkest evening of the year. He is caught up in the beauty of the scene, but while he is drawn to the beauty of the woods, he is reminded by his horse of his obligations that he has to keep.
The author uses imagery to give us an idea of the temptations that the rider was facing. Frost uses imagery to appeal to our senses and bring attention to what is around. He uses the strongest example of visual imagery, in the setting to show that the rider wanted to be alone with his thoughts, far removed from outside forces “Between the woods and the frozen lake” (Booth & Kelly 677). He reinforces this idea through “To stop without a farmhouse near” there is no one to interrupt him, as if he is hiding something. He does not want anyone to know what he is thinking or doing. Snow starts falling and the man is caught up in the beauty of the scene. “His woods fill up with snow.” Snow is a beautiful thing to watch, and so Frost uses it as example of to show that the rider is caught up with the beautiful experience of the temptation. There is also an outside force of great desire that is represented by the woods, "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.” Its beauty is mesmerizing, and tempting, the rider ponders staying put and enjoying the
Cited: Booth, Allison, and Kelly J. Mays. The Norton Introduction to Literature. New York: W.W Norton & Company, 2011. Print. Literary Analysis of Robert Frost 's Stopping by the Wood on Snowy Evening. Retrieved on 10/09/2012 from www.scribd.com. Poetry analysis: Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, by Robert Frost. Retrieved on 10/09/2012 from www.helium.com. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening. Retrieved on 10/09/2012 from www.wikipedia.org. Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost. Retrieved on 10/09/2012 from www.poetryfoundation.org.