The reason for beginning with Frost’s poem from the literal stance is to establish a foundation in which symbols are used as metaphors. “Mending Wall,” is literally after winter when the speaker and his neighbor repair the wall. A wall which was damaged by unseen nature and hunters. As they repair the wall the speaker questions the reason why the neighbor wants the wall repaired. He infers that their trees are different and produce opposite things. Even though, the speaker internally questions why the neighbor wants to keep this wall amid them, he wonders if he can cause the neighbor to question his own ideas about the wall. He does not act on this thought instead he continues to walk down the wall rebuilding it from his side, as the neighbor does the same.
Once the speaker finally questions the neighbor as to why they are building a literal wall, he receives the response “Good fences make good neighbors” (76). This statement by the neighbor shows he wants to maintain physical boundaries around his