Some say the world will end in fire, Some say in ice. From what I've tasted of desire I hold with those who favor fire. But if it had to perish twice, 5 I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction ice Is also great And would suffice.
Robert Frost
The sound of Robert Frost America was perhaps at its greatest time in twenties. Not the same thing can be said for Robert Frost. His mother died in the year of 1900, shortly before World War I began. In the year 1920, Frost had to admit his sister into a mental hospital where she did 9 years. In Frost eyes, it can be said that he could very well be viewing the world coming to an end. Frost has experienced many feelings in those 20 years that could be all packed into his poem Fire and Ice. Frosts structure makes it easy for anybody to read this poem. He has an obvious rhyme where he deliberately breaks the last line to keep the rhyme and the definitions of the words that are needed are the definitions that touch the surface. I see his voice at the time sounding like this. Frost has had a difficult time recently and he sees the world like it is and he is looking at everything on a very simple level. Frost uses fire and ice as the basis for his rhyme in this poem. To rhyme something with fire you must have the word ire in the end of the word and to rhyme something with ice you must have ice in the end of the word. He keeps this rhyme in his poem simple to carry on the simple nature he created with his structure and diction. Frost makes a very intelligent choice by repeating these sounds over and over. In the human mind, these sounds register as a drumbeat. Comment [Z1]: I will not have any access to an abundant amount of background information. The only background information will come from prior knowledge. Comment [Z2]: I can knock these words down to superficial definitions Comment [Z3]: Take out first person Comment [Z4]: Change to - Frost makes the choice to keep repeating this simple rhyme scheme for the readers benefit It is recorded that Frosts family experienced mental issues and he himself experienced depression in his life. In the last 2 centuries before this poem was written, Frosts has experienced the death of his mother, World War I and the admission of his sister to a mental hospital. Frosts experiences over the years can be a substantial basis to create hate. What he would hate depends on what he believes. To say that Frost hates life would not be an overstatement. When you reach From what Ive tasted of desire/ I hold with those who favor fire (line 3-4) you can see that Frost wouldnt chose what hes gone through in the last 2 centuries. Frost would rather go down from passionate desire, then hatred with ice. As America moves into its greatest years to date, Frost watches as people around America build relationships full of passion and love. Unfortunately some of these peoples relationships are built off of one anothers greed. The human has desires that can over weigh better judgment. They see something better then what they have and they naturally want it. Frost watches people do this as he is suffer hardship and he sees what could happen. In his poem he expresses this concern because once something goes up, it must come down and he would rather come down in a fiery passion than in an icy indifference. Comment [Z5]: Create a better transition to the next paragraph Comment [Z6]: Will not have the access to background information Comment [Z7]: Change to as he suffers Comment [Z8]: Change to must always come down Comment [Z9]: Change to down. He The sound of this poem is beautifully wretched anyway you look at it. Frost keeps this poem simple because its what people at the time needed to understand what would happen.