Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Literature 9/28/07
Poetry Analysis
“Mending Wall” displays that the idea of Freedom is not individualistic rather
the scene where the wall withers away by a nature and a supernatural
presence. “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall, That sends the
frozen-ground-swell under it, And spills the upper boundaries with sun; And
makes gaps even two can pass abreast” (1-4). The wall is withering because
it is not natural for the wall to be there dividing the property. Therefore,
nature itself is tearing down the wall over time because man should not be
divided rather man should live freely with others. In addition, Frost also
displays the idea of communal freedom by the having the wall divide him
from his neighbor and his neighbor’s yard. “ And on a day we meet to walk
the line And set the wall between once again. We keep the wall between us
as we go” ( 13-15). Frost states twice here that the wall is between him and
Tony Monroy
Literature 9/28/07
the neighbor because Frost is emphasizing that the wall divides him from the
neighbor and vice versa. Frost later sates this dividing wall is not needed
because there is nothing on either side of the wall that could escape or
needs containment. “ There where it is we do not need the wall; He is all pine
and I am apple orchard My apple trees will never get across And eat the
cones under his pines” (23-26) The wall is a hindrance instead of being of
assistance. It contains the neighbor in his area where he is free to pursue his
own desires and make his own world, but with the wall intact, the neighbor is
cut off from the rest of the world. Another display of communal Freedom in
Frost’s “Mending Wall” is where the poet considers “Good fences make good
neighbors” (45). Frost considers “ Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it
where there are cows? But here there are no cows. Before I built a wall I’d
ask to know What I was walling in or walling out And to whom I was like to
give offense” (30-34) Again, Frost presents the image of the wall without
purpose.
of higher powers that render Freedom limited and Man without control over
without their roots… Encircled by a wisp of straw Once coiled about their
roots…..” Certain laws that represent the limitations of Freedom are binding
the plants that represent people. Thoreau is illustrating that man is not free
laws that govern the world. Furthermore, in lines 13-15 Thoreau illustrates
Tony Monroy
Literature 9/28/07
limited freedom by having the flower plucked from its field and placed in
bouquet. “ A nosegay( flower bouquet) which Time clutched from out Those
fair Elysian fields With weeds and broken stems.” Thoreau is revealing that
man is not entirely free to do what they want because the flower did not
want to be plucked. In addition, the flower has gone from minding its own
business to dwelling with other flowers in the bouquet. Thoreau is using this
situation where although limited freedom still exists. These elements bear a
withers because of its violation upon nature’s laws and the higher force. In
Individualism through