FIRE AND ICE

Written by Robert Frost

Responded by Elmer G. Pumicpic
Critique by Aldrin M. Catacutan
( A READER RESPONSE INTERPRETATION )

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,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

READER’S RESPONSE:
There were two speculations about how the world ends: some say it would end in fire
and others believe it would end in ice. From the author himself, his stood in favored for the former
presumption for he as human being, he tasted the desire of humanity which he himself believes
that it could lead us to a more self-satisfaction, greediness, being impulsive and even brings us to
worldly attachment which sooner or later will result into human-warfare or chaotic living. That's
what he meant when he holds with those who favor fire because "fire" can cause nasty or painful
consequences. Then, he stated that if the world had to perish twice which he thinks and knows
enough of hate. This is his another depiction of humanity that in one way or another, the ending
of the world would not be just through pressure or violence as of the fire (desire) but it could be
through calm and cool like of the ice (hate) which is the result of human hatred, indifference and
being insensitive of others. The title itself signifies human traits the "fire" which is more unpleasant
and could create huge destruction while the "ice" which symbolizes much lighter trait yet could
ruin numerous lives. That is why in the end he said that, to say that for destruction ice is also great
and would suffice because both (fire and ice) have equal amount of impact not just to humanity
but also to the world.

ANALYSIS/CRITICISM OF RESPONSE
‘Fire and Ice’ is a nine-line poem written by Robert Frost after the World War I. This
poem reciprocates personal speculations driven by curiosity and subjective opinions on how the
world is going to end. According to Pumicpic’s response on the poem, he often mentioned and
emphasized on the symbolical aspect of the poem and how it unveils meaning. For him, fire and
ice has something to do with the metaphorical connection of humanity’s desires for power and
dominance. The poem speaks for the impulsiveness, human-greed and the negative standing of
human to society. He also stated how these characteristics can affect and can eventually lead to the
tragic and inexplicable ending of the world. We can say that if we look into the different angles of
these, I can say that we have common ground of ideas on how we look similarly with regards to
the poem’s meaning. For me, the poem itself is very brief but if interpreted thoroughly, it can
produced a bucket load of prose. This poem sets the reader in a very conversational mood utilizing
the word ‘some people say’ and ‘I think’ which is manipulated by personal and subjective views
on how the world is going to end. First of all, the title itself are two elements that are binary
opposition against each other. I think this has something to do with the duality of life. The things
in the world runs in opposite angles such as young and old, tall and short, handsome and ugly, life
and death as well as fire and ice. These things are completely opposite but it actually make sense.
It is just very ironic to figure that duality of life fathoms people. For instance, when we are young,
we wanted to get old so fast and when we have aged, that is the time we realized the importance
of being young and of life as contradiction to death. However, fire and ice simply does not only
provides meaningful ideas on the duality of life but rather it exudes the realms of life in general.
Fire and Ice are two contradicting subjects. Fire is an element that can be associated with passion,
desire and wants. These attributives are not completely negative however if these things comes too
much like too much passion, too much desire and too much wants, that is the time where it becomes
destructive. We can say that when there is too much passion for something, let us say too much
passion for power and dominance, passion can transform destructive feelings of anger and madness
which at some point uncontrollable. Since the poem was written during the post World War I, I
can say that some people are driven with too much passion for power where it resulted to war and
violence. Ice can also be attributed to coldness, calmness and lack of sensitivity in situations.
We can somehow hypothesize that these elements can provide us meaningful ideas on
how people are deliberately inclusive towards being fire or being ice. It is very important to note
the historical antecedents that happened during the time when the poem was written which initially
contributes to its meaning. The poem was a subject for various debates among academic and
literary scholars on what exactly the real meaning of the poem. On the other, it is important to note
the themes that are relative to what the poet tries to convey. The poem utilizes a simple language
which is intended to common people. Since then, people are already interested in reading poems
so the author intentionally use a language that can be easily understood my many especially those
who are in the marginalized and those who are in the minorities. The poem has relative themes of
human alienation, oppression, war and religious skepticism. These themes reflect the meaning of
the poem and what it tries to convey. Alienation, Oppression and Wars are just some of the themes
that are reflected in the poem for these are the feelings that was mostly experienced by the people
after the post-war. Also, religious skepticism is also common as people begins to question the
power of God or religious intervention due to lack of hope, suffering and post-traumatic war
experience that caused them and in the humanity. We can also figure in the last few lines of the
poem, the author emphasized how ice could suffice for destruction of the world will perished twice.
Lack of sensitivity, awareness and carelessness are emotions or feelings that are much destructive
than passion or desires. When we only think of ourselves and letting people suffer without doing
something about it, it would be much more destructive and oppressive than any war or violence.
CONCLUSION:
Pumicpic’s response on the poem has simply been giving me various sides of ideas that has
reconciled my thoughts and has also been subject for more deliberate and serious colloquy.
Although the response was brief, it had given me perspectives on how others look at things and
how they will react to it. The themes of the poem reciprocates the effects of how desires and
inattentiveness can destroy the world. The poem itself determines the two kinds of people. The
first kind of people are those who are greedy for power, dominance and authority which can be
symbolized with fire. The second kind are those who are egocentric, inattentive, and lacks of
empathy. When you only think of your self and don’t care about other people, that is more
destructive or painful than war or violence and the capacity is similar to death. Sometimes the
power of fire can be overcome when there is too much ice. When egocentrism and apathy
dominates the world, I think it would be hard to imagine or to figure out its impact and it would
give assurance that it will eventually triggers that beginning of the end.