Poem Exploration : Mending Wall by Robert Frost

"When nations fought for independence and the right to defend their borders during World War I, 'Mending Wall' was written. Figure 1: Robert Frost explores the conflict between connection and isolation while also challenging the necessity of walls or boundaries between individuals." 

Let the poem give us tremor :

Mending Wall
By Robert Frost

Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun;
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing:
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made,
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbour know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go.
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
“Stay where you are until our backs are turned!”
We wear our fingers rough with handling them.
Oh, just another kind of outdoor game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
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, I tell him.
He only says, “Good fences make good neighbours.”
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
“Why do they make good neighbours? 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 offence.
Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,
That wants it down.” I could say “Elves” to him,
But it’s not elves exactly, and I’d rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed.
He moves in darkness as it seems to me,
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father’s saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, “Good fences make good neighbours.”

## Theme

The main theme of Robert Frost's Mending Wall is the exploration of boundaries in human relationships. The poem reflects on the necessity of barriers, questioning whether they help maintain harmony or create unnecessary divisions. The speaker doubts the need for a wall between neighbors, especially where nature itself resists it, symbolizing openness and unity. However, the neighbor insists on keeping the wall, adhering to tradition with the saying, “Good fences make good neighbours.” This tension between tradition and change highlights how boundaries can both separate and connect people, as the act of mending the wall brings the neighbors together annually. The poem ultimately invites reflection on the purpose and impact of boundaries in life.

## Similes

"Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top / In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed"

• This simile compares the neighbor to a primitive, armed figure, emphasizing his stubbornness and adherence to old traditions.

## Metaphors

The wall as a metaphor for boundaries:

• The wall symbolizes the barriers—emotional, social, or physical—that people create to maintain distance or privacy. It reflects human tendencies to separate rather than unite.
  
  

"Spring is the mischief in me":

• The speaker uses spring as a metaphor for his playful curiosity and tendency to challenge societal norms, paralleling the renewal and change that spring brings.
  

"Good fences make good neighbours":

• This phrase acts as a metaphor for the belief that boundaries ensure harmonious relationships by preventing conflicts or misunderstandings.
  
  
  

## Imagery

1. Visual Imagery:

   • "Some are loaves and some so nearly balls":

     • The shapes of the stones are vividly described, helping readers imagine the uneven boulders used in the wall.

   • "Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top":

     • This phrase creates a strong visual of the neighbor’s labor, emphasizing his commitment to repairing the wall.

2. Natural Imagery:

   • "Frozen-ground-swell under it, / And spills the upper boulders in the sun":

     • This paints a picture of nature’s forces, such as frost and sunlight, working against the wall and symbolizing resistance to artificial barriers.

   • "He is all pine and I am apple orchard":

     • The contrasting imagery of pine trees and apple orchards reflects the differences in the neighbors’ lives and personalities.

3. Tactile Imagery:

   • "We wear our fingers rough with handling them":
     • This description captures the physical effort and discomfort involved in mending the wall, emphasizing the toil of maintaining boundaries.

## Expressing Feelings After Reciting Mending Wall 

Reciting Mending Wall evokes curiosity and reflection. The speaker’s questioning of tradition inspires me to challenge norms, while the neighbor’s insistence on the wall sparks both frustration and understanding of human attachment to customs. The vivid natural imagery highlights the tension between freedom and boundaries, making me appreciate the balance between connection and personal space. Overall, the poem leaves me contemplating the walls in my life—whether they protect or hinder meaningful relationships.