Bringing Down the Mending Wall
Traditions have always had a substantial effect on the lives of human beings, and always will. Robert Frost uses many unique poetic devices in his poem "Mending Wall," as well as many shifts in the speaker's tone to develop his thoughts on traditions. The three predominant tones used are those of questioning, irony and humor. The speaker questions many things in relation to the wall that is being rebuilt. For example, "Something there is that doesn't love a wall" (ll. 1, 35), is used to question what despises the wall's presence. The speaker goes on to discuss the earth's swells that make gaps in the wall (l. 2), as well as the hunters, (l. 5) "not leaving a stone on a stone," (l. 7) merely to please the yelping dogs with a rabbit. In line thirty, the speaker questions, "Why do they make good neighbors" be
33) to show that there is no difference when the wall is construct or not, both neighbor's tasks are completed and no harm is done. Other ironical situations are developed by the speaker's tone of questioning and his/her ability to initiate thoughts. 25,26), might be the most humorous, but truthful statement in the entire poem. It is rather apparent that in the early stages of the poem, the speaker does not comprehend the wall's existence; eventually, the speaker begins to think for himself and express his feelings about the wall. Another key question asked is "What I was walling in or walling out," (l. cause he believes that the wall is interfering with a possible relationship with his neighbor. The poem brilliantly depicts two neighbors, one who questions and finds flaws with the tradition of mending, and another who believes strongly in the tradition and is appreciative of the wall's presence without really looking at the pointless effect. 36) for the destruction of the wall. These three key uses of tone are all brought together to represent Frost's view of traditions.
Common topics in this essay:
Mending Wall,
Robert Frost,
,
believes wall,
wall's presence,
mending wall,
speaker questions,
speaker's tone,
|
Acceptance Essays
