Symbolism in Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall”

Introduction

Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” isn’t just a story about two neighbors fixing a stone wall that separates their land; it’s full of deeper meanings about division, talking to each other, and human nature. Written in 1914, a time when a lot was changing socially and politically, the poem shows Frost’s sharp look at how people behave and what’s normal in society. The wall, which is supposed to keep the properties apart, turns into a powerful symbol with many meanings.

This essay will look into what the wall in “Mending Wall” symbolizes, especially about boundaries, neighborly relations, and how humans often create divisions.

Boundaries in the Real and Mental Worlds

The wall in “Mending Wall” is a big symbol, showing the boundaries people make both in the real world and in their minds. On the surface, the wall splits the two neighbors' lands, showing how humans like to create clear spaces and territories. But this wall also stands for the emotional and mental walls people build to protect themselves or to stay away from others. The yearly task of fixing the wall, where the neighbors come together to work, interestingly shows the divisions they want to keep. Fixing the wall becomes a symbol of the ongoing effort to keep boundaries, hinting that these separations aren’t natural or permanent but need constant work. This yearly fixing highlights the push and pull between staying apart and coming together, showing how complicated human relationships are.

Neighborly Relations and Communication

The wall in Frost’s poem also shows what neighborly relations and communication (or the lack of it) between people are like. The narrator wonders if the wall is really needed, asking, “Why do they make good neighbors? Isn’t it / Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.” This doubt shows a deeper question about why people build barriers between themselves. But the neighbor’s firm belief that “Good fences make good neighbors” shows a stick-to-tradition attitude and a hesitance to question old norms. This difference between the narrator’s questioning and the neighbor’s rigid mindset symbolizes the larger human struggle between being open and being conservative. So, the wall becomes a symbol of the obstacles to communication and understanding between people, as well as the societal norms that keep these divisions going.

Questioning the Need for Divisions

The wall also symbolizes the human habit of creating and keeping divisions without really thinking if they’re needed. The poem subtly criticizes the blind acceptance of boundaries through the narrator’s thoughts and the natural images hinting that these walls go against nature. “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall,” the poem starts, suggesting a natural force that fights these man-made separations. The gaps in the wall, caused by things like the “frozen-ground-swell” or hunters, symbolize how these human-made barriers will eventually break down. Even with nature pushing against these divisions, the neighbors’ yearly effort to fix the wall shows the human need to rebuild and keep boundaries, even if they’re not needed or helpful. This part of the wall’s meaning shows how persistent human divisions are and how hard it is to get past deep-rooted societal norms.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Robert Frost’s “Mending Wall” uses the wall symbol to dive into themes of boundaries, communication, and human nature. The wall stands for more than just physical separations; it also represents the emotional and mental barriers people build. The yearly fixing of the wall shows the work needed to keep these divisions, while also pointing out the tension between staying apart and connecting. The poem also criticizes the unquestioning acceptance of boundaries, suggesting that these divisions are often unnatural and unnecessary. Through its rich symbolism, “Mending Wall” makes readers think about human relationships and societal norms, ultimately questioning if such barriers are helpful or harmful. Frost’s detailed portrayal of the wall shows the complexity of human interactions and the ongoing struggle between separation and connection.

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