Mending Wall Essay, Research Paper

In "Mending Wall", Robert Frost made us aware that something doesn?t love the wall in the beginning of the poem, the wall that symbolizes boundary and obstacle between people. Although this restrictive wall gives protection and a feeling of safety for the people who are inside it, it also creates a huge barrier to the people who are on the outside. The only difference between a physical wall and an imaginary barrier is that a physical wall will eventually fall apart as time goes by, but the emotional one on the other hand will only get bigger. Does Frost agree with his neighbor on the perspective of relationship between people, or do they each hold a different idea?

In the poem, Frost and his neighbor had a relatively short conversation. We can see that there is a sense of separation between them. Frost rarely talks to his neighbor, and the only time they ever have a chance to communicate is when they are repairing the fences. This lack of communication and understanding gradually builds up an invisible barrier between them. This invisible barrier that stands between keeps them separate. Even when they are working together fixing the wall, they are staying one on a side of the wall. It seems that Frost enjoys working with his neighbor separately when he says "Oh, just another kind of outdoor game, one on a side". However Frost also gives us a feeling that there is other meaning to it. A game very often symbolizes a competition, or a fight. We can see it in Frost expression that he doesn?t want to compete with his neighbor. He was somewhat being sarcastic. He wants to work along with his neighbor, and maybe even get to know more about him. This could be an implication that Frost dislikes a wall between him and his neighbor.

While they are fixing the wall, Frost suggests his neighbor that part of their land doesn?t really need a wall between them. Frost has all apple trees on his land, and his neighbor has all pine. There is an obvious distinction between two lands, why do they need a wall? Frost then

reminds his neighbor "My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.". From this point, we can see that Frost is trying to break through the barrier between them with trust. Frost starts saying he is not going to steal the cones under his pine, and he also trusts his neighbor that he will not take his apples either. He wants to get closer to his neighbor, and bring the wall down. However, his neighbor only says, "Good fences make good neighbors." in return. We can see very clearly that Frost?s neighbor believes people should stay out of his life, keeping a distance. Only good strong fences con protect him, and give him the sense of safety. This behavior confuses Frost. He does not understand why good fences make good neighbor. He doesn?t even understand why they need fences at all, if they can trust each other. He begins questioning himself what does a wall build for, and he asks " What I was walling in or walling out."

At this point, Frost does not believe in the wall any more. He once again rephrases, "Something there is that doesn?t love a wall" and it is actually part of Frost?s mind. He doesn?t want boundaries between people, he wants to pursue freedom. His neighbor on the other hand wants good fences. Good fences to him are like cornerstones of his relationship with other people. Frost realizes they see the idea of the wall differently. He thinks his neighbor doesn?t even understand why good fences make good neighbors, he believes in it because his father said so. He pretends he?s been having thought of it so well, and understands it fully. Frost describes his neighbor, "an old-stone savage armed" implying his neighbor is still living in the past trapped in his fathers words, and he is ignorance.

Robert Frost does not believe that good fences will make good neighbor. Even though people always feel more comfortable staying within their own world, and sometimes walls are necessary to keep relationship alive. Frost believes that as long as there?s trust between people, walls will no longer be needed.