People throughout the world have various opinions in regard to the use of fences. Some people believe that fences are necessary, while others believe that they are nothing more than a means of separation between people. All through Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall," the speaker hints at several reasons why he does not agree with his neighbor that "good fences makes good neighbors" (27, 45). Frost creates a distinct persona with a distinct opinion about fences through his use of symbolism, imagery and figures of speech. The speaker's feelings toward the wall are not like that of his neighbor's. He does not see it as something that is loved saying twice in the poem, "Something there is that doesn't love a wall" (1, 35). The speaker does not understand the need for the wall. He is convinced that there isn't a logical reason as to the why the wall must remain standing. The speaker's dislike for the wall is revealed when he says, "There where it is we do not need a wall!

The symbol that "Mending Wall" depends most upon is the wall itself. The wall takes on two different meanings in the poem. The first is a literal meaning. The wall actually does exist as a physic

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an, no one has seen or heard them made, but at spring mending-time we find them there (10-11). The speaker is trying to get his point across regarding his hostility towards the wall. He doesn't see reason in repairing the wall knowing that next spring it will be torn apart again. The speaker refers to the wall as being "just another kind of outdoor game" (21). Every year the two men repair the wall only to find it torn apart again each spring. The speaker believes that if the wall is continuously being torn apart then they should not bother to repair it. If nature destroys the wall, then there must not be a need for it. When the speaker exclaims, "Stay where you are until our backs are turned!" he is making reference to the mysterious underground forces that cause the rocks to fall from the wall. (19) The first line of the poem states that there is something in nature "that doesn't love a wall" (1). This is a strong implication that nature does not promote the way in wh!

ich society separates itself from one another with physical or cultural barriers.

ught provoking question occurs toward the end of the poem when the speaker says, "Before I built a wall I'd ask to know what I was walling in or out" (32-33). The wall takes on a more significant meaning through this question because the wall becomes a symbol for separation. Because there aren't any animals to seclude, the speaker assumes that the only purpose of the wall is to isolate themselves from one another. The speaker feels that he has been offended by the fact that his neighbor wants no interaction with him. He questions himself again saying, "And to whom I was like to give offense" (34). The speaker doesn't understand why his neighbor insists on keeping the wall. In this way, the barrier not only separates people in society because of their race or beliefs, but it can also form a barrier in relationships with others, limiting friendships and ultimately happiness. "Mending Wall" as a title indicates irony. According to the American Heritage dictionary, to mend !

Imagery is another effective way Frost creates a distinct persona with a distinct opinion about fences. We as readers can picture quite clearly two men walking side by side along this wall "mending" the holes in it. The speaker believing that the wall is unnatural indicates nature's dislike for the wall as well. He describes nature trying to destroy the wall in the second line when he says, "Sends the frozen-ground-swell u

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1720
Approximate Pages = 7 (250 words per page double spaced)