Mending Wall Questions and Answers
Mending Wall
What does "old stone savage" represent in the poem "Mending Wall"?
In "Mending Wall," the "old stone savage" represents the neighbor's outdated and rigid mindset. The neighbor, described as primitive and stuck in his ways, clings to the belief that "good fences make...
Mending Wall
Neighborly Dynamics and Differences in Frost's "Mending Wall"
In Robert Frost's "Mending Wall," the speaker questions the necessity of a wall dividing his property from his neighbor's, viewing it as unnatural and pointless since their lands pose no threat to...
Mending Wall
Comprehensive Analysis of Robert Frost's "Mending Wall"
Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" explores themes of tradition versus innovation, arbitrary human separations, and the nature of barriers. The poem depicts two neighbors who annually repair a wall...
Mending Wall
How is the activity of mending the wall described by the narrator?
In "Mending Wall," the speaker describes the activity of mending the wall as being a sort of "out-door game" which he plays with his neighbor. The speaker doubts the importance of maintaining the...
Mending Wall
"Mending Wall" Wall Repair Timing
In Robert Frost's "Mending Wall," the narrator and his neighbor spend a day each spring mending the wall that separates their properties. The narrator views this as a waste of time, questioning the...
Mending Wall
Contrasting Perspectives in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall"
In Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall," two contrasting perspectives are presented through the speaker and his neighbor. The speaker questions the necessity of the wall, noting the lack of practical...
Mending Wall
Analysis of Lines, Sections, and Speaker in "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost
In Robert Frost's "Mending Wall," the speaker is a practical and humorous individual who questions the necessity of maintaining a wall between his and his neighbor's property. He represents a modern,...
Mending Wall
What does "Elves" symbolize in "Mending Wall"?
"Elves" in the poem "Mending Wall" figuratively represent the forces that work against the wall's integrity.
Mending Wall
The symbolic and literal significance of the wall in "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost
The wall in "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost symbolizes both physical and emotional barriers between people. Literally, it represents the boundary that divides the properties of the speaker and his...
Mending Wall
In "Mending Wall," how does Robert Frost portray the hunters?
In "Mending Wall," Robert Frost portrays hunters as careless and cruel. They destroy the wall in their pursuit of prey, indifferent to the speaker’s hard work in maintaining it. The speaker notes...
Mending Wall
What do the yelping dogs and rabbits symbolize in lines 8 and 9 of "Mending Wall"?
In "Mending Wall," the yelping dogs and rabbits symbolize the forces of "unneighborliness." The hunters and their dogs damage the wall while pursuing rabbits, showing disregard for the property and...
Mending Wall
Discuss the use of consonance, alliteration, and assonance in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall."
In "Mending Wall," Robert Frost uses consonance, alliteration, and assonance to create a musical quality. Alliteration appears in lines like "Before I built a wall," while consonance is evident with...
Mending Wall
What is the literal meaning of the line, "We have to use a spell to make them balance," in "The Mending Wall"?
The literal meaning of this line is that it seems to require an unnatural amount of effort to get the stones to stay in place as part of the wall. Many are shaped like rounded "loaves" or even...
Mending Wall
Can you identify examples of alliteration, assonance, simile, metaphor, and paradox in "Mending Wall"?
In "Mending Wall," Robert Frost employs various literary devices. The entire poem can be seen as a metaphor for boundaries and relationships. A paradox is present in the neighbor's belief that "good...
Mending Wall
Humor and Humanity in "The Mending Wall"
"The Mending Wall" by Robert Frost humorously depicts two neighbors annually repairing a boundary wall, highlighting the poet's playful perspective compared to his neighbor's seriousness. Frost...
Mending Wall
What other types of darkness is the poem "Mending Wall" referring to?
In "Mending Wall," the poem refers to the darkness of maintaining outdated traditions and emotional-psychological darkness. The narrator questions the necessity of the wall, representing the darkness...
Mending Wall
In Mending Wall, why does Robert Frost perceive the neighbor as a savage?
Robert Frost perceives the neighbor as a "savage" in "Mending Wall" due to his uncommunicative and dismissive nature. The neighbor insists on maintaining the wall between their properties, citing...
Mending Wall
Why does the narrator in "Mending Wall" think his neighbor "moves in darkness?"
The narrator in "Mending Wall" thinks his neighbor "moves in darkness" because he perceives him as unenlightened and resistant to change. While the narrator questions the necessity of rebuilding the...
Mending Wall
Do the speaker's actions in Mending Wall match his words? Why or why not?
No, the speaker's actions do not match his words. In "Mending Wall," he helps his neighbor repair the wall despite inwardly questioning its necessity. The speaker humorously contemplates the...
Mending Wall
Does Frost favor the speaker's or the neighbor's view in "Mending Wall"?
In "Mending Wall," Frost appears to favor the speaker's view, which questions the necessity of the wall. The speaker sees the wall as pointless since there are no livestock to contain, and he ponders...
Mending Wall
In "Mending Wall," who owns an apple orchard?
In "Mending Wall," the narrator owns an apple orchard, while the neighbor owns a pine forest. The narrator humorously suggests that the apples won't eat the pine cones, questioning the necessity of...
Mending Wall
Identify two instances of parallel structure in "Mending Wall."
In the poem "Mending Wall," by Roberts Frost, the narrator uses parallel structure to state a theme, "Good fences make good neighbors," to describe damage to the wall in the quote "To each the...
Mending Wall
Why is the title of Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" ambiguous?
The title "Mending Wall" is ambiguous because "mending" can refer to both the act of repairing and the type of wall being worked on. Additionally, the wall symbolizes ambiguous themes, reflecting the...
Mending Wall
How can one write an essay on Robert Frost's "Mending Wall"?
Write an essay that addresses a specific prompt on “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost. Or write an essay that analyzes the poem in the context of his other poems.
Mending Wall
What's the connection between "Another Brick in the Wall", "Mending Wall", and "Eleanor Rigby"?
"Another Brick in the Wall," "Mending Wall," and "Eleanor Rigby" all explore themes of isolation, loneliness, and the barriers that separate people. "Another Brick in the Wall" highlights the...
Mending Wall
How do you interpret the play Trifles by Susan Glaspell?
"Trifles" by Susan Glaspell explores gender differences in perceptions of significance, as men dismiss household tasks as trivial, while women uncover crucial evidence. The men overlook key details...
Mending Wall
In "Mending Wall," why does the speaker meet his neighbor beyond the hill in the spring?
The speaker meets his neighbor every spring to repair the wall between their properties, a ritual prompted by "something" that consistently disrupts it. This "something" could be natural forces or...
Mending Wall
Which three lines from "Mending Wall" indicate distance between the farmers?
In "Mending Wall," three lines indicate distance between the farmers: "the wall between us as we go," "I see him there," and "fences make good neighbors." The wall physically separates them as they...
Mending Wall
How does interpreting "mending" as a verb or adjective in "Mending Wall" affect the interpretation?
Interpreting "mending" as either a verb or an adjective in "Mending Wall" reveals the poem's layered meanings. As a verb, "mending" refers to the act of repairing the wall, highlighting the physical...
Mending Wall
What is the meaning of lines 40 to 46 in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall"?
In lines 40 to 46 of "Mending Wall," the neighbor is likened to an "old-stone savage armed," highlighting his adherence to tradition without questioning its purpose. This metaphorical "darkness"...
Mending Wall
What do lines 18-30 mean in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall"?
Lines 18-30 of Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" highlight the contrasting personalities of the speaker and his neighbor. The speaker humorously questions the need for the wall, suggesting playfully that...
Mending Wall
What do lines 18-25 mean in Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall"?
Lines 18-25 in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" describe the humorous and playful nature of the wall-mending task, likening it to an outdoor game where the stones need "magic" to stay balanced. The...
Mending Wall
Explain lines 7 to 11 in Robert Frost's "Mending Wall".
In lines 7 to 11 of "Mending Wall," Frost describes how hunters dismantle the wall to flush rabbits out for their dogs, leaving gaps where "not one stone [is] on a stone." These gaps appear...
Mending Wall
Explain the first 5 lines of Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall".
The first five lines of Robert Frost's "Mending Wall" introduce the idea that both nature and the speaker himself are opposed to the existence of a wall. The earth shifts, causing stones to fall and...