Student Question

In "Out, Out-", does the boy's hand get completely severed by the saw?

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In Robert Frost's "Out, Out—," the boy's hand is nearly severed by the saw, but not completely detached. The poem describes the hand as "spoiled" or mangled, indicating severe damage. The boy pleads not to have his hand cut off, implying it is still partially attached. Ultimately, the injury is fatal, and the boy dies during the operation due to the extent of the damage.

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Robert Frost's grisly poem "Out, Out" tells the story of a young boy cutting fire wood who gets his hand caught in the saw, nearly severing it. He startles when his sister calls out for supper time; Frost uses personification to describe how the saw "leaped out at the boy's hand." Frost provides clues in the context of the poem to describe the action:

"He saw all was spoiled. ‘Don’t let him cut my hand off—
The doctor, when he comes. Don’t let him, sister!’
So. But the hand was gone already."

The fact that the boy protests not to let the doctor cut his hand suggests that the hand is still attached, but "spoiled" or mangled. He holds up his hand to try and prevent more blood loss, but he was "old enough to know" or recognize that too much damage had been done. When the doctor uses the ether to put him under, the boy already sense that he is dying. His pulse weakens during the operation, and the doctor accepts the futility of trying to save him, because "there was no more to build on there." The tragic accident costs the boy his life.

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