Jaylene Navarro
Mrs. Torres
English 10A, Period 2
12 December 2014

“Mending Wall”: A Literary Analysis on respectful distance

What would you expect from two neighbors who share two different opinions on repairing the wall, that separates them, but keep their opinions to themselves? In this poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost demonstrates how two neighbors have a peaceful relationship because of a wall that separates them. Through the use of metaphors and personifications, Frost conveys how a respectful distance between people is the key to a stable relationship.

There is no denying that Frost uses two metaphors to support how a considerate amount of space that is shared with people is the magic for a sane relationship. While the two neighbors are on their way to fix the wall a neighbor states, “Oh, just another kind of outdoor game,/ One on a side”(21-22). This quote gives an explanation on how one neighbor takes the task more nonchalant than the other neighbor. The speaker compares how restoring the wall is more of a one player game. Meaning he practically has no say on what Player One does. In another part of the poem, the neighbors are repairing their wall the same neighbor thinks, “He is all pine and I am apple-orchard”(23). In this quote the neighbor is comparing themselves to a “apple-orchard” tree which means he is open to new ideas and allows people to be close to them. But then the they explain how their neighbor is a pine tree meaning they pictured them covered in barbed and sharp objects. You don't have to be a genius to know that somebody with barbed wrapped around themselves do not want to be conversating and getting too close to people. These metaphors may remind you of how a decent amount of space people put in a relationship helps their bond become stronger.

While using two personification Frost conveys how having a suitable amount of room between people helps keeps relationship. While getting ready to fix the wall with their neighbor, one of the neighbors said, “ My apple trees will never get across/ And eat the cones under his pines...”(24-25). When the neighbor said this he was explaining how silly and irrelevant the wall was to him. By saying how an apple from his tree wont walk itself and eat a cone from their neighbor tree demonstrates how the neighbor is still trying to pry his way into the neighbors life and persuade them how a wall is not needed for a strong relationship. But their neighbor is as stubborn as a mule meaning they aren't easily persuaded. The neighbor still thinks that with distance comes connection. Later in the poem, when the two neighbors finish the wall, one neighbor is thinking to themselves on how he would be loyal to continuing every spring to fix the wall, he says,”Good fences make good neighbors”(44). By giving the fences human ability to be a good neighbor demonstrates how dependent and how they strongly believed in the wall. They believed that the wall kept him close to their neighbor. Its almost an excuse how the neighbor pathetically depends on the wall to keep their relationship powerful. In these two personifications, which sends a message regarding: enough distance in a partnership will end up being powerful.

To recap on what happened in the last two paragraphs: the first paragraph was about two metaphors that explained how one neighbor doesn't understand the true morals behind the wall. And how the one neighbor keeps trying to persuade the other that they really do not need the need the wall because its not like they are going to be all in each other businesses. The second paragraph was about two personifications that further explained where both neighbors were coming from. One wanted and needed the wall, while the other thought the was was absurd. These two devices conveyed my theme: a respectful distance between people is the answer for a steady relationship.