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Robert Frost's Fire and Ice

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Robert Frost’s “Fire and Ice” In 1923, prolific poet Robert Frost wrote the poem entitled, “Fire and Ice”, which was his way of deciphering which way the world would end and cease to exist. He pondered through two solutions: fire and ice, which are two extremes on a spectrum. Through many of Robert Frost’s works, he discusses the existence of life and man’s response to life and nature that surrounds it, which is no surprise that he would focus his attention to the demise of the world. Frost’s unique use of imagery in “Fire and Ice,” brings this short poem to life as he gives us, as readers, a look into his thoughts of the fate of the world. As you read the title of the poem, “Fire and Ice,” there are many conclusions one can come up with that they would think the poem is about. Frost’s use of imagery causes us, as readers, to be drawn in immediately. The first line of the poem tells us what Frost recalls others to say how the world will end, and then he continues to give his personal account. He begins by saying, “From what I’ve tasted of desire/I hold with those who favor fire” (4-5). These two lines seem to describe the intense passions and desires, which can consume us and cause us to be destroyed if they are unhealthy. Because of our extreme passions with desires, Frost agrees with those who believe they world will end in fire. Frost continues by discussing the viewpoints of those who believe the world will end ice. He states: But if it had to perish twice, I think I know enough of hate To say that for destruction of ice Is also great And would suffice. (5-9)
In these five lines of the poem, Frost seems to mean that because of the coldness of hatred and its role in the world, that if the world would happen to be in a state of destruction for a second time, it would be consumed through ice and it would be an acceptable form of punishment. Lastly, Frost shows us, through this poem, that the world’s destruction is purely just because of fire and ice, leaving any further options out of the picture. This shows how Frost uses precision of two extremes as imagery in this poem. Robert Frost’s use of interplaying between the pronouns “I” and “some” and the words “fire” and “ice” also serves as a point in his imagery. In the beginning of the poem, Frost says, “Some say the world will end in fire/Some say in ice” (1-2). By using “some”, he causes the readers to wonder who these people are. He gives those people who are the “some” no type of distinction or characteristics. It is just a mere general consensus without any individualism. Then, he continues to use the pronoun “I” as a personal distinction from the rest. Although he uses “I”, Frost agrees with both sides because he says that either fire or ice would be an appropriate from punishment. This causes us to ponder why he would separate himself from everyone else, if he was just to agree with both sides. Using the words “fire” and “ice” maybe are not supposed to be taken literally. Frost could possibly mean that we will burn up internally through our extreme consumption in our desires that causes us to become selfish and narcissistic. Similarly, “ice” could mean that we could become so cold-hearted that freeze internally from the hatred that we possess. Through Robert Frost’s use of imagery in the poem, “Fire and Ice”, causes the readers to become more engaged in his explanation of how he thinks the world would end that could possibly not be meant in the most literal sense. He grabs us to become more aware of how human actions may be the direct cause of the world’s demise. Although this poem is short, it gives great detail and imagery that draws readers to look into Robert Frost’s train of thoughts and relate them to our own.

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