Robert Frost's Mending Wall

Mending Wall composed by Robert Frost in 1914 is a poem depicting American rural-life in the early 20th century, portraying the persona’s intellectual discovery of humanity’s disconnection with society by metaphorically building walls between them. Similarly, in Frost's, Tuft of Flowers (1987) the persona is separated from society in isolation as he discovers a connection with the natural world. Robert Zemeckis’ film, Cast Away (2000) reveals how the protagonist, Chuck reevaluates his own values through the physical labour he endures stranded alone on an island, far away from home, and from any human contact. In all three texts, protagonists make subtle discoveries by engaging with the natural world, separated from society as they find new …show more content…
The persona undergoes a physical discovery that nature itself opposes the wall, portrayed in the recurring phrase; “Something there is that doesn’t love a wall”. This reinforces that nature wishes to continually eradicate metaphorical barriers, attempting to drive both neighbours to communicate and refurbish their relationship. In the line; “we do not need a wall:/He is all pine and I am apple orchard”, the distinct trees are metaphorical of the neighbourly divisions the persona is averse to. Thus, Frost feels it’s unnecessary in nature to detach one’s self from society when there is no reason to do so as his “apple trees will never get across”. Mankind’s incapability to associate with society is ironically stated in “good fences make good neighbours”, highlighting the lack of camaraderie between the persona and his neighbour, except when they meet once a year to rebuild the fence. Here, the persona attempts to mend their relationship, however, this is unreciprocated. Through the use of the bleak tone of the persona, “he moves in darkness as it seems to me”, the “darkness” is symbolic to his lack of knowledge as the persona registers that his neighbour still wants the wall to remain between them, demonstrating how discoveries can compel individuals to challenge past assumptions. “Mending …show more content…
Chuck’s physical discovery of the island challenges his values and perspectives of the world. Throughout the film Zemeckis utilises close up shots compelling the audience to feel a connection to Chuck as he goes through his process of physically discovering the island. Similar to the metaphor of darkness in “Mending Wall”, a low-key lit scene with a high-angle shot is used when Chuck escapes the plane crash on a raft boat. This highlights his lack of understanding and knowledge of the world, before his discovery. Frost and Zemeckis both present physical labour as dignified, salutary, and constitutive of our humanity. In “Tuft of Flowers”, Frost endows labour with the rustic dignity of the American Transcendentalists, and, like Zemeckis, conveys faith in one man’s ability to change both his soul and his world through work. Frost’s metaphorical ‘wall’ is similar to the personification of the discovered volleyball that Chuck then uses as a companion. ‘Wilson’ the ball psychologically helps him to maintain his humanity by meeting his needs for a relationship. Further, time is a recurring motif present throughout the film, “Time rules over us without mercy, It’s like a fire, it could either destroy us or it could keep us warm.” The simile comparing time to

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