Summary of Mending Wall by Robert Frost

Key Concepts

• Mending Wall: The physical and metaphorical wall between two neighbors.
• Frozen Ground Swell: The expansion of frozen water causing the wall to break.
• Spring Mending Time: The annual ritual of repairing the wall in the spring.
• Good Fences Make Good Neighbors: The neighbor's traditional belief in the necessity of boundaries.
• Elves: A whimsical explanation for the wall's destruction, dismissed by the poet.
• Darkness: The poet's perception of his neighbor's adherence to tradition and unwillingness to question it.

Summary

Setting and Introduction (Lines 1-4)

The poem "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost is set in New England, focusing on the annual ritual of repairing a stone wall between two farms. The speaker, a poet, observes that "Something there is that doesn't love a wall," suggesting a natural force that causes the wall to crumble. This force manifests as "The frozen-ground swell under it," which pushes the boulders out of place, creating gaps large enough for two people to walk through side-by-side.

Possible Causes of Damage (Lines 5-11)

The poet considers possible causes for the wall's disrepair. He dismisses hunters as the primary cause, acknowledging that while they sometimes dismantle the wall to pursue rabbits for their dogs, the current gaps seem to be caused by something unseen and unheard. He states, "The work of hunters is another thing; I have come after them and made repair where they have left not one stone on a stone." The gaps appear mysteriously each spring.

The Mending Process (Lines 12-19)

The poet informs his neighbor, who lives "beyond the hill," about the need to mend the wall. They agree on a day to meet and walk along the wall, each on their own side, to repair the damage. The task is challenging because the boulders are of varying shapes and sizes: "some are loaves and some so nearly balls." The poet humorously suggests that "a spell" is needed to make them balance and stay in place until they turn their backs.

The Nature of the Wall and the Neighbors (Lines 20-24)

The poet describes the physical labor involved in handling the heavy boulders, noting that their fingers become rough. He characterizes the task as "just another kind of outdoor game." He questions the necessity of the wall, pointing out that it separates an apple orchard (his property) from a pine forest (his neighbor's property). "There where it is we do not need the wall; He is all pine and I am apple orchard."

Questioning the Tradition (Lines 25-35)

The poet attempts to reason with his neighbor, arguing that his apple trees will never encroach upon the neighbor's pine trees. However, the neighbor remains unconvinced, repeating the proverb "Good fences make good neighbors." The poet challenges this notion, questioning why good fences are necessary, especially since there are no cows to contain. He wonders what he is "walling in or walling out" and who might be offended by the wall.

The Neighbor's Unwavering Belief (Lines 36-41)

The poet again alludes to a force that dislikes the wall, suggesting "elves" as a possible cause, but refrains from directly suggesting this to his neighbor. He observes his neighbor carefully placing a stone, describing him as "like an old-stone savage armed." This imagery suggests the neighbor's primitive and unwavering adherence to tradition.

Darkness and Tradition (Lines 42-46)

The poet perceives his neighbor as moving "in darkness," not just the physical darkness of the trees, but a darkness of the mind. The neighbor is unwilling to deviate from his father's saying, "Good fences make good neighbors," repeating it as a justification for his actions. The poet implies that the neighbor's adherence to tradition is unthinking and unquestioning.

Central Idea

The central idea revolves around the annual ritual of mending the wall, which symbolizes the physical and metaphorical barriers that separate people. The poet questions the necessity of these barriers, while his neighbor firmly believes in their importance for maintaining peaceful relations.

Conclusion

"Mending Wall" is a typical Frost poem that uses a simple, rural setting to explore profound themes. Frost's message about the dispensability of borders and the importance of unity is particularly relevant given the poem's publication in 1914, the year World War I began. The poem's enduring power lies in its ability to convey complex ideas through simple and accessible language. Frost's ability to couch such inspirational messages in such uncomplicated verses is what makes Frost one of the greatest American Poets of all time.