Going back to one of our previous discussions, you were asked to read Williams's "The Red Wheelbarrow," and the reason I chose this particular poem is because it is easy to see how Aristotle's Mode of Argument can really be practiced. Thinking of Pathos, Ethos, Logos, which mode or modes of argument is represented in Frosts "Mending Wall?" What is this poem actually about and how can you argue similarities between this poem and the plot in Carver's "Cathedral" or Hawthorne's "The Birthmark?" Explain your answer and use details from the text (this means brining in a quote or two from each text to support your answer).

Explanation:

“Mending Wall”: Written by Robert Frost, a great American poet, “Mending Wall” is a thought-provoking poem about human limitations and their benefits in the society. It was first published in 1914. The poem is about two neighbors who meet in spring every year to mend the stone wall that separates their farms. It illustrates how good fences make good neighbors, and how we can maintain long-lasting relations with neighbors by establishing such walls. Since its publication, it has gained immense popularity across the globe on account of its simple yet profound subject.

“Mending Wall” as a Representative of Tradition: This poem is about the activity of mending a wall that the speaker and his neighbor perform every year in spring. The narrator of the poem feels that there is no need for any boundary, as neither of them has anything precious to keep in lawns. They have just trees. To him, mending the wall is a purposeless activity. He also observes the falling of stones from the wall and comments that even nature is not in favor of this fence. However, his neighbor, being attached to his traditions, attempts to rationalize. He asserts that boundaries and distances are essential for relationships to work. However, what enchants the reader is the message he conveys that most relationships can work well with boundaries.

Major Themes in “Mending Wall”: Exploration, curiosity and the need of the gap are some of the major themes found in the poem. The poem presents a clash between the two, the speaker and his neighbor. Though they meet every year in the spring to fix the wall, yet the speaker is unable to understand what the necessity of the wall is. Out of curiosity, he questions about establishing the wall. However, he does not get any satisfactory answer. Every time, his neighbor stresses on the need for separation, implying good fences keep the relations cordial.

The major similarities between "Mending Walls" by Frost and "The Birthmark" by Hawthorne are as follow:

Poem: “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost

Published in 1915, “Mending Wall” is written in a mostly conversational tone. Frost wrote the poem after living on a family farm in New Hampshire. Even though the farm failed, Frost always possessed fond memories of his time there. The poem explores themes of boundaries between neighbors, chaos and nature versus civility, and traditions and habits. It reflects upon conversations Frost had with a neighbor on his farm with whom he shared similar experiences with those of the poem. The final line of the poem is an adage mirrored in Germany, Norway, Japan, India and other cultural traditions: even friends need.

Short Story: “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne

This is the most difficult selection according to its upper-college reading level. The Romantics used specific language to create visual images for the reader; therefore, you may notice you must frequently use a dictionary in order to understand the text. It would be wise to read the text several times because Hawthorne loved to create meaning through allegory and metaphor. He also loved to explore the relationship between science and humanity and the seeking of perfectionism. He was a descendant of a judge who presided over the Salem witch trials, so much of his writings focused on relationships and the unjust treatment of individuals by societal standards. His famous works include The Scarlet Letter and The House of the Seven Gables. I mainly want you to understand his style and think about how the characters, descriptions, and events represent various themes.boundaries, or so tradition tells us.

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