Mending Walls - A poem by Robert Frost
...between them. This invisible barrier that stands between keeps them separates. Even when they are working together fixing the wall, they are staying one on a side of the wall. It seems that Frost enjoys working with his neighbour separately when he says "Oh, just another kind of outdoor game, one on a side". However, Frost also gives us a feeling that there is other meaning to it. A game very often symbolizes a competition, or a fight. We can see it in Frost expression that he doesn't want to compete with his neighbour. He was somewhat being sarcastic. He wants to work along with his neighbour, and maybe even get to know more about him. This could be an implication that Frost dislikes a wall between him and his neighbour. While they are fixing the wall, Frost suggests his neighbour that part of their land doesn't really need a wall between them. Frost has all apple trees on his land, and his neighbour has all pine. There is an obvious distinction between two lands, why do they need a wall? Frost then reminds his neighbour "My apple trees will never get across and eat the cones under his pines, I tell him." From this point, we can see that Frost is trying to break through the barrier between them with trust. Frost starts saying he is not going to steal the cones under his pine, and he also trusts his neighbour that he will not take his apples either. He wants to get closer to his neighbour, and bring the wall down. However, his neighbour only says, "Good fences make good neighbours," In return. We can see very clearly that Frost's neighbour believes people should stay out of his life, keeping a distance. Only good strong fences can protect him, and give him the sense of safety. This behavior confuses Frost. He does not understand why good fences make a good neighbour. He doesn't even understand why they need fences at all, if they can trust each other. He begins questioning himself what does a wall build for, and he asks "What I was walling in or walling out." At this point, Frost does not believe in the wall any more. He once again rep...