poems 463losophy. As long as no harm will come to their
property, why would they want to keep the other
out? He goes so far as to suggest that this theory is
antiquated, calling it “his father’s saying.” Because
the narrator’s neighbor was raised on the idea that
fences are important, he will never stray from his
father’s counsel.
The narrator notes that even nature does not
promote fences—that the “frozen ground” adjusts
the boulders so that they shift from one another
and are no longer effective. Symbolically, Frost is
saying that men are not always meant to be isolated
from one another; interaction with others is a vital
part of living. The irony is that they will continue to
keep the wall between them as they work together
to mend it.
In another poem, however, Frost praises the idea
of isolation as it relates to hard work. In “Stopping
by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” he speaks of a
man on an assignment. He is traveling alone in the
woods with his horse. In this case, the owner of the
property is not nearby but lives in town. The man
pauses for a moment to enjoy his surroundings as
the woods around him fill with snow.
Again, nature asserts the idea that isolation is
unnatural when the horse shakes his harness “to
ask if there is some mistake” (l. 10). The horse real-
izes it is more customary to stop when they reach
a farmhouse and other people, rather than in the
middle of the forest while it is snowing. The man,
however, enjoys this moment of solitude. He refers
to the woods as “lovely, dark and deep” (l. 13). They
seem an eternal abyss; a place he is content to stay
awhile if not for his impending task. Despite the
fact that he enjoys the isolation and the quiet forest,
he has “promises to keep” (l. 14). These promises
will undoubtedly return him to civilization. His sur-
roundings could also reflect that he is in the “winter,”
or the final stages, of his life and that he is ready to
rest and enjoy the isolation.
“The Road Not Taken,” full of symbolism con-
cerning the choices one must make in life, also
quietly alludes to one key idea concerning isolation:
One must make these choices alone. The narrator is
in the forest with two paths before him. He knows
he must choose one road to take, and that this choice
will alter the course of his life. There is no one avail-
able to offer an opinion; no one to ask. The decision
is entirely his own.
Nature may not promote the idea of isolation,
but when faced with important choices, Frost sug-
gests, it is absolutely necessary. It is the individual
who is responsible for his decisions; he should
never rely on those around him to choose the
path he is to take, as this could potentially lead
to disaster. Isolation might be unnatural, but it is
required by thinking people so that they may think
for themselves.
The idea of isolation in Frost’s poems has a
threefold purpose: to remind readers to savor the
quiet moments, to find solace in the company of
others, and to remember that, in the end, one is
entirely responsible for making his own existence
worthwhile.
Erin BresciaStaGeS oF liFe in the poetry of Robert Frost
Robert Frost’s most famous poem, “The Road Not
Taken,” has been used as the theme of many com-
mencement addresses. It is most relevant for gradu-
ation exercises because of the idea of “choices.” Like
the subject of the poem, students are often faced
with important decisions after completing their
degree. Frost eloquently notes these decisions by
comparing them to paths in the wood.
First, in making this decision, the subject is sorry
that he “could not travel both” paths. Knowing what
lay at the end of each road would undoubtedly help
him make his choice, but this is impossible, just as
it is impossible to predict the future. The narrator
understands that the choice he is about to make
regarding which path he travels will alter the course
of his life. There are two roads: two paths that will
lead to two entirely different outcomes.
According to the narrator, the paths are “equal.”
One path is not good and the other evil, one is not
treacherous and the other easy; they are simply
paths. Each path has been chosen by someone before
him—someone with a choice to make. Though both
paths are worn “about the same,” the narrator notices
that one is less worn, and this becomes the “road less
traveled.” As he looks back on his life, the narrator
realizes that when it was time to make the choice,
the path he chose “made all the difference.”