PLUS TWO | English Exam Essential | Mending Walls | UNIT- 2 | Chapter - 1 | Paragraph writing | Critical Appreciation of the poem |

 



Elaborate the idea in the following line in a paragraph. “Good fences make good neighbours.”

The phrase "Good fences make good neighbours" from Robert Frost's poem "Mending Wall" explores the idea of human relationships and boundaries. In the poem, the annual task of fixing the wall between the speaker's property and his neighbour's symbolizes the barriers people create to keep themselves separate and protect their privacy. The saying suggests that clear and well-kept boundaries can help people get along by preventing misunderstandings and conflicts.

However, Frost's poem shows a deeper idea: while these fences might seem to keep things peaceful and respectful, they can also cause loneliness and a lack of real connection. The speaker's hesitation to rebuild the wall reflects a desire for open communication and a closer relationship with his neighbour, questioning whether these barriers are really needed. The poem encourages readers to think about balancing the need for boundaries with the potential for understanding and community.

In the end, "Good fences make good neighbours" is a thought-provoking reminder that boundaries can both protect and divide us. Frost's poem invites us to think about the barriers we build in our own lives and the possibility of connecting with others beyond them. It urges us to move from creating unnecessary separations to focusing on open communication and understanding, highlighting the importance of building relationships rather than walls.


Critical Appreciation of the poem


"Building and Breaking Walls: A Look at 'Mending Wall'"


In Robert Frost's 'Mending Wall,' the act of building and repairing walls, both physical and metaphorical, is explored. This creative reimagining of the poem's critical appreciation simplifies the language and adds an Indian touch to make it more accessible and relatable:


"Robert Frost's 'Mending Wall' is like a friendly chat with an old neighbor, discussing the walls we build in our lives, both with bricks and in our minds. In this discussion, we'll take a closer look at the poem as a whole, considering its structure, language, imagery, and message, to make it easy to connect with.


In terms of how it's put together, 'Mending Wall' doesn't have those fancy stanzas; it's more like a friendly conversation that goes on for forty-five lines. It's not big on rhymes either, making it feel like a relaxed and everyday chat.


Frost uses simple and relatable words in the poem, making it easy for all of us to get what he's saying. It's like he's telling us a story, and that's what makes it personal. The poem is all about fixing a wall that stands between two neighbors, and that's something we can all understand.


The images in the poem help us see the scenes and ideas clearly. Lines like 'And some are loaves and some so nearly balls,' 'He is all pine and I am apple orchard,' and 'Not of woods only and the shade of trees' create mental pictures that help us understand what the poem is all about.


Frost plays with sounds in the poem, like when he repeats the same sounds in words to make them rhyme or sound good together. For example, 'Something there is that doesn't love a wall' or 'And spills the upper boulders in the sun.' These little tricks make the poem sound nice and make it fun to read.


The 'wall' in the poem is like the fences we put up in our lives, both in the real world and in our hearts. It shows how we create borders when we deal with people. The famous line, 'Good fences make good neighbours,' gets us thinking, 'Is that always true?' It's like Frost is saying, 'Nature doesn't really like walls.'


In the heart of it all, 'Mending Wall' makes us think about why we build these walls and if they help or stop us from really connecting with others. It asks if these divisions are necessary or if they get in our way.


After you read 'Mending Wall,' it's like Frost has nudged you to think about why we build walls in our lives, the real ones and the invisible ones. It makes you wonder if these walls help or get in the way of connecting with the world and the people around us. Frost's simple yet timeless words make us dig deep and question the walls we create."

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