Frost Poems (IB English) - Synopsis & Themes

multiple choice, true/false, analysis on new poem

The Bear

describes bear in the forest preparing for winter; bear is personified to represent goodness of nature that is untouched by humans

theme: the thinking of people is like that of a bear in a cage

The Sound of Trees

the speaker wanders in the forest thinking about the meaning and significance of trees to humans; speaker’s internal debate on staying or leaving (conflict)

theme: examines parallels between trees that are stagnant and the temporary and unimportant nature of humans and their problems

Reluctance

the speaker returns home from a journey as the season changes from fall to winter (lonely tone); like the trees are reluctant to let go of leaves at the end of autumn, humans are reluctant to let go

theme: love is worth fighting for

Wind and Window Flower

flower (doesn’t love wind) and wind (loves flower) contrast as two things that cannot be together without hurting each other; flower has positive/warm tone, but wind has cold/bitter tone

theme: unrealized (ignorance) vs. one-sided love (solitude)

Kitchen Chimney

the speaker builds a home with his only request being that of a full kitchen chimney; established with urgent tone

theme: desire for purpose, meaning in life, strong foundation AND to chase goals not dreams

An Encounter

what used to be a tree is discovered by the speaker as a human-built telephone pole; established as man vs. nature (better yet, man’s creation) conflict with hopeless tone towards humanity; allusion to cross with religious undertones

theme: negative impact of technology on the environment

Not to Keep

a war veteran is returned home to this wife as he has been injured in war, but is “not to keep” as he soon passes away; tone = confused/anxious —> relieved —> sadness —> acceptance

theme: war takes away hope AND we should cherish small moments and happiness with loved ones

The Valley’s Singing Day

a character leaves the house to kickstart the new day, while the speaker stays at home sleeping; the speaker describes his love for this person, attesting to how they were in fact responsible for the beautifully described dawn of a new day

theme: beginning of love between two people is significant enough to be comparable to the dawn of a new day; appreciation for nature

A Brook in the City

brook serves as constant symbol of life before industrialization, developed by a regretful and sad tone in regard to human impact on the seemingly “immortal” brook

theme: disruption of nature (as powerful/peaceful force) by industrialization AND we should prioritize resources/nature state of the planet

Away!

each stanza demonstrates contrast between life (straight-forward and comforting) and death (metaphorical and unknown, but ironically simplified)

speaker is not attached to worldly pain, wishes best for friends, allusion to Adam/Eve, uncertainty, disconnection from reality

theme: uncertain and optimistic ideals can coexist

Accidentally on Purpose

the universe/evolution is described alongside the notion of purpose; poem presents contrast between ACCIDENTALLY on purpose (evolution gives purpose to accidents) or accidentally on PURPOSE (creation was made to be accidents)

theme: humans lack control so it’s not worth trying to determine purpose/outcome

Quandary

the opposites of brain (logic) and sweetbread (emotion) coexist and both are equally important to balance in day-to-day life

theme: bad must exist for good to be present

Some Science Fiction

speaker (more philosophical) feels as though he is not keep pace with the rest of rushed humanity; the human race regards science as divine

theme: humanity is too focused on the advancement of science

The Wood -Pile

the journey through life is described through a walk in the forest; a bird serves as a diversion on this path and a wood-pile (which mocks speaker’s desire for perfection) is discovered, which represents forgotten people

theme: people and their work are forgotten over time AND in man vs. nature, nature can fight back

Ghost House

an old property is reclaimed by nature and a tone of now vs. then is established (speaker is familiar with property’s history); the speaker knows he will soon die, but has time left; loneliness contrasts with ghost “companions”

theme: humans have an unlasting impact that is healed by nature

The Lockless Door

the speaker hears a mysterious knock at the door establishing a tone of isolation, anxiety, suspense; if the “thing” at the door is person or an idea is left up to interpretation

theme: the acceptance of letting oneself move on from comfortable and adapted circumstances

The Demiurge’s Laugh

the speaker attempts to chase the Demiurge in mysterious woods beginning with excitement and shifting into foolishness and disappointment at the realization of the impossible task

eventually speaker sits against a tree, which symbolizes stability (alludes to tree of knowledge of good and evil)

theme: growing up and leaving childhood behind

Love and a Question

in the middle of nowhere, a stranger requests that he stay at the bridegroom’s house; the bridegroom realizes how much he cares and worries for the safety of his wife, turning down the stranger, but sending him off with bread and money (debating whether this is the correct choice)

theme: compassionate love and romantic love contrast

Mending Wall

speaker (reflective/forthright) and neighbor (traditional/content) share a fence that continues to fall apart and is fixed every year; neighbor is revealed to be breaking wall to maintain tradition, uphold relationship; both characters are cold

theme: the harsh reality of seperation of people with different ways of thinking

Never Again Would Birds’ Song Be the Same

the birds in the garden (of Eden) listen to the song of Eve, describing the impact of humans on nature (and people) and alluding to the story of Adam and Eve

theme: good can still come from lost thing, even after they are gone

The Exposed Nest

speaker observes child playing with hay that is then discovered to be a bird’s nest on the grass; an attempt is made to restore the birds to the nest (similar to humans protecting children); speaker and child eventually leave nest with sense of guilt, but hope

theme: examines duties of parents to protect children from outside world with parallel between natural and human worlds

Spoils of the Dead

fairies and the woods establish a whimsical tone describing the cycle of death through a specific man that has passed

theme: death is more desirable than life and material objects don’t matter because we can’t take them when we die AND the effect of death on children

Good Hours

the speaker takes a walk by himself on a snowy evening, reflecting on all of the happy people in their homes

theme: could be interpreted as lonely and regretful OR content and reflective

Acquainted with the Night

the speaker experiences depression and this poem explores ideas of isolation and loneliness as the night seems to be inescapable

theme: the universal human experience of sorrow

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

a man passes through the countryside one evening, stopping his carriage to look at the snow falling on the woods; after a moment of reflection he eventually gets back into his carriage to continue towards his destination

theme: solitude and solace from nature AND the human condition in contrast between our desires and society’s expectations

The Runaway

a young colt is left out in the cold on a snowy evening and interacts with several men that are passing by; the colt seems to be neglected and demonstrates fear when approached by the men and in the snow

theme: fear of the unknown

Design

serving as an allusion towards good and evil in the world, the moth (prey/innocence) and spider (predator/evil) represent humanity; the flower represents the balance between the two “healing” all

theme: even within the evil of the spider, there is still goodness and purity (illustrated by the white)