Fire and Ice Summary and Analysis

Introduction

Will the world ever come to an end? And if so, should it end in fire or in ice? These two core questions are raised while reading Robert Frost's poem “Fire and Ice”. But just for a moment, if we were to take the physical world out of context and replace it with those who live in it, then maybe there is something more to it. Maybe the physical world will not end in such tragic ways, but perhaps society will. These two powerful elements, fire and ice, that are on complete opposite sides of the spectrum, somehow bring out a thought-provoking process about the deterioration of society.

Thesis Statement

Nature is the one thing that remains constant. It continues to flow and carry on through good and bad. I feel that Frost noticed this and found a way to connect and mimic nature's process: the circle of life.

Analysis

Robert Frost, a great literary writer found a way to use nature as a tool to express human experiences. Throughout the course of his life he has inspired writers and created a new view on how we as humans view nature and the world around us. Robert Frost has been known to be a complicated poet because he did not focus so much on weather a line rhymed. Frost wrote deliberately to paint a picture or create a story for his readers. He wrote with care to express what he was truly feeling (Roger, 132). Frost had experienced pain and tragedy, with many deaths of family members, during his life. He finds that his suffering makes the thought of death both fascinating and tempting. Frost considers death but has decided to pursue life and the choices that one faces along life's paths (Gould, 138). Frost uses his greatest inspiration, nature, to tell stories of happiness, tragedy and pain.

The two elements that Frost incorporates into his poem are very vital to its analysis. Fire can symbolize many things negatively as well as positively. The negative affiliations with fire include chaos, war, ruin, and destruction. Few years prior to the American Revolution, there was a chaotic clashing between American colonists and the British because of heavily imposed taxes, thus, portraying an unorganized and hostile society. Plenty of wars have occurred on this earth because of societies. Ruin and destruction also exemplify the notion of this idea. After the tragic 9/11 incident in the United States, many Americans developed such a hatred for the Muslim people (and vice versa) to the point where racism was deemed acceptable. The actions were responsible in the production of one society against another leaving practically no lee-way for peace.

Although these characteristics seem very likely, others believe that fire can also act as a cleanser and purifier; that fire banishes darkness and sometimes people speak of love as an eternal flame. If this is the case, then we can connect it to the way in which society behaves. Passion and determination are key characteristics to ...