The colloquial idiom to “kill time” is commonly heard in passing. Whether it is a baby’s first steps, a first car, or even a marriage ceremony, a communal ideology remains that life contains nothing more than waiting for the momentous events. However, this theory of “killing time” whilst waiting for the future also kills any chances of obtaining a purposeful life. Monotony has become an epidemic in today’s society, leaving thousands feeling trapped and vainly seeking some shred of meaning in their life. The great American poet, Robert Frost, gives unique insight on the recognizable struggle between balancing the demands of society with one’s personal search for purpose. In the poem, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,” Frost elaborates on
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The poem incorporates natural imagery as a method to challenge the reader to delve deeper into its intentions. Within the poem, Frost crafts an atmosphere “Of easy wind and downy flakes” (12). Often a signature of his work, Frost uses imagery to elaborate on a deeper messages behind a seemingly familiar scene. In literature, nature often acts as a mysterious force with alluring capabilities. Imagery such as this, built upon the quiet flow of soft words, evokes a somnolent yet mystifying atmosphere, appropriately describing the enticing quality of the depicted woods. Frost’s use of imagery transports his reader into the poem, subjecting them to the scene’s ethereal vibe. This consequently provides the reader with the context needed to fully comprehend the following stanzas. On a darker note, Frost includes various symbols meant to stir the reader into seeing the poem with a different perspective. The reader quickly discovers that the speaker stands, “Between the woods and frozen lake / [on] the darkest evening of the year” (8). Darkness in literature indicates sinister forces and oftentimes death. Therefore, this distinct description of the woods operates as an unambiguous symbol of death. Frost 's use of symbolism gives ordinary objects new meaning, subsequently changing the reader 's perspective of the poem along with it. The various literary devices, such as imagery …show more content…
Frost intentionally incorporates a peculiar choice in rhyme scheme to catch the reader’s attention. The first three stanzas of the rhyme scheme follow an AABA BBCB CCDC pattern, with words such as “know” (1) and “though” (2) rhyming with “snow” (4). However, the last stanza takes a different form, following a DDDD format, with the words “deep,” “keep,” “sleep,” and “sleep” (13-16). The alike rhyme scheme patterns in the first three stanzas continue the movement of the poem until reaching the climax of the poem in the last stanza. By changing the flow of the rhyming words, it forces the reader to slow down in an attempt to process the newfound pattern. The intention behind this rhyme scheme was for the first three stanzas to act as context for the reader, while the last stanza deals with the metaphorical lessons. Without this abrupt shift in rhyme scheme, the reader may miss the motif presented in the last stanza and consequently misinterpret the poem’s meaning. The poet also repeats the last two lines to contribute to the form. The short narrative closes off with the simple phrase “And miles to go before I sleep / And miles to go before I sleep” (15-16). Frost chose to repeat the last line to emphasize the main point behind the poem, since repetition draws attention to crucial lines, making them impossible to breeze over. The first line should be perceived as literal,
The poem incorporates natural imagery as a method to challenge the reader to delve deeper into its intentions. Within the poem, Frost crafts an atmosphere “Of easy wind and downy flakes” (12). Often a signature of his work, Frost uses imagery to elaborate on a deeper messages behind a seemingly familiar scene. In literature, nature often acts as a mysterious force with alluring capabilities. Imagery such as this, built upon the quiet flow of soft words, evokes a somnolent yet mystifying atmosphere, appropriately describing the enticing quality of the depicted woods. Frost’s use of imagery transports his reader into the poem, subjecting them to the scene’s ethereal vibe. This consequently provides the reader with the context needed to fully comprehend the following stanzas. On a darker note, Frost includes various symbols meant to stir the reader into seeing the poem with a different perspective. The reader quickly discovers that the speaker stands, “Between the woods and frozen lake / [on] the darkest evening of the year” (8). Darkness in literature indicates sinister forces and oftentimes death. Therefore, this distinct description of the woods operates as an unambiguous symbol of death. Frost 's use of symbolism gives ordinary objects new meaning, subsequently changing the reader 's perspective of the poem along with it. The various literary devices, such as imagery …show more content…
Frost intentionally incorporates a peculiar choice in rhyme scheme to catch the reader’s attention. The first three stanzas of the rhyme scheme follow an AABA BBCB CCDC pattern, with words such as “know” (1) and “though” (2) rhyming with “snow” (4). However, the last stanza takes a different form, following a DDDD format, with the words “deep,” “keep,” “sleep,” and “sleep” (13-16). The alike rhyme scheme patterns in the first three stanzas continue the movement of the poem until reaching the climax of the poem in the last stanza. By changing the flow of the rhyming words, it forces the reader to slow down in an attempt to process the newfound pattern. The intention behind this rhyme scheme was for the first three stanzas to act as context for the reader, while the last stanza deals with the metaphorical lessons. Without this abrupt shift in rhyme scheme, the reader may miss the motif presented in the last stanza and consequently misinterpret the poem’s meaning. The poet also repeats the last two lines to contribute to the form. The short narrative closes off with the simple phrase “And miles to go before I sleep / And miles to go before I sleep” (15-16). Frost chose to repeat the last line to emphasize the main point behind the poem, since repetition draws attention to crucial lines, making them impossible to breeze over. The first line should be perceived as literal,