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The myth of a classless American society coupled with social stratification
impedes race relations in the U.S. far more than any racial differences. The
never ending struggle of the have-nots to become one of the haves produces a
frustration and feeling of oppression that acts as a catalyst for spawning
racial tensions. Minorities see the majority of wealth in the hands of the white
population and feel that the wealth is unevenly distributed. Whites hear of
government programs for minorities and feel as if they are lazy or just looking
for a handout.
This occurs and stereotypes are formed. Combine all of this with the United
States system of dual welfareand the perfect environment for racial strife is
created. In our classlesssociety of false hope the working class and poor are
continually seeking opportunities to excel that just aren't there. They have
been led to believe that intelligence and ambition are key contributors to one's
success. This belief lays blame on the unsuccessful themselves, even if they do
possess ambition and intelligence.
These people are in a never ending cycle of struggle, followed by minimal
rewards, which eventually produces a frustration that sometimes leads to
desperate measures. The Summer Stragedy, The Filling Station, Southeast
Arkanasia, The Southern Road and Mending Wall are the stories and poems that
depict the life of a different classes people in a society. One way you can read
Mending Wall by Robert Frost is that it is about a man who rebuilds the wall
seperating his property from his neighbours. This man, this person created by
Gray doesn't seem to believe there is a use for the wall as he [the neighbour]
is all pine and I [the persona] am apple orchard, but his neighbour believes
that good fences make good neighbours. The persona tries to change his
neighbour's opinion by trying to put a notion in his head? but his neighbour
seems to just ignore him. So the person gets annoyed and thinks of him as an
old-stone savage.
This is a very simple situation which we can all relate to. But, if we read
deeper into the poem we may find the meanings that Robert Frost wanted us to
see. Firstly, as we know that this persona is against the building of walls
where not necessary we find that it is this persona that initiates the
re-building of the wall. I let my neighbour know beyond the hill. This gives the
reader something to think about. It puts questions in the reader's mind as to
why he would initiate this if he doesn't think it's necessary. One reason may be
that this persona enjoys the company of his neighbour - but he gets frustrated
with him.
Maybe this person is a lonely person and any company is good company. They
meet to walk the line. Maybe through mending the wall between them they are
mending their friendship. These are all viable options and as we read further
into the poem we may understand to a greater extent why he does this. When the
two start building the wall the reader may notice that words such as we and our
are used giving the feeling of cooperation and companionship. The persona once
calls this task an outdoor game which connotes feelings of enjoyment,
cooperation, competition.
The fact that they walk the line one on a side gives a visual image in the
readers mind and may remind them of a tennis game. I must emphasize that what is
being told in the poem is from the personals point of view, not directly
Frost's, so the reader must beware and realise that it is possible that the
persona is wrong in some of his comments.
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