An Analysis of After Apple-Picking by Robert Frost Essay

Robert Frosts poem, After Apple-Picking is a depiction of an individuals realization that death is looming near. And due to this self-discovery, the individual looks back upon hisher life with disappointment and regret. The speaker is overwhelmed with life and uncertain about life itself. The theme of this poem deals with the speakers feelings of disappointment and regret at the close of hisher life. Frost develops and reinforces the theme through by implementing symbols, images, rhythm, tone, and diction. The speaker uses the symbol of the apple to allude to the biblical story of creation that helps contribute to the interpretation of the poem. In Genesis, Eve picks the apple from the tree marking the beginning of life or better, as the beginning of new experiences and knowledge. The apple in this poem is a symbol of new experiences and knowledge. Frost develops his theme by narrating in the poem Theres a barrel that I didnt fill Beside it, there may be two or three Apples that I didnt pick upon some bough. The apples that were not picked represent experiences and knowledge never gained and deeds that were never accomplished. Barrels represent the desire to accomplish tasks but the fact that the barrels were empty, expresses the speakers regret for unfinished tasks at the end of a lifetime. A series of images are provided by the speaker to show that heshe feels that death is looming near and that is looking back upon life with regret. The first image provided in the very first line in the poem depicting a two-pointed ladder pointing through a tree toward heaven still. This is the first image shown to convey the speakers concern that death is looming near. Later in the poem, there is an image of the ladder swaying as the boughs bend. This shows that the speaker thinks that the ladder might break bringing the speaker even closer to death. Another image is...

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