Robert Frost’s poem “Out, Out” is a powerful and haunting depiction of fate. Through imagery and symbolism, Frost exposes the tragedy of untimely death while at the same time attempting to emotionally distance himself from the poem’s protagonist. The poem’s main themes of mortality and fate are framed by the story of a young boy whose hand is severed by a saw while cutting wood and ultimately lead to his death.
The poem begins with the outside world oblivious to the death that occurs and continues on with a refrain of the outside world “not knowing too much about his being gone.” This refrain reflects the opinion that death is just a passing from the living world into whatever exists beyond.
Frost amplifies this feeling of passing through his characterization of the boy’s reaction to his own demise. He does not struggle or fight against death; rather, he simply accepts it with resigned indifference. He is aware of his fate yet there is no self-pity or fear, only resignation to his demise. This serves as a warning to the readers of the poem to consider their own mortality and not take life for granted.
In order to emphasize the boy’s mortality, Frost uses a series of metaphors and symbolism to illustrate the tragedy of the story. The use of the metaphor of a saw blade cutting through the boy’s hand represents the force of Fate working against the boy, against his life. This metaphor is further expanded upon by Frost’s description of the saw as “snarling” and “rattling”. These animal references are meant to emphasize the randomness of Fate and its ability to take life at any moment.
The poem’s conclusion further emphasizes the inevitability of death and its indifference to life. Frost uses his refrain of the “outside world” to emphasize the obliviousness of the living world to death, and the poem’s final words “And they, since they / Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs” suggests a disinterest in death.
Ultimately, Frost’s “Out, Out” is a powerful and haunting depiction of mortality and Fate, emphasizing the tragedy and inevitability of death. Through the use of symbolism and imagery, the poem serves as a warning to the reader to value life and not be complacent to the passage of time.
The Theme of Mortality
At the core of Frost’s “Out, Out” lies the theme of mortality. This theme is established through the story of the young boy whose hand is severed and ultimately leads to his death. Through the use of imagery and symbolism, Frost emphasizes the tragedy of premature death and the randomness and indifference of Fate. By focusing on the boy’s acceptance of death and emptiness of the outside world, Frost warns the reader not to take life for granted and to accept death as it comes.
This theme of mortality is further emphasized through the metaphor of the saw blade and the animal references throughout the poem. The saw is used to symbolize the force of Fate in its destruction of life, and the animal references serve to remind the reader of its randomness. The death at the end of the poem also reflects this idea of mortality and random destruction.
Yet at the same time, Frost warns against overly emotional reactions to death. Throughout the poem, the boy shows a resigned indifference to his situation and even jokes at his own tragedy. By doing this, Frost conveys the idea that death is inevitable, and to struggle against it only serves to cloud this reality. This serves as a warning to the reader to embrace death as part of life and not to cling to the fleeting moments of existence.
The Setting of the Poem
Frost’s use of setting in “Out, Out” is subtle yet powerful. The poem begins with the outside world “not knowing too much about his being gone” and the story is framed around a wood-cutting scene. This setting serves to emphasize the randomness of death and its destruction of life in a mundane location.
The poem’s setting also serves to contrast the idea of the outside world and its obliviousness to life and death. By depicting a rural scene of work and life, Frost conveys how life continues despite death, and how death is often ignored or forgotten by the living world. This serves to further emphasize the importance of life and its fleetingness.
The poem’s final scene also highlights this setting. As the boy’s death is addressed, the other workers simply “turned to their affairs”, indifferent in their own survival and comforted in the knowledge that death does not always claim them. This serves to emphasize the idea of mortality and its indifference to life.
The Refrain of “Outside World”
Throughout the poem, Frost uses the refrain of an “outside world … not knowing too much about his being gone”. This refrain serves to emphasize the indifference of the living world to death. By repeating this refrain, Frost conveys the idea that death is just a passing from life and that the living world goes on without outward sign that someone is gone.
Frost also uses this refrain to add a sense of distance and detachment to the poem. By using the metaphor of the outside world, Frost reinforces the idea that death is just a part of life and that the living world goes on without caring. The use of this metaphor serves to emotionally distance the reader from the boy’s death, further enforcing the idea of mortality and its ultimate power over life.
The refrain also serves to contrast the idea of death and its indifference to life. As Frost repeats the phrase “outside world”, he highlights the lack of attention life pays to death and how death carries on despite being forgotten. This serves to highlight the power and randomness of death, and the importance of living life to the fullest.
The Use of Animal Imagery
Throughout “Out, Out”, Frost employs animal imagery to emphasize the randomness and indifference of death. This animal imagery is first used to describe the saw blade which, according to Frost, is “snarling” and “rattling”. This serves to remind the readers that death is unpredictably random, like a wild animal, and can act without reason.
Frost also uses animal imagery to describe the characters’ reactions to the boy’s death. The mention of “a faraway look and a summer home” suggests a distant and uncaring reaction to the boy’s death, further emphasizing the indifference of life to death. The animal imagery in the poem further serves to enforce this idea, highlighting the random and unpredictable nature of death.
This animal imagery also serves to remind the reader of the inevitability and finality of death. By depicting death as a wild animal, Frost conveys the idea that death has its own power and will, and that it is indiscriminate in its taking of life. This serves to warn the reader not to take life for granted, and to live life to the fullest in order to make the most of one’s time.
Conclusion
In Robert Frost’s “Out, Out”, the main themes of mortality and fate are explored through the story of a young boy whose hand is severed by a saw and ultimately leads to his death. Through imagery and symbolism, Frost emphasizes the randomness and inevitability of death while at the same time reminding the reader to appreciate life while they still have it. The poem’s setting, the refrain of the “outside world” and the use of animal imagery all serve to emphasize these themes, and to serve as a reminder of the indomitable nature of death and its indifference to life.
