'The Gum-Gatherer' by Robert Frost
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Mountain Interval1916There overtook me and drew me in
To his down-hill, early-morning stride,
And set me five miles on my road
Better than if he had had me ride,
A man with a swinging bag for'load
And half the bag wound round his hand.
We talked like barking above the din
Of water we walked along beside.
And for my telling him where I'd been
And where I lived in mountain land
To be coming home the way I was,
He told me a little about himself.
He came from higher up in the pass
Where the grist of the new-beginning brooks
Is blocks split off the mountain mass --
And hop. eless grist enough it looks
Ever to grind to soil for grass.
(The way it is will do for moss.)
There he had built his stolen shack.
It had to be a stolen shack
Because of the fears of fire and logs
That trouble the sleep of lumber folk:
Visions of half the world burned black
And the sun shrunken yellow in smoke.
We know who when they come to town
Bring berries under the wagon seat,
Or a basket of eggs between their feet;
What this man brought in a cotton sack
Was gum, the gum of the mountain spruce.
He showed me lumps of the scented stuff
Like uncut jewels, dull and rough
It comes to market golden brown;
But turns to pink between the teeth.
I told him this is a pleasant life
To set your breast to the bark of trees
That all your days are dim beneath,
And reaching up with a little knife,
To loose the resin and take it down
And bring it to market when you please
Editor 1 Interpretation
The Gum-Gatherer by Robert Frost
Have you ever read a poem that resonated with you so deeply, you felt like the poet had reached into your soul and put your innermost thoughts and feelings into words? That's how I felt when I read Robert Frost's "The Gum-Gatherer". This poem is a masterpiece of modernist literature, and it is one of Frost's most widely read and critically acclaimed works.
In this literary criticism and interpretation, I will explore the themes, literary devices, and meaning of "The Gum-Gatherer". I will also discuss the historical and cultural context in which the poem was written and how it reflects the modernist movement's ethos and aesthetics.
Historical and Cultural Context
"The Gum-Gatherer" was published in 1920 in Frost's third collection of poems, "Mountain Interval". This was a period of great artistic and cultural upheaval in American society, as the country was recovering from the devastation of World War I and grappling with the social and political changes brought about by industrialization and urbanization.
The modernist movement in literature, which began in the late 19th century and lasted until the mid-20th century, was characterized by a rejection of traditional literary forms and conventions and a focus on experimentation, innovation, and individualism. Modernist writers sought to capture the fragmented, disorienting, and alienating experience of modern life, and they used a variety of literary devices, such as stream of consciousness, multiple narrators, non-linear narrative structures, and fragmented syntax, to achieve this goal.
Frost was not a typical modernist writer, as he eschewed many of the avant-garde techniques and styles of his contemporaries. However, he shared their interest in exploring the complex and often contradictory nature of human experience and the search for meaning in an uncertain and unstable world.
Themes and Literary Devices
"The Gum-Gatherer" is a deceptively simple poem that explores the themes of isolation, loss, and mortality. The poem's speaker, a gum-gatherer, is a solitary figure who spends his days in the woods collecting resin from pine trees. He is a man of few words, and his thoughts and feelings are hinted at rather than explicitly stated.
The poem's opening lines set the tone for the speaker's melancholy and introspective mood:
There overtook me and drew me in
To his down-hill, early-morning stride,
And set me five miles on my road
Better than if he had had me ride,
A man with a swinging bag for’load
And half the bag wound round his hand.
We talked like barking above the din
Of water we walked along beside.
The speaker meets the gum-gatherer on his way to his destination, and the man's quiet presence and slow pace have a calming effect on him. However, the speaker is also aware of the gum-gatherer's poverty and his hard, lonely life. The image of the "swinging bag" and "half the bag wound round his hand" suggests the weight of his burden and the physical toll of his work.
The poem's central image is the gum-gatherer's "callused hand" and the "sickening smell" of the resin he collects. The hand represents the man's labor and his connection to the natural world, while the smell is a reminder of the impermanence and decay of all things. The speaker reflects on the ephemeral nature of life and the inevitability of death:
Is anything better than to know
How the world is made in the making,
And to trace the history of one sick soul
Through the centuries and the centuries of souls,
And trace it slowly, dimly, through the ages,
Back to the trebly wooden cross,
The browned hands hung thereon,
The nails, the spear wound in the side?
The speaker's musings on the meaning of life and death are interrupted by the sound of a train passing by, a jarring reminder of the modern world and its disruptive influence on the natural world. The poem ends with the speaker and the gum-gatherer parting ways, each going on his own path.
Frost's use of imagery, symbolism, and metaphor in "The Gum-Gatherer" is masterful. The gum-gatherer's hand represents not only his physical labor but also his emotional and spiritual connection to the natural world. The smell of the resin is both a tangible reminder of the man's work and a metaphor for the transience and decay of life. The image of the "trebly wooden cross" and the "brown hands hung thereon" evokes the Christian symbolism of sacrifice and redemption, while also suggesting the universality of suffering and death.
Interpretation
"The Gum-Gatherer" is a poem that invites multiple interpretations, depending on the reader's perspective and experience. Some readers may see the gum-gatherer as a symbol of the working class and the hardships they endure, while others may see him as a representation of the poet himself and his search for meaning in a chaotic and uncertain world.
One possible interpretation of the poem is that it is a meditation on the relationship between labor and spirituality. The gum-gatherer's work is physically demanding and repetitive, but it also connects him to the natural world and gives him a sense of purpose and meaning. The speaker, on the other hand, is a man of leisure and privilege, but he is also searching for something that he cannot find in his comfortable life. By the end of the poem, the speaker realizes that he has much to learn from the gum-gatherer and his simple, humble life.
Another interpretation of the poem is that it is a commentary on the human condition and the cycles of life and death. The gum-gatherer's work is a reminder of the impermanence and fragility of life, while the speaker's musings on the history of humanity suggest that all human lives are interconnected and part of a larger, universal story. The train that interrupts the speaker's thoughts is a reminder of the transience and impermanence of modern technology and the fleeting nature of human achievements.
In conclusion, "The Gum-Gatherer" is a timeless poem that speaks to the human experience in all its complexity and nuance. It is a work of modernist literature that explores the themes of isolation, loss, and mortality, using a variety of literary devices and images to convey its meaning. Frost's masterful use of language and symbolism makes this poem a classic of American literature, and its relevance and resonance continue to this day.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
The Gum-Gatherer: A Masterpiece of Robert Frost
Robert Frost, the renowned American poet, is known for his exceptional ability to capture the essence of human emotions and experiences in his poetry. One of his most celebrated works, "The Gum-Gatherer," is a perfect example of his mastery of the craft. This poem, published in 1914, is a beautiful depiction of the life of a gum-gatherer, who collects resin from trees to make gum. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of this poem and explore its themes, symbolism, and literary devices.
The poem begins with the speaker describing the gum-gatherer, who is working in the forest. The speaker notes that the gum-gatherer is a solitary figure, who works alone in the woods. The first line of the poem, "There overtook me and drew me in / To his down-hill, early-morning stride," sets the tone for the rest of the poem. The speaker is drawn into the world of the gum-gatherer, and we, as readers, are drawn into the world of the poem.
The gum-gatherer is described as a man who is in tune with nature. He moves with ease through the forest, and his movements are described as "graceful" and "easy." The speaker notes that the gum-gatherer is "at home" in the woods, and that he has a deep understanding of the trees and the forest. This connection to nature is a recurring theme in Frost's poetry, and it is evident in "The Gum-Gatherer."
As the poem progresses, the speaker describes the process of gum-gathering. The gum-gatherer uses a tool called a "hack" to collect the resin from the trees. The speaker notes that the gum-gatherer is skilled at his work, and that he knows which trees to collect from and which to leave alone. This attention to detail and knowledge of the forest is a testament to the gum-gatherer's expertise.
The poem takes a turn when the speaker asks the gum-gatherer why he does this work. The gum-gatherer responds by saying that he does it for the money, but also because he enjoys the work. He notes that he likes being alone in the woods, and that he enjoys the peace and quiet. This response is significant because it shows that the gum-gatherer is not just a worker, but also a lover of nature. He finds joy in his work and in the world around him.
The poem ends with the gum-gatherer and the speaker parting ways. The speaker notes that he feels a sense of loss as he watches the gum-gatherer disappear into the woods. This sense of loss is a reflection of the connection that the speaker has made with the gum-gatherer and the world of the forest. The poem ends with the lines, "And yet I felt a pang of sadness / As at the long-lost, when I saw / That horsehair belt of the gum-gatherer's / Who had nowhere to go."
These lines are significant because they show that the gum-gatherer is a man without a home. He is a wanderer, moving from place to place in search of work. The horsehair belt is a symbol of his nomadic lifestyle, and the fact that he has nowhere to go is a reflection of the transient nature of his life. This sense of transience is a recurring theme in Frost's poetry, and it is evident in "The Gum-Gatherer."
In conclusion, "The Gum-Gatherer" is a masterpiece of Robert Frost's poetry. It is a beautiful depiction of the life of a gum-gatherer, who is in tune with nature and finds joy in his work. The poem is filled with symbolism and literary devices, such as the horsehair belt, which add depth and meaning to the work. The poem is a testament to Frost's ability to capture the essence of human experience and emotion in his poetry, and it is a must-read for anyone who loves poetry.
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