This line encourages thoughtful consideration before creating divisions or boundaries. It prompts us to understand the consequences of our actions, questioning whether separation truly benefits or harms, both for ourselves and others.
Quote by Robert Frost: “Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out.”
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know What I was walling in or walling out.
Insight
Historical Context
Amid discussions of national borders and personal space before WWI, Frost's poem explored the human instinct to both connect and separate, and the reasons behind these impulses.
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American poet celebrated for his realistic depictions of rural life in New England and his command of American colloquial speech. He won four Pulitzer Prizes for Poetry and was often honored during his lifetime, becoming a de facto poet laureate.
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