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Robert Frost's 'The Tuft of Flowers'

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Robert Frost's 'The Tuft of Flowers'
Robert Frost's 'The Tuft of Flowers" is an exploration of human companionship. It discusses amity between men and it's need for proximity. This is achieved through the conflicting themes of isolation, understanding & kinship, and the paradox that it creates. Robert Frost's poem shows that companionship does not need a physical aspect or presence.

Loneliness is a theme that leads the poem into further ideas. Heavily stressed upon, the audience can feel the protagonist's isolation. "...as he had been - alone,"
This line emphasises the idea through the use of ellipsis. It is an example of a visual aspect of poetry. The word in the poem is set off-side and this furthers the imagery and meaning of 'alone'. Solitude is also represented through the motif of death. "...his long scythe whispering to the ground."
This line personifies the weeding object and gives an allusion to death. The Grim Reaper is referenced here, with a subtle use of anthropromorphism. This quote, with such references to death connotes ideas of isolation. The separation in the poem is heavily emphasised and allows the poem to develop and expand.

Conversely, a contrasting theme in the poem is of understanding and kinship. Through the main character's and mower's similarity of thought, this idea is portrayed. "The mower... had loved the them thus, by leaving them to flourish, not for us."
The motivation of the mower was of beauty and this is reflected in the protagonist's ideals. The connection between the two is shown. "feel a spirit kindred to my own."
This line shows the connection the protagonist has made to the mower. The use of the word 'spirit' represents the metaphysical aspect and absense of a physical presence. This is an inception of the idea in which, connections between entities do not require presence.
The companionship made between these parties has occured from a shared idea or understanding. This is a theme relevant in many texts. C.S. Lewis states, "Friendship is

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