Introduction
In literature, the theme of man-nature relationships is common and delivered in a variety of ways. In the majority of cases, people see nature as a protagonist because, despite multiple intentions, it is hard for a person to gain control over natural processes and changes. It is also important to understand that nature uses wilderness not only as a threat but as protection against unreasonable and usually egoistic human goals. The short story “The Bear” by William Faulkner and the poem “Mending Wall” by Robert Frost was written in the first half of the 20th century to shed light on the co-existence of human beings and nature. The authors show their interest in researching the barriers that challenge people and the connections that cannot be broken in their life. Although Frost and Faulkner do not answer how to solve the man-nature conflict, they share their observations to motivate the reader and make the necessary conclusions about interference consequences. “The Bear” and “Mending Wall” explain the individual’s primitive urge to explore nature through hunting and destruction without considering the actual price that has to be paid in this type of relationship.
“The Bear” by Faulkner
Wilderness is one of the major topics in Faulkner’s “The Bear.” The author pays much attention to the description of nature as the land, “the doomed wilderness,” “faded in the dusk,” and “the immemorial darkness” (Faulkner 1, 5). It seems that Faulkner wants to use as many shadowy adjectives as possible in his evaluation of nature to underline its ambiguity and detachment from humans. At the same time, the “edges were being constantly and punily gnawed at by men with axes and plows,” who hunt and produce a negative impact on nature (Faulkner 1). In the story, the men are introduced as conquerors but not due to their strengths or powers, but because of their “fury of abhorrence and fear” of wildlife (Faulkner 1). Hunting turns out to be a routine affair for the characters, whose aim is to catch the old legendary bear, Old Ben.
However, as well as in any society, the community in the story includes people with different approaches to the exploration of the wilderness. On the one hand, many men understand the need for a well-trained assistant or the “right dog,” readiness to shoot, the compass, and a stick (Faulkner 7). On the other hand, the boy finds it necessary to leave behind the gun, compass, watch, and even stick to learn the wilderness. Faulkner teaches that nature is not as dangerous as it may be to humans in case people choose the correct way of its exploration. Instead of defense and armament, openness and respect should be demonstrated.
The story is full of symbols and images that deliver the required message to the reader. The bear, “fierce and ruthless, not merely just to stay alive, but with the fierce pride of liberty and freedom,” symbolizes nature and wildlife that are persistently challenged and threatened by humans (Faulkner 9). People cannot stop hunting or inventing other interventions to mark their territory, neglecting the price that they should pay. The death of animals and the man prove the fatality of conflict, leaving all other participants with the truth that “doesn’t change” but covers “honor and pride and pity and justice and courage and love” (Faulkner 9). As long as people come to nature with guns and arrogance, they cannot reach freedom and peaceful co-existence.
“Mending Wall” by Frost
Similar ideas and attitudes toward the relationships humans try to establish with nature are present in many of Frost’s poems. His “Mending Wall” is known for several symbols to reveal how boundaries influence people and the wilderness. The power of nature is limitless, and Frost describes it as “something there is that doesn’t love a wall” and “that sends the frozen-ground-swell under it” (lines 1-2). An ordinary person is not able to understand the true source of its strength but has nothing to do but accept the offered conditions and survive. People find new sources to expand their ownership, and Frost creates hunters who “have left not one stone on a stone,” but “have the rabbit out of hiding,/ To please the yelping dogs” (lines 7-9). The same way Faulkner uses hunters as the destroyers of nature, Frost does not support their activities and methods.
In “The Bear,” a boy chooses another way to study wildlife, and in “Mending Wall,” the narrator is eager to improve his understanding by posing questions and evaluating the current situation. Instead of continuing making the same mistakes and failing, he would “ask to know/What I was walling in or walling out,/ And to whom I was like to give offense” (Frost lines 32-34). Society has already realized that nature can destroy and damage everything, despite the chosen resources and actions. As a result, “spring is the mischief” for the narrator when he should repair the wall with no enjoyment about the rebirth time (Frost line 28). People (wall rebuilders and neighbors) become dependent on other people (hunters), and nature does not break this circle, remaining silent but powerful observant.
Although in Frost’s poem, there are no death and physical losses as they are in Faulkner’s story, “Mending Wall” contains another strong symbol of the price to be paid for unfair attitudes toward nature. People believe that “good fences make good neighbors,” promoting the need for division and mistrust in each other (Frost line 27). A fence is not just a physical construction that determines human possibilities but also an obstacle that encages human life while wildlife remains free and independent.
Conclusion
In general, the implications of Frost’s and Faulkner’s works are great in terms of discussing the theme of man-nature resistance. Both authors teach the reader how to accept natural artifacts and gifts instead of simply destroying them as a part of human development and growth. The world cannot be divided between people and nature but has to co-exist, focusing on such issues as respect, peace, and mutual assistance. “The Bear” makes clear the price that society should pay if hunting and meaningless exploration of the land prevail, and “Mending Wall” proves that individuals can re-evaluate their actions and change their minds. After reading and analyzing the poems, I got a great opportunity to comprehend that human life should not try to substitute wildlife because, in this conflict, a person will never gain victory over nature. Whether people like it or not, the power of nature is impressive, and even the most technologically advanced communities, equipment, and experience are not enough to conquer or destroy the wilderness.
Works Cited
Faulkner, William. “The Bear.” Thomas Aquinas College. Web.
Frost, Robert. “Mending Wall.” Poetry Foundation.