Thursday, October 16, 2014

In Frost's poem "Death of the Hired Man," what do Warren's and Mary's different definitions of "home" suggest about their feelings towards Silas?

Warren believes that


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"Home is the place where, when you have to go
there, they have to take you
in."



In contrast, Mary calls
home


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"Something you somehow haven't to
deserve."



Warren looks at
everything in practical terms. He considers Silas a burden,
observing,


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"What good is he? Who else will harbor him at his
age for the little he can
do?"



Silas has also proven
himself to be undependable in the past. At haying time, when Warren could have used the
little help he could give the most, the hired man would go somewhere else where he could
earn more than Warren could pay him.


Warren acknowledges
that Silas is a good worker in some ways;


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"He bundles every forkful in its place, and tags
and numbers it for future reference...Silas does that
well."



The hired man's small
assets as a worker are not enough to make Warren feel that he should take him in,
however. Warren feels that Silas's brother should do that, as he is family, and it is
his duty.


Mary, on the other hand, sees Silas as a human
being, who deserves to be treated with love and respect. To her, Silas has value simply
because of who he is; it does not matter how much work he can do. When the hired man
told her that he meant to "ditch the meadow" and "clear the upper pasture," she
understood that he could no longer do either of those things, but needed to believe he
could "to save his self-respect." She looks at Silas sensitively, and with sympathy,
saying,



"Poor
Silas...nothing to look backward to with pride...and nothing to look forward to with
hope...he don't know why he isn't quite as good as
anyone."



With heartfelt
perceptiveness, Mary believes that Silas does not go to his brother because he is
ashamed of his worthlessness in practical terms. He has come to them instead, because he
has feels that they will allow him to retain a vestige of his dignity. Warren and Mary's
place is home to him, and Mary believes that every man deserves at least
that.

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