... The conflict of reality vs. imagination is explored through images of bent birches. Reality is depicted as birches bending and cracking after a freezing rain from the ice that was left behind. Frost let's the reader know that this is reality in lines 3-4: "I like to think some boy's been swinging them. But swinging ... stay." He tells the reader the real reason of what bent the birches in line 5 when he states "Ice-storms do that." In the next six lines, Erica Smith notes, "we are inclined to view the ice storm negatively because Frost has used it to refute his hoped-for explanation in l...

• Word Count: 1056
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... the stress and strain put on the branches by the force of nature allows the reader to picture something being forever altered by the span of time. He compares the ice metaphorically to "heaps of broken glass." Broken glass tends to be an image of chaos, disorder, or unhappiness. His tone in this passage speaks to me as if the situation ... , Frost points out that he wishes the "birch", which I've come to understand symbolizes the human capability of life and learning, could have such a different fate than one laden with ice and burdon bent branches. The human spirit comes to live and lea...

• Word Count: 680
• Approx Pages: 3
• Grade Level: High School

... appearance of the birches. Frost wants to believe that the branches of the birches bend and sway because of a boy swinging on them. However, Frost suggests that repeated ice storms are what bend the branches. Frost compares the breaking away of the ice from the trees to the "dome of heaven" shattering (Line 13). This could be a metaphor for life using imagery. The ... ice can symbolize difficult times that come in life, while the ice breaking away may represent renewed hope for the future. Initially, the forest scene describes, "crystal shells Shattering and avalanching on the snow crus...

• Word Count: 1048
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... appearance of the birches. Frost wants to believe that the branches of the birches bend and sway because of a boy swinging on them. However, Frost suggests that repeated ice storms are what bend the branches. Frost compares the breaking away of the ice from the trees to the "dome of heaven" shattering (Line 13). This could be a metaphor for life using imagery. The ... ice can symbolize difficult times that come in life, while the ice breaking away may represent renewed hope for the future. Initially, the forest scene describes, "crystal shells Shattering and avalanching on the snow crus...

• Word Count: 1022
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... appearance of the birches. Frost wants to believe that the branches of the birches bend and sway because of a boy swinging on them. However, Frost suggests that repeated ice storms are what bend the branches. Frost compares the breaking away of the ice from the trees to the "dome of heaven" shattering (Line 13). This could be a metaphor for life using imagery. The ... ice can symbolize difficult times that come in life, while the ice breaking away may represent renewed hope for the future. Initially, the forest scene describes, "crystal shells Shattering and avalanching on the snow crus...

• Word Count: 1022
• Approx Pages: 4
• Grade Level: High School

... are two hypothesizes that he comes up with to signify the results of the bent branches. One is by a young boy swinging on them and the other is by the ice storms and harsh weather that have worn them down. It is very easy to picture this scenario with the usage of language described in Roberts and Jacobs (1112): Often you must ... have seen them Loaded with ice a sunny winter morning After rain. They click upon themselves As the breeze rises, and turn many-colored Visualizing this helps to also understand the setting along with the tone also ... ...

• Word Count: 1027
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... knew that no one took joy in swinging on the branches like he did. The branches hanging low because of the ice storms, and not from children swinging on them, saddened him. He spoke of how beautiful the branches were with ice on them, and how beautiful the arching tree-trunks were. When I read these parts it made me happy. However, when he ... ...

• Word Count: 886
• Approx Pages: 4
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School