Comparison of Stopping by Woods on a snowy evening and In Your mind

In addressing the various concerns to travelling to a place, both poems are similar in containing elements of pessimism in addressing the inevitability to feel unease and homesick when one is displaced from their Home. However, both poems differ in the control their protagonist holds and the nature of their searching for identity during travelling. Both poems comment on the theme of inevitability to feel unease and homesick when one is displaced from their Home. In Stopping By the Woods, Robert Frost uses repetition in miles to go before I sleep to convey the underlying essential need to return home to sleep-fully rest in comfort despite the long journey ahead of the protagonist. This shows that distance is not a factor an speed is not a need in determining the essentiality to return to home as they saying goes, Home is where the heart is. Similarly, in In Your Mind , Duffy portrays this notion by using England as the home. The poem starts off with one autumn in England and concludes with English Rain. This is particularly meaningful , as England- The Home, is used as a starting place and an ending place for the protagonist when travelling. Hence, this implies that similarly, no matter how far or how long one travels, they will always return to Home. Furthermore, the juxtaposition of half-remembered and all in In Your Mind signifies that despite all efforts attempted to try to belong to the foreign place, travellers will always be half, that is, they will never like the natives in foreign land while travelling, hence they will never feel the ease like what they feel at Home. This can be further illustrated in the juxtaposition of muffled by the rain and fades like newsprint in the sun also highlights the vast geographical difference one experiences during travelling to a place as when there is rain in location A, simultaneously, there is rain in location B. in metaphorical form, it also means the vast difference in culture and traditions that will engender people to feel homesick when displaced from Home. Both poems involve the presence of inevitable pessimistic elements when travelling to a place, giving rise to a melancholic mood. In Stopping By the Woods, Robert Frost uses dreary and gloomy imagery such as fill up with snow , frozen lake and

darkest evening. Such pessimism is conveyed even though snow and frozen lake might seem picturesque to some, the phrase fill up is indicative of the melancholic mood as one recalls the chore of trudging through deep layers of snow. In addition, frozen lake results from an extreme cold in temperature which discourages outdoor activity and hence, results in the unenthusiastic state of mind and a melancholic mood. On the other hand, in In your mind, Duffy too, uses negative imagery through the appearance of rain at the start and the end of the poem. Furthermore, the appearance of no and never are also strong diction that conveys negativity in the body of the poem. This is significant as it conveys that when one travels to a place, as planning for travelling requires strenuous mental power and during the travelling, there will be times we feel homesick .Some may face dread when the travelling comes to an end. Hence, these lingering pessimism creates a melancholic mood when one travels to a place. However, both poems differ in their depiction of the extent of control the protagonist held during the time of their travelling. The juxtaposition of rural countryside in Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening with the urban setting in In your Mind contributes to the difference in the extent of the control the protagonist held. In Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, setting held in laidback villages and farmhouses is a clear distinction with the hectic urban landscape of airport, hotel and town. In Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost, the poem is indicative of the absence of certainty and control during the travelling. This is effectively portrayed by the blend of pronouns used. The poem contains a blend of pronouns, such as his , he, my and I. The absence of a consistent I suggests an absence of a stronghold of his travel, perhaps due to internal causes, such as his state of mind and external effects such as the forces of nature. It also implies that the protagonist is highly influenced by the changing situations in his surroundings when he was travelling and lacked strong judgment on his part. Furthermore, the use of hypothesis using phrases or diction such as I think I know and ask if there is a mistake embodies the uncertainty the protagonist as this lack of control is reflected by his inability to use phrases that command more conviction such as I know instead of I think I know. Hence, his susceptibility to these differing situations signifies his lack of control in his travel, resulting in a more laid-back atmosphere.

However, this is seemingly the opposite in In Your Mind , where it is evident that control by the protagonist in his travel is quite consistent. In the poem, the consistent use of the second person narrative you embodies the strong control held by the protagonist. In this case, the use of the second person narrative translates to a more dictator style of narrating. It seems like the protagonist is directing himself in his every move and gives the effect of self-affirmative, and almost commanding type of tone. For example, you go to your job and you love your job. This significant as the love for ones job is highly personal, but in this case, it sees that the protagonist is commanding you to love your job. Hence, this commanding and dictator-like tone is affirmative of the control the protagonist held when he was travelling to a place. Furthermore, both poems differs in the nature of their search for identity in a foreign place while travelling. In Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening, the protagonist adopts a passive attitude in his search for his identity during displacement. This can be seen in the poem, where stop was repeated twice. This implies he is highly aware and often tune in to his surroundings. He seeks comfort and spiritual fulfillment in his travelling as he describes the woods as lovely. This is because he might feel that his identity during travelling is shaped and cultivated by his surroundings. In contrast, the protagonist in In Your Mind is anxious and eager to form his new identity in a foreign place using physical means such as naming and language and scent ; and emotional means such as the past. This is crucial as in order to fit in to a new place, there will be several major changes where experiences will mold the identity of an individual. These two poems lead us to wonder about the intricacies in travelling to a place as we ponder about the challenges and obstacles people faced when they travel to foreign land as we learn the need to appreciate the warmth Home provides.