Fire and Ice (Poem ) by Robert Frost ......... Interpretation......

Classroom activity given by Heena ba Ma'am .... 

Fire and Ice" is one of the  Robert Frost's most famous poems. It was published by Harper"s Magazine in December 1920. At that time, there was a debate going on about whether the world will be ended either through“permanent ice age” or “incineration". Through the poems, Robert Frost gave his opinion on the end of world.

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

With only nine lines, the poem by Robert Frost shows two things that will bring the world to an end, they are fire and ice. When I read this poem, the most noticeable literary device used in Robert Frost poems is symbolism. What does Frost want to convey in this poem?  Through my understanding, fire is the symbol of desire and the ice is the symbol of hate. Fire is capable of igniting and destroying everything that stands in its way. So is the desire. The desire of money impels the mobs to rob the bank. Ice is cold, as we all know. So is the hatred. People full of hatred tend to be meaner and colder to the other people. Through his poem, I am able to see the deeper meaning of the elements that will ultimately destroy the world.  Robert Frost predicts the end of world in his own way. 2012 almost ends, we might see what will truly end the world.