Not To Keep
By Robert Frost (1917--during World War I)
They sent him back to her. The letter came
Saying… And she could have him. And before
She could be sure there was no hidden ill
Under the formal writing, he was in her sight,
Living. They gave him back to her alive—
How else? They are not known to send the dead—
And not disfigured visibly. His face?
His hands? She had to look, and ask,
“What was it, dear?” And she had given all
And still she had all—they had—they the lucky!
Wasn’t she glad now? Everything seemed won,
And all the rest for them permissible ease.
She had to ask, “What was it, dear?”
“Enough,
Yet not enough. A bullet through and through,
High in the breast. Nothing but what good care
And medicine and rest, and you a week,
Can cure me of to go again.” The same
Grim giving to do over for them both.
She dared no more than ask him with her eyes
How was it with him for a second trial.
And with his eyes he asked her not to ask.
They had given him back to her, but not to keep.
Think about the poem and answer the following questions:
1. What has the man just returned from?
2. What is the relationship between the woman and the man in the poem?
3. Who has given the man "back to her"? Why can she not keep him?
4. How do you imagine the man and the woman are feeling? Why?
1. What has the man just returned from?
ReplyDeleteThe man is just returned from the war.
2. What is the relationship between the woman and the man in the poem?
The woman and the man in the poem are husband and wife.
3. Who has given the man "back to her"? Why can she not keep him?
The “war” did not take the live of the man and gave him back to the wife.
She can’t keep the man because the war is still going on and he needs to fight .
4. How do you imagine the man and the woman are feeling? Why?
The feeling of the man is more complicate since he is proud being a soldier and fighting for his country but he is been injured seriously.
The woman might be heartbroken since she is afraid the war would take his life and she is fear the man would not return.
1.he had just returned from a war..
ReplyDelete2.its a man and his wife.
3.the man just came back from a war and the army gave him back..and she cant keep him because he is going to have to go back in the army.
4.they are very sad because they do not have time to spend together and the husbands life is at risk because he is fighting in the war.
1. What has the man just returned from?
ReplyDeleteHe just returned from war.
2. What is the relationship between the woman and the man in the poem?
The relationship between the woman and the man is husband and wife
3. Who has given the man "back to her"? Why can she not keep him?
The war take him from her and the given bake to her.
Why can she not keep him because the war still on it, the man need fight in the war.
4. How do you imagine the man and the woman are feeling? Why?
I imagine the man was a tried the war because in the war the people going die every time and is eased to injured.
The woman will be feeling sad because when she heard the news come for the war, she will scared is his husband die or injured.
1. In this poem, the man is just returned from the war
ReplyDelete2. In the poem, the woman seems to be the man's girlfriend. In fact, she is waiting for his boyfriend ( the man returned from the war).
3. The "war" is giving back him to the wife. Although she can't keep the man because the war is still going on, so she has to fight.
4. The feeling of the man and women is complicated.
The man is proud to fight for his country but he is injured and he is going to return to fight for his country. The women seems to be afraid, thinking that war would take the man's life and that the man would not return.
Several of you mentioned that the soldier is proud to fight for his country. What in the poem indicates this? I'm not sure I see it!
ReplyDelete1. What has the man just returned from?
ReplyDeleteWar, and he is injured.
2. What is the relationship between the woman and the man in the poem?
they are Married, loving.
3. Who has given the man "back to her"? Why can she not keep him?
The militar gave him back to her but after he is healed he is going to go back to war.
4. How do you imagine the man and the woman are feeling? Why?
The man has a passive decison, while the woman is very, very sad.
The man is proud to flight since he says "...you a week,Can cure me of to go again.” "TO GO AGAIN " The word from the man shows that even is been injured seriously he still wants and knows that he need to return to the war.
ReplyDeleteAini,
ReplyDeleteThanks for responding back! (bonus points to you!)
I see that the soldier has to go to war again, but I see more fear than pride. Look at this line: "The same Grim giving to do over for them both." Both the man and the woman have the SAME feeling about him returning to war. Additionally, towards the end of the poem the man does not want the woman to ask about it. What do the rest of you think?