Can someone please make a literal meaning for each line in Robert Frost's Poem 'Out, Out'?
(For lines 27-34 only)
and techniques used?
So. The hand was gone already.
The doctor put him in the dark of ether.
He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath.
And then - the watcher at his pulse took a fright.
No one believed. They listened to his heart.
Little - less - nothing! - and that ended it.
No more to build on there. And they, since they
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.
The word "ether" should tell you that someone was being put under anesthesia, probably for surgery. Once you realize that, it should not be at all difficult to understand this.
Line by line, what do you think is happening?
Sure! Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the literal meaning of lines 27-34 in Robert Frost's poem "Out, Out," along with some techniques used:
27. "So. The hand was gone already."
Literal Meaning: At this point in the poem, the boy's hand has been amputated.
Techniques Used: The use of the word "So" signifies a shift or transition in the narrative. It implies that the previous events have led to the current moment.
28. "The doctor put him in the dark of ether."
Literal Meaning: The doctor administered anesthesia to the boy to numb his pain and put him to sleep.
Techniques Used: The phrase "dark of ether" conveys the idea of the boy being in a state of unconsciousness induced by the anesthesia. It creates a sense of darkness and disorientation.
29. "He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath."
Literal Meaning: While unconscious, the boy's breathing caused his lips to puff out.
Techniques Used: The use of the verb "puffed" and the imagery of the boy's lips emphasizes the boy's struggle to breathe and depicts his fading vitality.
30. "And then - the watcher at his pulse took a fright."
Literal Meaning: The person who was monitoring the boy's pulse became alarmed or scared.
Techniques Used: The use of the verb "took a fright" suggests a sudden and dramatic reaction to the boy's deteriorating condition. This creates a sense of tension and urgency.
31. "No one believed. They listened to his heart."
Literal Meaning: Despite the watcher's concern, nobody believed that the boy was in critical condition. They tried to assess his condition by listening to his heartbeat.
Techniques Used: The disbelief of the others adds to the sense of shock and disbelief surrounding the boy's situation.
32. "Little - less - nothing! - and that ended it."
Literal Meaning: Upon listening, they discovered that the boy's heartbeat was weakening until it eventually stopped completely.
Techniques Used: The repetition of words and phrases ("Little - less - nothing!") highlights the progressive decline of the boy's heartbeat, intensifying the sense of his life slipping away.
33. "No more to build on there. And they, since they"
Literal Meaning: The phrase suggests that there are no further actions or measures that can be taken to save the boy's life.
Techniques Used: The phrase conveys a sense of finality and resignation, indicating that all hope is lost.
34. "Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs."
Literal Meaning: Since they were not the ones who died, the others turned their attention back to their own activities and daily concerns.
Techniques Used: This line highlights the indifferent and detached response of the people around the boy's death. It emphasizes a sense of apathy or callousness in the face of tragedy.
In the lines 27-34 of Robert Frost's poem 'Out, Out,' the literal meaning of each line can be understood as follows:
27. "So. The hand was gone already."
This line implies that the hand of the boy involved in the accident had been severed or cut off.
28. "The doctor put him in the dark of ether."
Here, the line suggests that the doctor administered anesthesia to the boy by using ether, a volatile liquid, to induce unconsciousness.
29. "He lay and puffed his lips out with his breath."
This line portrays the boy lying down, breathing heavily or laboriously, causing his lips to protrude or puff out due to his exertion.
30. "And then – the watcher at his pulse took a fright."
In this line, it suggests that the person monitoring the boy's pulse became alarmed or terrified when they noticed something concerning or abnormal.
31. "No one believed. They listened to his heart."
This line indicates that nobody could fathom the severity of the situation, so they listened attentively to the beats of the boy's heart to comprehend the gravity of his condition.
32. "Little – less – nothing! – and that ended it."
Here, the line suggests that the beats of the boy's heart gradually decreased in intensity until they faded away completely, indicating his death.
33. "No more to build on there. And they, since they"
This implies that there is no possibility of further development or progress concerning the boy's life, as he is now deceased.
34. "Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs."
This line suggests that since the bystanders were not the ones who died, they resumed their daily activities or returned to their own concerns, perhaps displaying a lack of emotional attachment or empathy.
Regarding the techniques used in these lines, Frost employs vivid and concise language to describe the events and emotions surrounding the boy's tragedy. He also uses enjambment, the continuation of a sentence from one line to the next, to maintain the flow of the narrative. Additionally, Frost creates a sense of detachment or emotional distance by focusing on the actions and reactions of the bystanders rather than delving into their inner thoughts and feelings.
Please note that no one here will do your work for you. However, we will be happy to read over whatever you come up with and make suggestions and/or corrections.
Please post what you think.