The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard
And made dust and dropped stove-length sticks of wood,
Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it.
And from there those that lifted eyes could count
Five mountain ranges one behind the other
Under the sunset far into Vermont.
And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled,
As it ran light, or had to bear a load.
And nothing happened: day was all but done.
Call it a day, I wish they might have said
To please the boy by giving him the half hour
That a boy counts so much when saved from work.
His sister stood beside him in her apron
To tell them ‘Supper.’ At the word, the saw,
As if to prove saws knew what supper meant,
Leaped out at the boy’s hand, or seemed to leap—
He must have given the hand. However it was,
Neither refused the meeting. But the hand
Was gone already. The boy’s first outcry was a rueful laugh,
As he swung toward them holding up the hand
Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling. Then the boy saw all—
Since he was old enough to know big words
Of pain and death. And he put his arm
Across his body and flung his head back
At the sky, and then the watch long held for him
Came to an end. They listened at 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.
Robert Frost’s “Out, Out” is a powerful and poignant exploration of life’s fragility and the sudden, often indifferent, nature of tragedy. This poem, set against the backdrop of rural New England, captures a moment of devastating loss with a stark realism that continues to resonate deeply with readers. It invites us to consider the preciousness of existence and the swiftness with which it can be extinguished, leaving behind a world that quickly moves on.
Out, Out Summary and Central Idea
The poem “Out, Out” tells the story of a young boy working with a buzz saw in a rural setting as the workday draws to a close. The saw is described with vivid, almost menacing, personification, constantly “snarling and rattling.” Just as his sister calls him to supper, the saw, as if with a will of its own, “leaped out at the boy’s hand,” severing it in a horrific accident. The boy’s initial reaction is a “rueful laugh,” a desperate attempt to comprehend the incomprehensible, followed by a dawning realization of the gravity of his injury. Despite his desperate struggle, he quickly succumbs to the trauma and dies. The poem concludes with the chilling observation that those around him, “since they were not the one dead, turned to their affairs,” highlighting the stark indifference of life in the face of individual tragedy.
The central idea of “Out, Out” revolves around the profound fragility of human life and the indifferent, often brutal, reality of existence. It underscores how quickly life can be taken, often by mundane circumstances, and how the world, including other people, often moves on with startling swiftness after such a loss. The poem also explores themes of the harshness of rural labor, the loss of innocence, and the stark confrontation with mortality.
In-depth Analysis of “Out, Out”
Robert Frost masterfully employs a range of literary and poetic devices to craft this unforgettable narrative. Let us delve into the layers of meaning and technique that make “Out, Out” such a compelling work.
Literary Devices in “Out, Out”
Allusion
The title itself, “Out, Out,” is a direct allusion to William Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. In Act V, Scene V, Macbeth, upon hearing of his wife’s death, delivers a soliloquy reflecting on the meaninglessness and brevity of life:
Out, out, brief candle!
Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
By echoing these lines, Frost immediately establishes a somber, fatalistic tone, suggesting that the boy’s life, like Macbeth’s “brief candle,” is extinguished suddenly and tragically, highlighting the fleeting nature of existence and its ultimate insignificance in the grand scheme of things. This allusion deepens the poem’s exploration of mortality and the abrupt end of a promising life.
Imagery
Frost is renowned for his vivid imagery, and “Out, Out” is no exception. He uses sensory details to immerse the reader in the scene, building both atmosphere and tension.
- Auditory Imagery: The repeated phrase “The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard” creates a persistent, almost threatening soundscape. This sound is not just mechanical noise; it is imbued with a primal, animalistic quality that foreshadows danger.
- Olfactory Imagery: The “Sweet-scented stuff when the breeze drew across it” refers to the sawdust and wood chips, providing a brief moment of sensory pleasure that contrasts sharply with the impending horror. This sweetness makes the subsequent tragedy even more bitter.
- Visual Imagery: The description of “Five mountain ranges one behind the other
Under the sunset far into Vermont” paints a serene, expansive picture of the natural world. This beautiful, indifferent landscape serves as a stark backdrop to the human tragedy, emphasizing nature’s detachment from individual suffering. - Tactile Imagery: Though brief, the description of the boy holding up his severed hand “Half in appeal, but half as if to keep
The life from spilling” evokes a visceral sense of his injury and his desperate, futile attempt to cling to life.
Personification
The buzz saw is given distinct human and animalistic qualities, making it seem like a living, malevolent entity rather than a mere machine. This personification elevates the saw to a character in its own right, a force of destiny.
- “The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard”: The verb “snarled” suggests an aggressive, animalistic growl, giving the saw a predatory quality. The repetition of this phrase reinforces its persistent, almost conscious presence.
- “As if to prove saws knew what supper meant,
Leaped out at the boy’s hand, or seemed to leap—”: Here, the saw is attributed with knowledge and intentional action, as if it understands the call to supper and deliberately strikes. This makes the accident feel less like a random occurrence and more like a fated, almost willful act by the machine.
Symbolism
Several elements in the poem carry symbolic weight, enriching its thematic depth.
- The Buzz Saw: Beyond its literal function, the saw symbolizes the dangerous, unforgiving nature of industrialization and manual labor, particularly in rural settings. It represents the tools of progress that can also be instruments of destruction. More broadly, it can symbolize the unpredictable forces of fate or the indifferent mechanisms of the world that can abruptly end life.
- The Boy’s Hand: The severed hand is a powerful symbol of the boy’s future, his ability to work, create, and live. Its loss signifies not just a physical injury but the complete obliteration of his potential and his very existence. It represents the sudden, irreversible loss of life and opportunity.
- The Sunset and Mountain Ranges: These natural elements symbolize the vast, enduring, and ultimately indifferent natural world. While beautiful, they remain unaffected by the human tragedy unfolding below, emphasizing the insignificance of an individual life in the face of cosmic scale.
Poetic Devices in “Out, Out”
Enjambment
Frost frequently uses enjambment, where a sentence or phrase continues from one line to the next without a pause. This technique creates a sense of continuous flow, mirroring the relentless motion of the saw and the unstoppable progression of events towards tragedy.
- “And from there those that lifted eyes could count
Five mountain ranges one behind the other” - “Call it a day, I wish they might have said
To please the boy by giving him the half hour” - “But the hand
Was gone already. The boy’s first outcry was a rueful laugh,”
The enjambment in these lines prevents the reader from pausing, pulling them forward, much like the saw’s continuous operation or the swift unfolding of the accident. It contributes to the poem’s natural, conversational rhythm while subtly building tension.
Tone
The tone of “Out, Out” is largely detached, objective, and starkly realistic. The narrator recounts the events with a matter-of-factness that underscores the harsh reality of the situation and the indifference of the world. This detached tone makes the tragedy even more chilling and impactful.
- “And nothing happened: day was all but done.” This line, preceding the accident, has an almost casual air, making the suddenness of the tragedy more shocking.
- “However it was,
Neither refused the meeting. But the hand
Was gone already.” The clinical description of the hand being “gone already” avoids sentimentality, focusing on the brutal fact. - “Little—less—nothing! And that ended it.
No more to build on there.” These terse, declarative statements convey the finality of death with chilling brevity. - “And they, since they
Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs.” This concluding observation is perhaps the most striking example of the poem’s detached tone, highlighting the swift return to normalcy for those unaffected by the loss.
Free Verse
The poem is written in free verse, meaning it does not adhere to a strict rhyme scheme or meter. This allows Frost to mimic natural speech patterns and create a sense of realism and immediacy. The flexible structure enables the narrative to unfold organically, enhancing the poem’s raw emotional power and directness.
Repetition
The repetition of phrases like “snarled and rattled” emphasizes the persistent, almost hypnotic sound and presence of the saw, building a sense of foreboding and inevitability.
The buzz saw snarled and rattled in the yard
…
And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled,
This repetition imprints the saw’s menacing sound into the reader’s mind, making it a constant, unsettling presence throughout the poem.
Themes in “Out, Out”
Beyond its narrative, “Out, Out” explores several profound themes:
- The Fragility of Life: The most prominent theme is the delicate and easily extinguished nature of human existence. The boy’s life is cut short in an instant, highlighting how vulnerable we are to accident and fate.
- The Indifference of Nature and Society: The majestic Vermont landscape remains beautiful and serene, utterly unaffected by the boy’s death. Similarly, the people around him quickly “turned to their affairs,” demonstrating a chilling, yet perhaps necessary, human capacity to move on from tragedy. This theme suggests that individual suffering often goes unnoticed or is quickly forgotten by the larger world.
- The Harshness of Rural Life and Labor: The poem subtly critiques the demanding and dangerous conditions of rural work, where a young boy is operating a powerful and deadly machine. It reflects a time when such labor was common, and the risks were ever-present.
- Loss of Innocence: The boy is described as “old enough to know big words
Of pain and death” only after the accident. His sudden confrontation with mortality marks a brutal end to his childhood innocence. - The Inevitability of Death: The poem presents death as an abrupt and final event, without sentimentality or romanticism. The lines “Little—less—nothing! And that ended it.
No more to build on there” underscore the absolute finality of death.
Conclusion
“Out, Out” stands as a testament to Robert Frost’s mastery of narrative and thematic depth. Through its stark imagery, chilling personification, and poignant allusion, the poem delivers a powerful message about the fragility of life and the often-indifferent world in which we live. It is a work that compels us to reflect on our own mortality and the swift passage of time, leaving an indelible mark on all who encounter its profound and unsettling beauty. The poem’s enduring power lies in its ability to strip away sentimentality and present a raw, unflinching look at a moment of devastating loss, reminding us that life, like a brief candle, can be extinguished in an instant.