In the poem “Neither out far nor in Deep,” Robert Frost satirically depicts human nature of neglecting or ignoring the factual reality and obsessively searching for the inaccessible and the unknowable. The poet utilizes nature to communicate the main ideas of the poem. The speaker contrasts the ocean and the land by stating that people were all facing the ocean while neglecting the land, which has all the answers they are looking for in the deep waters. The contrast of the two non-human nature, ocean, and land, shows human behavior in assuming what they already have while pursuing the unachievable. Here, the message is that people tend to neglect the apparent reality while chasing illusions and the unreal the same way those people at the beach are looking not far or deep into the water.
However, the structure of the poem illustrates the philosophical viewpoint of the speaker. The persona is perplexed that people have turned their back on the land to look at the ocean, trying to find the truth or reality. Ironically, the speaker believes the truth is right behind the people, on the land, yet “they look at the sea all day.” The structure of the poem helps demonstrate its philosophical aspect of it. For instance, the repetition of the same pattern of phrases or words indicates that the mentioned ideas have equal importance. The speaker insisted that people cannot look far or look deep by saying, “They cannot look out far, they cannot look in deep.” Such observations reveal the speaker’s philosophy of life regarding the real and the unreal and the tendency of humans to pursue the inaccessible while ignoring the available truth. The speaker concludes with a rhetorical question to add weight to the argument and show his displeasure about people’s attitude of overlooking the reality in chase of the elusive.
I can relate to the poem’s central idea that people spend too much time trying to see or understand the unreal while neglecting the natural world around them. Mostly, humans do not appreciate the good moments that are short-lived but use their time pursuing what can hardly be achieved or is beyond human abilities. For instance, many religions teach their followers about an afterlife that is more joyous, enjoyable, and fulfilling than what we already have here. As a result, some adherents can choose to pursue that afterlife and neglect their current life. Therefore, the theme of reality versus illusion reminds humans to enjoy their best moments and avoid looking for reality in an unknowable realm.
Reference
Frost, R. (n.d.). “Neither out far nor in deep”The Literature Network.