On The Purpose Of Fences

455 Words2 Pages
II. The presence of fences in our everyday life – the actual purpose of fences and walls The scene could not be more contradictory: On the one hand the narrator of Robert Frost’s poem “Mending Wall” utters “something there is that doesn’t love a wall” on the other hand he is mending a wall which separates the properties of him and his neighbor in the very same moment. “Good fences make good neighbors”, the answer of his neighbor, has become a well known quote and is utilized not only in suburban backyards, but also in the field of politics. Thus, one can deduce that there must be something deep within the human’s nature that does not like being separated. In addition, however, there must be something in human’s nature that sees some kind of necessity in separation and wants walls to be erected. To describe this phenomenon further though, it is very useful to make clear what fences actually are meant for and what their purpose is. Following the definition, a fence is “a structure serving as an enclosure, a barrier, or a boundary, usually made of posts or stakes joined together by boards, wire, or nails.” (Soukhavov 671). Thus, a fence obviously demarcates property, but looking closer to this definition reveals that since fences are made of wire or nails they also entail a deterrent function. In agricultural terms fences really are reduced to their function as a demarcation and a deterrent. Without fences farmers would not know what land belongs to their property and where the property of an adjoining farmer begins. Hence, erecting a fence between agricultural properties is quiet natural and does not give offence to anyone since they are only erected due to practical reasons. Also, marking out the lands by a fence has the practical purpose of protecting the grain or crops against wild animals such as boars and consequently also of protecting the livelihood of a
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