Robert Frost Home Burial - The Insensitive, Selfish...

The Insensitive, Selfish Husband of Home Burial Even in the closest of relationships, the death of a baby can separate and form a wedge between a husband and wife. Husbands and wives tend to handle the process of mourning differently, not only because of the differences between male and female, but also because of personality and the social molding in ones upbringing. In the poem, Home Burial, Robert Frost gives a glimpse of the conflicts caused by non-communication and misunderstanding between a husband and wife upon the death of their first and only child. Their conflict is rooted in part in the husbands selfishness, revealed by his insensitivity, narrow-mindedness, and pride. The husbands selfishness is†¦show more content†¦Still, he tries once again to bring the matter to a discussion asking her, Let me into your grief (59). Then he slips in another jab saying, I do think, though, you overdo it a little (62). In frustration, his insensitivity gives way to his temper, and he repeats, A man cant speak of his own child thats dead (70). He is so single-minded, he cant see that Amy does not want to let go of her grief because she fears the baby will be forgotten if she does. The husbands selfishness is also evident in his narrow-mindedness when, looking out the window and finally seeing the childs grave, he admits, I never noticed it from here before. / I must be wonted to it?thats the reason (21?22). He has buried the baby in the family graveyard, and now it is time to go on with life and its duties. He has dealt with death before and has learned to accept it as natural, a part of life; he just accepts The little graveyard where [his] people are! (23). He feels time heals the hurt of loss, for he tells his wife, We havent to mind . . . (28) the . . . three stones of slate and one of marble, . . . (26). These grave markers are for other relatives who have been gone for some time, and their loss apparently is of little or no concern. But Amy does not share his view of how to deal with death and grief since she immediately heads for the door in anger. She must haveShow MoreRelatedStephen P. Robbins Timothy A. Judge (2011) Organizational Behaviour 15th Edi tion New Jersey: Prentice Hall393164 Words   |  1573 Pages, with David DeCenzo (Wiley, 2010) Prentice Hall’s Self-Assessment Library 3.4 (Prentice Hall, 2010) Fundamentals of Management, 8th ed., with David DeCenzo and Mary Coulter (Prentice Hall, 2013) Supervision Today! 7th ed., with David DeCenzo and Robert Wolter (Prentice Hall, 2013) Training in Interpersonal Skills: TIPS for Managing People at Work, 6th ed., with Phillip Hunsaker (Prentice Hall, 2012) Managing Today! 2nd ed. (Prentice Hall, 2000) Organization Theory, 3rd ed. (Prentice Hall, 1990)