My Dreams

Most people chose jobs for an extrinsic reasoning- more money. What if there was a balance between both an extrinsic and intrinsic job? Could people make money doing what they love? Robert Frost wrote “After Apple Picking”, which I believe has a bigger meaning than just ‘picking apples’. Through the use of metaphors and imagery, Frost conveys a message if whether people should live their lives for intrinsic or extrinsic reasons.

            In “After Apple Picking”, Frost uses metaphors to describe how he lived his life. Frost states, “My long two-pointed ladder's sticking through a tree/ Toward heaven still,” (L. 1-2) I believe this means that ‘apple picking’ is his life and the ladder on the tree is the beginning of his death. (The ladders on the tree are pointed upward towards heaven.) Frost says, “Beside it, and there may be two or three/ Apples I didn't pick upon some bough.” (L. 4-5) The apples represent some decisions Frost may have mad, whether good or bad or even a regret. Frost uses metaphors to get across a point as well as imagery.

            In the poem, Frost states “Magnified apples appear and reappear,” (L. 18) I believe Frost is using imagery to tell how glorious the ‘apples’ are to him, or his life. These ‘apples’ can also be the chances he has taken and others he has passed. Frost says, “Essence of winter sleep is on the night” (L. 7) I believe this means; death is coming upon him so he can no longer pick ‘apples.’ I also think the ‘apples’ may represent the choices or events that can occur in his life, or he can no longer control his fate.

            Frost’s message in this poem is to pursue a passion and live with no regrets. If money were no object, I would take care of the elderly. I would love to help them in their time of need. My grandmother was very grateful to the nurses at the hospital and my family for taking care of her before her passing and I would love to do the same for others.