Essay practice for Edexcel IGCSE english

Hi everyone! I'm in Y10, and I've been working on my essay skills for the exam. I recently did this essay on Robert Frost's Out, Out - what do you think of it, and is there anywhere I could improve on? Thanks so much!

In "Out, Out-" by Robert Frost, a tragic incident about a young man losing his hand to a buzzsaw is utilised to provide a critique of contemporary society. The poem's title alludes to Shakespeare's play *Macbeth*; where in Act 5, verses 18-27, the titular character delivers a soliloquy ("Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow"), whereabout he says "Out, out, poor candle!" This is an allusion to the insignificance of human life; a "candle" is associated with being fickle and fragile. In this poem, Frost capitalises on the insignificance of human life in order to provide a criticism of early 20th century America.

From the start of the poem, Frost levels the criticism that 20th century America is too invested in work to care about the natural beauty of the country. He describes the natural landscape, while highlighting the fact that it remains unseen by many; "And from there those that lifted eyes could count / Five mountain ranges one behind the other / Under the sunset far into Vermont." While this line does set the scene for the events of the poem, it also contains a hidden criticism of society in rural America. "those that lifted eyes" implies that not everyone can see the natural beauty of the landscape they live in; instead, they are engrossed in their work, much like the boy in question. This point is only emphasised by the adjective "far" - the landscape in front of the characters in the poem stretches far, far beyond their work; instead, they choose to focus on the tedious labour before them, making it their entire world! This is an allusion to how in 20th century America, industrialisation led to the prioritisation of profit and work over the natural environment of America. The description of "Five mountain ranges one behind the other" also sets up an idyllic, Arcadian scene; which contrasts with how the buzzsaw is described in the very next line - "And the saw snarled and rattled, snarled and rattled." The animalistic imagery here in "snarled", and the repeated epizeuxis creates an impression of the saw as being a horror made by man; restrained, but a horror nonetheless.

Moving on, Frost laments the fact that the emphasis on working brought by industrialisation has filtered down to the work ethic of rural Americans. "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." The buzzsaw is described as a man-made horror here, yet it is being operated by a "boy"! The foreshadowing in "I wish" and "saved" suggests that this work is inherently dangerous to the boy and that the boy will soon meet a grisly end. Even though the danger is present, the boy's parents do not warn him or try to keep him safe. They had every chance to tell him to catch a break - "Call it a day, I wish they might have said" - but they do not, and he continues working on by himself. Perhaps this is a result of pride. He is described as a "big boy doing a man's work", which suggests that while he is still young, he thinks himself capable - a "man". This ties into the infallability of youth - when people are young, they think themselves invincible. This is underscored by the repetition of "boy" within these lines, which also brings up connotations of youth, which in turn has The passive-aggressive pacing of these lines couples with the caesura to highlight the fine margins between life and death that exist within this world. By essentially sending the reader into a lull with these lines, Frost foreshadows the tragic end that the boy will meet further on.

As the poem reaches its conclusion, Frost delivers his most damning criticism of contemporary society yet - that their prioritisation of work has led to the "death of emotion", as Nietzsche put it. The poem breaks from the standard iambic pentameter used since here - "So. But the hand was gone already." This line with 11 syllables is curtailed, much like the boy's life; however, what is striking is how matter-of-factly this is presented. What it is describing here is the loss of a limb, and the loss of a life along with it. According to Christian tradition, human life is the most sacred of God's creations. Frost turns this up on his head, by treating the boy's loss of life as just another day-to-day incident. This is also underscored by the indefinite pronoun "it" at the end of "Little - less - nothing! And that ended it." This indefinite pronoun is highly dehumanising of the boy's soul, and his life to an extent. Frost uses this to argue that the blind focus on work of contemporary society goes against Christian teachings, as it violates the sanctity of human life. Essentially, he is making the same argument as Marx against capitalism; that it reduces the working class to mere means of production, with no time or luxury to enjoy the world around them or even to survive. The tricolon "Little - less - nothing!" mimics the slowing of the boy's heart - the increasing pauses between the words also emphasises how the life and soul of the boy is leaving his body as they speak. This, along with the statement "No more to build on there", has a twofold meaning. The boy is dead, so from society's perspective, he has "no more to build" (he is of no use to them), so therefore they also have "no more to build" (no more to invest) in him. This also signifies the family's emotional detachment; their son is dead from an injury, yet "they, since they / Were not the one dead, turned to their affairs." The family choosing to turn their backs on the incident leaves the reader with doubt: Is it better to, as Marcus Aurelius wrote all those years ago, accept your existence and let the wheel of life turn, being indifferent to its revolutions; or, as Dylan Thomas so eloquently put it, to "rage, rage against the dying of the light"?

Reply 1

mjflay0923

Your essay demonstrates a deep understanding of Robert Frost’s Out, Out— and offers a sophisticated critique of its themes and techniques. You engage thoughtfully with the poem’s allusions, structure, and language, linking these to broader societal and philosophical issues. The detailed analysis of key lines such as “Call it a day” and “Little – less – nothing!” is particularly insightful, showcasing your ability to explore both the text and its wider implications.
Mark: 28/30 Grade: A
Suggestions for improvement:

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The reference to Nietzsche and Marx adds depth, but these could be more explicitly tied to Frost’s message to avoid appearing tangential.

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Some phrases, such as “the infallibility of youth,” could benefit from further clarification to strengthen the argument.

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Ensure every point is fully developed; for instance, the discussion of the family’s emotional detachment could explore their behavior in more depth to strengthen the conclusion.