The Lockless Door Analysis

New Hampshire1923It went many years,

But at last came a knock,

And I thought of the door

With no lock to lock.I blew out the light,

I tip-toed the floor,

And raised both hands

In prayer to the door.But the knock came again

My window was wide;

I climbed on the sill

And descended outside.Back over the sill

I bade a "Come in"

To whoever the knock

At the door may have been.So at a knock

I emptied my cage

To hide in the world

And alter with age.

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Ok, people! i am writing this analysis to try to convey a message to all those who have chosen Robert Frost for their Gcse work. This poem is great.:D I mean the content is purely based on a man, who is probably a hermit who has nowhere to live and has broken into the house.He is afraid the owner of the house is back so he tries sneaking out of the window.He looks outside and sees someone so he calles them in but when he says empty his nest, he means gathers his belongings and leaves. To a life all alone , who is not living life for any reason but to pass time, and soon enough he will die of age as he states in the last stanza. oNE more thing, if you are doing an analysis then remeber to use poetic terms, and explain all the patterns you see in the poem..
arts colege- princess X

| Posted on 2009-11-02 | by a guest

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I think this poems is about letting people into your heart and letting them know the real you. Your heart symbolizes the lockless door. But if you hide long enough you start to change yourself for others.

| Posted on 2009-10-27 | by a guest

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I believe that this is about a man who lives his life alone. I think that he is alone so much, and for so long, that when someone comes around its scares him and he runs away from it. Maybe he has been hurt so much during his lifetime that he is afraid that someone could care, so the only choice he sees is to hide from the world.

| Posted on 2009-10-23 | by a guest

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The poem is about birth from the childs perspective

| Posted on 2009-09-04 | by a guest

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Not trying to copy anyone else (I haven't read other posts), but I personally believe it is about fear of the unknown, and cowardice. This guy is fearful because he's been living in the dark his whole life like a hermit, and doesn't want to experience new ideas and opportunities; just live with ignorance and his futile religion.
Keep in mind that I'm only 12, so my analysis may be wrong.

| Posted on 2009-05-25 | by a guest

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The poem illustrates a human condition often expressed by provincialism, namely, an unnatural fear of new ideas originating from an unknown source. Its more potent form is bigotry and intolerance. The mind has a door that can only be opened from inside, yet cannot be locked from the inevitable experience called life. Eventually a liberating thought will come 'knocking' but, imagined as terrible, or too drastic a paradigm shift, the positive change it could bring if welcomed inside is resisted by resorting to closing ones eyes ('turning out the lights'), ignoring the issue ('tip toeing the floor'), or fighting scientific, reasoned facts, with religion ('raising hands in prayer to the door'). One is out of their mind to react in such a fashion, hence, climbing outside, and then expecting the visitor to open the door. The result? Paralyzed by this conduct, the only change to that person, who hides in the world, is getting older, not better. Wisdom, Intelligence, and Growth simply pass them by.

| Posted on 2009-03-30 | by a guest

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The poem illustrates a human condition often expressed by provincialism, namely, an unnatural fear of new ideas originating from an unknown source. Its more potent form is bigotry and intolerance. The mind has a door that can only be opened from inside, yet cannot be locked from the inevitable experience called life. Eventually a liberating thought will come 'knocking' but, imagined as terrible, or too drastic a paradigm shift, the positive change it could bring if welcomed inside is resisted by resorting to closing ones eyes ('turning out the lights'), ignoring the issue ('tip toeing the floor'), or fighting scientific, reasoned facts, with religion ('raising hands in prayer to the door'). One is out of their mind to react in such a fashion, hence, climbing outside, and then expecting the visitor to open the door. The result? Paralyzed by this conduct, the only change to that person, who hides in the world, is getting older, not better.

| Posted on 2009-03-30 | by a guest

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I think that this is about a lonely man living in a "cage". After all Robert Frost was a lonely man for quite some time. I mean after his wife and children died he was obviouly alone for along time before he died.

| Posted on 2009-03-24 | by a guest

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I'm not 100% sure what this poem is about. But if I were to go with my main feelings I would say it is a pessimistic view at both individualism and conformism. The man is individual for years "when at last came a knock" in that either someone challenged him and his personality or attempted to join and agree with him. If you take the former approach then instead of facing the challenge as he would have had to (because the door has no lock) he chose to throw away his beliefs and leave his "cage" (perhaps meaning that his beliefs kept him secluded from the rest of the world) and "hide" in the world (in other words, conform) and die a nobody. I think this is the most likely interpretation for myself as the latter makes no sense of the end.
Anyone agree?

| Posted on 2009-02-23 | by a guest

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it means that if an oppurtunity comes knocking at your door, dont let it pass by but rather take that oppurtunity head on..

| Posted on 2009-02-05 | by a guest

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I think this poem is about life and that we all have so many chances around us but if we keep ourselves locked up we will be scared when a oppurtunity comes along.

| Posted on 2009-01-29 | by a guest

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i think it means that you are trying to hide within the world in which you are scared of.

| Posted on 2008-12-14 | by a guest

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I think this poem means that Frost was a lonely man living out his life and "at last came a knock" meaning that someone started chatting w/him or that something was different that day for some reason. The next stanza details how he was scared to investigate what was wrong.So he decided to try and go on anyway with his life normally, but he has second thoughts remembering a past decision like the one he has to make now and concludes its best to just face it head-on.He has no idea of what may be different. The last stanza really throws me off of this idea though...If anyone would plz continue this if possible!!
-Kody

| Posted on 2008-12-11 | by a guest

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the poem means that first he lives his life
then he hears death knocking at his door
but he doesnt feel like its his time so
the escape rout is a "window"
and he takes it
then it says "hiding in the world as a alterage"
so he did escape his own death
which means
this poem is about a near death experience!

| Posted on 2008-12-05 | by a guest

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the poem means that first he lives his life
then he hears death knocking at his door
but he doesnt feel like its his time so
the escape rout is a "window"
and he takes it
then it says "hiding in the world as a alterage"
so he did escape his own death
which means
this poem is about a near death experience!

| Posted on 2008-12-05 | by a guest

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I believe this poem's meaning is that you cannot runaway or hide from life

| Posted on 2008-10-25 | by a guest

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I think this poem is about love and trying to runaway from it but it will find you

| Posted on 2008-10-01 | by a guest

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I actually presume that this person is equivalent perhaps to a child, with a purity which comes from complete separation from society. He views the outside world as the unknown and takes the plunge out of his individual consciousness into the heart of the group. There is a regretful tone as can be gathered in the last stanza. When Mr Frost states that his age is altered, it could relate to the Christian story of creation, where the body does not decay until the evils of satan creep into the world. I reinforce this fact in knowing that Robert Frost is often known to make references to religious ideals.

| Posted on 2008-09-06 | by a guest

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The man in this poem is either running from his conscience or from opportunity. If you accept the former, he is tortured by the regret a past experience for which he is responsible. He cannot escape his conscience; it will follow him. If you accept the latter, he is scared by opportunity and the daunting chance of failure.

| Posted on 2008-06-23 | by a guest

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The locklesss door seems to be talking about love and hiding from it. You cannot lock the door to your heart, but even if it takes years love will find you. In the poem he seems to be tortured by a past love experience and at the end he seems to be hiding from it still.

| Posted on 2008-05-22 | by a guest

.: The Lockless Door :.

I think that this poem is talking about something you cannot escape- your concious. Instead of facing it, the person in theis poem just ignores it and tries to go on with life.

| Posted on 2008-02-26 | by a guest

.: The Lockless Door :.

The man in this poem is either running from his conscience or from opportunity. If you accept the former, he is tortured by the regret of a past experience for which he is responsible. He cannot escape his conscience; it will follow him. If you accept the latter, he is scared by opportunity and the daunting chance of failure.

| Posted on 2007-03-26 | by a guest

.: The Lockless Door :.

The man in this poem is either running from his conscience or from opportunity. If you accept the former, he is tortured by the regret a past experience for which he is responsible. He cannot escape his conscience; it will follow him. If you accept the latter, he is scared by opportunity and the daunting chance of failure.

| Posted on 2007-03-26 | by a guest