Coleman Rohde

9/23/21

Acquainted With the Night

In “Acquainted With the Night” Frost makes extensive use of symbolism, imagery, and

alliteration in order to paint the emotion of despair as feeling inescapable, isolating and looming

like a predator ready to make the kill.

Frost uses alliteration in order to demonstrate the inescapable and isolating feeling

associated with emotions like despair. For example, Frost states that “I have stood still and

stopped the sound of feet” Frost asserts that he has stopped, stopping the sound of his own feet,

indicating that he is alone. This is also the only line in the poem that has alliteration, more

specifically sibilance. Sibilance is associated with temptation and snakes and thus carries with it

a negative connotation. Therefore sibilance, a form of alliteration, helps to codify within the

reader’s mind the message that despair feels isolating and inescapable.

Frost also makes use of symbolism in order to demonstrate the feelings of isolation and

inability to escape associated with despair. For example, Frost states that “I have been one

acquainted with the night. / I have walked out in rain - and back in rain. / I have outwalked the

furthest city light” The “night”, “rain”, and “city” serve to create imagery associated with

despair. In the night a person is often alone (the result of being the last one awake) and, if

outside, exposed to the dangerous elements of nature, exposed and afraid. One who is

“Acquainted With the Night” is thus acquainted with these elements of fright, which induces an

inescapable feeling of terror, and isolation through the diurnal nature of humanity. Rain is often a

cold and unbearing and inevitable element of nature which can obscure the vision of those under

it and render them. Thus the rain can serve to symbolize the inevitable downpour of negative
emotion that despair seems to bring. The city lights can serve to create an image of society and

therefore closeness. Therefore, the act of walking away from the furthest city lights is to isolate

oneself from society which is done, in this instance, because of despair.