Mending Wall Character

The Speaker is the narrator of the poem who reflects deeply on the purpose of walls and boundaries. He questions why people build and maintain walls, believing they serve to separate hearts rather than protect people. He approaches the subject with friendliness and curiosity, desiring understanding and connection over division.

The Neighbor lives next to the Speaker and represents tradition and unexamined custom. He firmly adheres to his father's saying, 'Good fences make good neighbours,' accepting it as truth without question. Each spring he dutifully repairs the wall between the two properties, never pausing to reflect on whether the practice still holds meaning or purpose.