The Death of the Hired Man

Poetry | Robert Frost
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Why was Warren unwilling to hire Silas anymore?

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Why was Warren unwilling to hire Silas anymore NU Robert Frost s - poem The Death of the Hired Man tells the story of Silas an old farm worker who returns to Warren and Mary s home in his last days While Mary feels pity for Silas Warren is not willing to take him back as a worker Here are the reasons for Warren Silas s Past Betrayal Warren remembers how Silas left the farm during the busy haying season It was a time when he was needed most But Silas left work This betrayal hurt Warren deeply He feels that Silas cannot be trusted again So he is unwilling to take Silas back As he reminds Mary I told him so last haying didn t I If he left then that ended it Weakness Warren also thinks that Silas is too old and weak He is not useful anymore

at this age He believes that Silas cannot do the heavy work of the farm anymore He says What good is he At his age for the little he can do For Warren hiring Silas again would only be a burden not a help Selfishness Moreover Silas had a bad habit of working elsewhere for higher wages Whenever Silas needed money he would leave Warren s farm to work for those who paid more He only returned in winter when there was little work to do For this selfishness Warren does not want to hire Silas In fine Warren was unwilling to hire Silas anymore because of his past betrayal and old age To Warren Silas was unreliable as a worker However the poem later shows that Silas did not return to work He wanted to find a place he could call home in his last moments

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Robert Frost
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from The Death of the Hired Man