The song A Horse with No Name and the poem Stopping by the Woods

The similarity between the two is the controlled idea of identity escapes. Identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks or expressions that make a person self identify. The nature sets in both pieces of works is like society, society is a sort of social-identity, such as, we are middle class because they say we are. The controlled idea of identity escapes through society, or as the works of literature describe, the woods and the desert.

The poem, “Stopping by the Woods” begins with a questioner approach.

Intentionally wondering that the woods had seemed familiar to the author, Robert Frost. He goes on to say, “My little horse must think it queers.” It is not usual to just stop in the middle of a snow field by woods and watch and compel the woods, the horse is symbolizing the strange feelings the author is having within, viewing the woods. The woods is a symbol of society that the author is viewing from the outside in.

In the last verse, the author acknowledges that the “woods are lovely, dark and deep.

” He seems reluctant, however, to pursue this insight more deeply, since he immediately observes that he has “promises to keep, And miles to go before he sleep[s].” The author feels as if he is an outsider of this society he is relating to this house in the woods. He doesn’t want to leave such a serene place but remembers he has “promises to keep,” which would be like the standard society morals.

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His horse shaking his bells is like society saying, “Hey, we got places to be.” As if rushing and reminding the author that his responsibilities and work must come before ‘play’. Play being the odd adventure he takes through the snowy field and lovely, dark woods.

“A Horse with No Name” by America goes on to say, “On the first part of the journey I was looking at all the life.” This refers to the part of life before finding out who you really are. You just assume things are as the are including yourself. The horse with no name refers to a person going his own way, perhaps against the stream, not accepting the label of identity that has been stamped on him by others (society/friends). It’s about forgetting everything you know about yourself and going into the ‘desert’ not knowing who you are.’And the story it told of a river that flowed, Made me sad to think it was dead’

Here a reference is made to a person looking back at his old life, amongst the people, and realizing how far this life was removed from who he actually is and what he really wanted.

Both pieces of works describe these speakers as lonely in such a serene place. Away from society and no hard ships. They’re at peace with their horse by side, which is a constant reminder that this is it. The horse in both works are the job, community, and people that are constantly nagging and ruining the special happy serene place there actually is on Earth. It’s as if the authors have both lost something once well loved. The loneliness and serene scenes are their escapes of such horror of society, along with their identities being lost within society.