Decisions In Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken

Life itself is built upon layers of decisions, substantial or miniscule, that become intertwined in an attempt to define who we are. I believe that the choices we make will ultimately work to construct our future, whether it is the way in which I perceive the world around me, or what I choose to believe. In “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost manages to further illustrate these points in order to convey deeper meaning within the text. Stumbling across two separate paths in the woods, one that is worn and the other not quite so much, Frost is left with a challenging decision as to which path to follow. At first glance, they both appear to be relatively similar, but after a moment of contemplation, he decides to take the path less traveled.

In this moment in time, there is no assurance as to where writing will take me as I follow this pathless “woods.” However, I hope that at the end of my journey, this decision will make all the difference as well. The depiction of fall to winter, shown in William Shakespeare’s “Sonnet 73,” holds a far deeper meaning behind the changing of the seasons. Shakespeare is able to delineate both a literal meaning of fall coming to an end as the chill of winter begins, and also a metaphorical message of people as they begin to change and grow older through time. I cannot feel myself gradually aging as the speaker when he states that, “In me thou see’st the glowing of such fire / That ashes of his youth doth lie.” However, I see the lines of age begin to define themselves through those around me. Whether it be physical lines imprinted as maps of knowledge across the kind faces of my grandparents, or perhaps more mental lines as my friends begin to find courage and self-assurance within

Without the ability of time, which allows us to grow and change, my brother would not have been able to overcome his darkness. Although I understand Shakespeare’s sonnet, and it does relate to me, I interpret his view of death in a different manner. In truth, death is inevitable, but I don’t wish to be consumed by the idea of it. Only through ever changing time can we create a deeper understanding of the world in which we live, and develop strength and compassion within ourselves and one another.

Instead of being fixated on the end, I believe in concentrating on the world around me right now. Just as Shakespeare urges us, “This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong / To love that well which thou must leave ere long,” I try to breathe in every moment, and learn all that I can. So that when death comes eventually, I will not be full of longing for the past and things I should have done, but rather an acceptance and joy for the life I have