The road not taken: The poem The Road Not Taken, written by Robert Frost, is a centered on choices. In stanza one, he/she is walking on path and then is confronted all of a sudden when the road splits into two directions forcing him to decide which way to go. These two paths represent big decisions that he/she has to make and signifies that something in their life is changing, forcing them to make a choice. However, in lines six and seven, he/she says “then look the other, as just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim”. When it came time to making their choice, he/she contemplates whether he/she made the right choice and thinks about if whether one path is better, or they are both the same. In stanza three, he continues to think about the path he took and thinks about how his life will be different if he/she took the other path. In the last stanza, the tone of the poem becomes more darkened and mysterious when he/she says “sigh”. The word “sigh” reflects the amount of risks when making these decisions and you must examine the two paths very carefully because both paths have the same characteristics and you can’t go back. When Frost adds the personification of “it was grassy and wanted to wear”, this highlights how choices can create curiosity and a sense of adventure that will come with the risk of …show more content…
In stanza four, when Frost mentions “I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” (19-20), he/she is presents a reflective tone and shows an increase of self esteem and implies they are happy with their decision, and if they didn’t make that decision their
The imagery created in The Road Not Taken, helps the author depict a internal and physical conflict of a decision that will change his path forever. The imagery used in the poem is when Frost states, “And having perhaps the better claim, Because it was grassy and wanted wear; Though as for that the passing there, Had worn them really about the same,” (Line 7-10 Frost) The imagery used by the author creates a mental image for the reader to see the important differences of the description of the path, the safe route looking more pleasant and comfortable for him to walk, while the other is dark and abandoned, giving it more of a risk. Seeing both and describing their appearance, it has an influence on the author but also the reader. Frost not only applies his own life between making an important decision to stay safe or take a risk, but this mental image is also allowed to be applied to the readers. Frost makes the decision to take the risky route, which is also relevant still to our society. Frost explains the risky road was well worth it because of the positive energy he receives. Creating this image, he wants the reader to understand it is well worth it to take a risk in your life because they might feel the same energy Frost
“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost shows the reader how the choices they make will be hard decisions and will follow them. The setting of this poem takes place in the woods, in the fall. The woods will typically be a quiet and serene place making the setting an ideal place for decision making. The setting also helps to show the symbolism that Frost shows by describing the two paths. Frost uses pathos when appealing to the reader’s feelings because any reader has had to make a decision in their life. Creating this symbol helps to relate to the reader. The Imagery that is created helps to make the reader feel as if they are standing in the snowy woods, looking down two paths, and trying to make the decision of which one to take. Frost used
Decisions are an everyday part of life. Although many decisions made throughout the day may not be crucial to our path of life, most every decision will affect life in some way. Pop tart or bagel, milk or orange juice, as well as drive or take the bus are all choices people make to begin their day, but Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” is a perfect example of a life altering decision. Frost wrote this poem when his dear friend, Edward Thomas, was stuck between staying with Frost and becoming a poet, or going to war against Germany in World War I. “Two Roads”, later changed to “The Road Not Taken”, angered Thomas, and caused him to enlist in the war, only to be killed in action two months later at Arras on Easter Day. "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost has a literal meaning from the speaker, or traveler, of the road he did not take, but the deeper meaning certainly shows how decisions alter your life.
Frost realizes that had he taken the other road he would not be where he is today. He was adventurous and choose the road that had been traveled the least recently and that one decision changed his life
Poems can be extremely difficult to comprehend and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost was not an exception. In this poem, it displays how the speaker has come to a fork in a path in the woods. He is unsure which way to go, and wishes he had the option to go both ways. He looks down one path as far as he can but then decides to take the other one because it is not quite as worn. The speaker then reflects on how he wishes he would of taken the other path and how it affected his life.
In his poem “The Road Not Taken”, Robert Frost discusses the theme of choice. The speaker of the poem finds himself standing in front of two roads diverging in a wood. He is in the process of decision-making for quite a while until he finally takes one of the roads. Now, he spends his time thinking over the choice he made and how he will relate to this choice in the future. To effectively convey the uncertainty of decision-making, Frost develops ambiguity and uses nature imagery in the poem.
Robert Frost masterfully uses straightforward diction and a metaphor in his poem “The Road Not Taken” to portray a speaker who is struggling to make a life changing decision, encouraging both the speaker and the readers towards introspection. Frost dramatizes the internal conflict and consequences involved in making an important decision; an experience all humans face many times in their lives. There will always be times in life when a decision that defines destiny and alters the course, must ultimately be decided. By creating a natural atmosphere, the entire poem emphasizes a metaphor in which a person’s journey through life is compared to a journey on a road. The speaker of the poem is forced to choose one path instead of another, knowing
In Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”, Frost shows the everyday human struggle to make a choice that could change the course of one’s life. In his poem, a person has the choice to take one road or the other. One road is worn out from many people taking it, and the other is barely touched, for fewer have taken that road. Throughout the poem, the speaker learns that just because so many other people have done one thing, or walked one way, does not mean everyone has to. Sometimes you just have to go your own way.
In his celebrated poem "The Road Not Taken," Robert Frost describes the decision one makes when reaching a fork in the road. Some interpret Frost as suggesting regret on the part of the traveler as to not choosing the path he forgoes, for in doing so he has lost something significant. Others believe he is grateful for the selection, as it has made him the man he is. The diverging roads are symbolic of the choices society is faced with every day of life. Choosing one course will lead the traveler in one direction, while the other will likely move away, toward a completely different journey. How does one know which is the right path; is there a right path? The answer lies within each individual upon reflection of personal choices during the course of life's unfolding, as well as the attitude in which one looks to the future.
This poem by Robert Frost was first read to me in the last year of my high school experience. Back then, not only did I have absolutely no interest in any literary work, but moreover, had no intension to lye there and analyze a poem into its symbolic definitions. Only now have I been taught the proper way to read a literary work as a formalistic critic might read. With this new approach to literature I can understand the underlying meaning to Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken". In addition to merely grasping the author's intension, I was able to justly incur that this poem, without directly mentioning anything about life's decisions, is in its entirety about just that.
Above all, 'The Road Not Taken'; can truly be interpreted through much symbolism as a clear-sighted representation of two fair choices. The two roads in the poem, although, 'diverging,'; lead in different directions. At the beginning they appear to be somewhat similar, but is apparent that miles away they will grow farther and farther away from each other. Similar to many choices faced in life. It is impossible to foresee the consequences of most major decisions we make and it is often necessary to make these decisions based on a little more than examining which choice 'wanted wear.'; In
... regret it. “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— / I took the one less traveled by, / and that has made all the difference.” Frost uses repetition of the first phrase to emphasize the importance of the decision of which path to take. He knew this path may have rough spots along the way and it wouldn’t be smooth, but he also knew that the reward would be greater if he fought for it. He also gained experience and that changed the person he is now today.
Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” both portray weighing of choices in life. The former is about youth and experiencing life and the latter is about old age, or more probably, an old spirit wearied by life. In both poems the speaker is in a critical situation where he has to choose between two paths in life. In “The Road Not taken” the speaker chooses the unconventional approach to the decision making process, thus showing his uniqueness and challenging mentality while in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” the speaker seeks a life without any pain and struggle but at the end, he has to comply with social obligation, which reflects his responsibility towards the society.
The main theme of the poem that Frost attempts to convey is how important the decisions that one makes can be, and how they affect one’s future. In lines 2-3, he expresses the emotions of doubt and confusion by saying, “And sorry I could not travel/ And be one traveler, long I stood”, which explains how the speaker contemplated their decision of which road to take. In the closing, line 20 of the poem further reestablishes the theme when it states, “that has made all the difference”, meaning that making the decision of which road to take for themselves is the important key for a successful future. Frost helps to express this theme by using symbolism to portray a road as one’s journey of life. Using symbolism, Frost suggests that the speaker of this poem is taking the harder of the two roads presented before them, because the road the speaker chooses, “leaves no step had trodden black” (12...
There are many choices that one needs to make on a daily basis to simply get through the day. Life choices however are more important and have an everlasting effect on the individual. They are less frequent but have more of an impact on one’s life. The writer Robert Frost chose to use the poem “The Road not Taken” to show how one’s decisions can change the outcome of your life. Frost used the details of picking the road, the inability to reverse his choice, the consequences of his judgment, along with the external factors that influenced his judgments to express to the readers how life’s decisions make a difference all by writing a poem.