When comparing “Where the Sidewalk ends” by Shel Silverstein and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, I get the feeling of being on an emotional rollercoaster. Both poems give you the sense that you’re making all the right decisions and traveling through life as you should. Then the thought that you’ve made the wrong decision infiltrates your mind and the thought that we lost our innocent mindset along the way. The two poems are themed about the choices we make and the paths we take in life.
When Shel Silverstein created “Where the Sidewalk Ends” she was writing about the phases of life we go through. Such as childhood and the innocence we feel and then she shows us the phase of adulthood. When someone normally reaches adulthood it is much harder to have a positive outlook on life because of the experiences that adults have had along the way. She explains that people must go through life but remember to live with innocence and not let it all pass you by thinking from a dark point of view that many adults do. This is main theme of life is also present and similar to Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken.”
Robert Frost, the author of “The Road Not Taken” wanted to
…show more content…
make his audience really think about life as a whole and the choice of life paths that each person has. The poem states that there are different paths to take but the road you choose will not always be the road that other may choose as their life path. Once the character in the poem reaches the end he then questions himself, wondering if taking that specific path was worth it at all. I believe that Frost was trying to say that the character is second guessing the path he chose in life. In both pieces “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “The Road Not Taken”, the authors use literary devices to put emphasis on their themes of life. When analyzing “Where the Sidewalk Ends” it is evident that Silverstein uses multiple metaphors and alliterations to articulate her work. An example of a metaphor used for this piece of work is when Silverstein wrote the lines. “Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black / And the dark street winds and bends / Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow.” She wants us to use this literary device to compare the happy innocence from the child’s point of view to an adult’s perception which is dark and depressing. The tone of the poem is meant to be inspirational and uplifting to the audience which was seemingly meant for children. Although, this piece was actually written and intended for adults. This was so they would learn to take a step back and evaluate their perspective for the remaining duration of their lives. This idea to use literary devices to emphasize the theme of life is also used by Robert Frost in “The Road Not Taken.” Throughout history poets have used the common saying “forks in the road” as another way of exemplifying our life choices with a literary device.
Frost uses the idea of “The Road Not Taken” as an example of the paths that most people in life do not take but some decide to not follow the pack. We instantly recognize that this poem is going to be about life choices and that we do not necessarily know what the outcome of taking that path will be. He also uses the tone of the poem to deliver the meaning of the poem just like Silverstein. He uses tone by giving the reader an idea that the character will in the future question his choices because he will have to go through the uncommonly taken path (life) alone. Overall, the poem uses similar literary devices to instill the main theme of life into the
character. Although some may say that the themes of “Where the Sidewalk Ends” and “The Road Not Taken” have two completely different themes because of their tones, I would have to respectfully disagree. The two poems revolve their meaning around life by using similar literary devices to get the theme of life across. Both poems also instill the theme of life into us by making of think of the stages we are at throughout our life. In the poem “Where the Sidewalk Ends” we understand the theme because of the tone altogether. There is hope for life if adults take a look at it from a broader perspective. When Frost wrote “Two roads diverged in a wood/and I—I took the one less traveled by/And that has made all the difference” in the poem “The Road Not Taken” it shows that the character chose a certain life path and it altered his life from that point forward. Although the tone is different everyone perceives life in different ways which would change the tone, but that does not mean that the themes cannot be the same. Overall, the two poems are both very clear that the theme of the two are life paths and the choices we make in life. The two poets Shel Silverstein and Robert Frost both clearly use certain literary devices such as the tone and the metaphors to exemplify the overall idea of life even if they are seen in different ways. Even though the tones of the two poems differ from each other, there is still evidence pointing to the fact that we all make life choices and we all view the world from different perspectives.
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
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
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
Robert Frost utilizes several poetic techniques to reveal the theme in his poem, “The Road Not Taken”, which is stressing the importance the decision making of one is, regardless of whether or not it is agreement with the resolution of their peers, and how it can affect their future. The techniques exercised in this piece of work are symbolism, imagery, and tone. Symbolism is the most powerfully used technique due to the fact a good number of lines located in this poem is used to signify a certain object or idea related to our life or today’s world. Imagery is significant in drawing out the theme for the reason that it allows the reader to construct a depiction in their mind, permitting them to relate more to the poem and interpret the theme their own way. In this poem, imagery permits the reader to imagine the scene that this poem takes place in resulting in an enhanced understanding of the theme. The tone this work presents is an insecure attitude which allows the theme to be brought out due to the fact the theme relates to a dilemma in one’s life. As seen by the reader, these techniques strongly aid in the revealing of this specific theme. The first technique Frost utilizes to uncover the theme is the strongest method, symbolism.
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.
Reiterating the point made before, “To E.T.” is a requiem in remembrance of Frost’s close friend Edward Thomas, and therefore the purpose of the poem is straight forward, to remember a fallen friend. Whereas “The Road not Taken” is a less personal poem and describes the choices before humans in society. One could take the same path as the majority or find a path not necessarily easy to traverse but can lead to great achievement (Lentricchia). Frost himself makes a reference to his own life in this poem, the path less traveled being living the life of a poem. Dissimilarly, “Stopping by woods on a Snowy Evening” is a poem of the human struggle. One might find it easier to stop the journey of life early and rest but one with strength will persevere through the ups and downs of life-“and miles to go before I sleep”
Although “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost and “Eldorado” by Edgar Allan Poe have several distinct comparisons, these two poems differ in many aspects. The tone of “The Road Not Taken” is reflective because the narrator is reminiscing an event in his past where he was force to make a decision that determined the fate of his future. The pensive narrator contemplates how different his life might have been had he picked the other road. The tone of “Eldorado” is hopeful because the young knight in the poem stayed determined and level-headed the entire journey and was eventually able to find the city of gold. The topic of the two poems also differ because the topic of “The Road Not Taken” is the reminiscing of a distant memory while the
Robert Frost speaks to individualism in both of his poems, “Mending Wall” and “The Road Not Taken.” These poems illustrate not only the need for boundaries in our society, but conversely the necessity of balancing the individual’s choice against the fundamental rights of the group. Frost began publishing his poetry during a time of transition both in America
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.
Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” show the readers similar struggles of life. “The Road Not Taken” is about taking control of one’s life and living it aside from how others live theirs. While “Stopping by Woods on Snowy Evening” shows the desire for rest. Sometimes people regret the possibilities of the road not chosen, sometimes people feel proud about the road that they
The two roads in the poem relate to various paths one might be faced with in life. One path “bent in the undergrowth” (5) which means it had taken many times. However, the other path “was grassy and wanted wear” (8). This is the path in one’s life, which seems “unpopular” at the time. Not many people choose the path that is not typically chosen by others. This is what Frost is doing in his poem as he uses these solid metaphors: challenging his readers to “go against the flow” as the man did.
One of Robert Frost’s most well known poems is The Road Not Taken. Frost had mentioned numerous times that it was a “tricky- very tricky” poem (Grimes). This can be examined in the structure of the poem, the symbolism, and the diction. The simple language he uses in the poem reveals the common relevance of the poem to the people. People have to go about making choices each and every day of their lives. However, sometimes we come to a cross-road in our lives that can be life changing that is what the sentence structure reveals to us (Mcintyre). He uses common words but in a way that is unclear to the reader. For example the opening line of the poem is “two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (Frost, Robert. “1.”). The reader is not sure what is meant by yellow woods. It may mean the onset of fall or even the coming of spring. The season could relate to the speakers stage in life. It may mean this is their youth and they have to make a decision that will plan out the rest of their life, such as I am about what college to attend. Or is it indicating he has reached his mid-life, the fall, and is now presented with opportunity to change his...
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.
In the poem “The Road Not Taken”, author Robert Frost uses the simple image of a road to represent a person’s journey through life. A well-established poet, Frost does a proficient job of transforming a seemingly common road to one of great importance, which along the way helps one identify who they really are. This poem is one of self-discovery. Frost incorporates strong elements of poetry such as theme, symbolism, rhyme scheme, diction, imagery, and tone to help create one of his most well known pieces about the human experience.