Comparing Two Poems
The Symbolism of the Journey: A Comparison of Two Short Stories
ENG 125
September 13, 2013
The Symbolism of the Journey: A Comparison of Two Short Stories I chose to write about the symbolism between the stories, “I Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost because the comparisons between these two stories are uncanny as they both use symbolism in two distinct ways. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is a poem and “I Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys is a short story that details a journey, which can be physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual. Once you embark upon a journey, you are guaranteed to learn something along the way, but it is up to you to decide to use …show more content…
2.3, para. 10). In I Used To Live Here Once (1976) Jean Rhys details a woman’s return to a place she called home in which the story is being told through her eyes as she gives vivid details of subtle and not so subtle changes of her surroundings in which you can visualize the sentiment she has for the place. The point of view for this short story is limited third person omniscient, and according to Clugston (2010), it is defined as “a point of view when the thoughts and feelings of only one of the characters are related to the narrator” (ch. 5.2, para. 3). If the author had used a different point of view and had not provided the reader with the very intimate and thoughts of the character, the symbolism would have been lost or too abundant, that some key points to the story would have been missed. The point of view in The Road Not Taken is first-person-point-of-view, which “occurs when the narrator describes his or her personal action and thoughts as a participant in the story” (Clugston, …show more content…
There has been several works written about the same thing, yet the story that they tell are entirely different. Both of these stories are about the challenges and the struggles life throws at you. There are always decisions that need to be made through life and there are always going to be obstacles that get in the way. It is getting through those tribulations that are the trick. Not only that, but it is crucial not to give up. The stories portray that indefinitely. “The Road Not Taken” is centered on the choice concept with a direct link to the future as the man decides to take the road less traveled. It is never revealed as to why the man was at a crossroads in his life or the events that caused him to make a life-changing decision. What I can say is that the poem forces you to think about the possibility of lost opportunities in the future and what he left behind to achieve that. Maybe he is looking to go in a different career path or maybe he is moving to a different place. What we do know for certain is that he has had to go through some form of trouble throughout his life, but in the end he chose the right path. Last, but not least, in “Used to Live Here Once” the woman’s path symbolizes the entire journey through life from birth to
ENG 125
September 13, 2013
The Symbolism of the Journey: A Comparison of Two Short Stories I chose to write about the symbolism between the stories, “I Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys and “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost because the comparisons between these two stories are uncanny as they both use symbolism in two distinct ways. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is a poem and “I Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys is a short story that details a journey, which can be physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual. Once you embark upon a journey, you are guaranteed to learn something along the way, but it is up to you to decide to use …show more content…
2.3, para. 10). In I Used To Live Here Once (1976) Jean Rhys details a woman’s return to a place she called home in which the story is being told through her eyes as she gives vivid details of subtle and not so subtle changes of her surroundings in which you can visualize the sentiment she has for the place. The point of view for this short story is limited third person omniscient, and according to Clugston (2010), it is defined as “a point of view when the thoughts and feelings of only one of the characters are related to the narrator” (ch. 5.2, para. 3). If the author had used a different point of view and had not provided the reader with the very intimate and thoughts of the character, the symbolism would have been lost or too abundant, that some key points to the story would have been missed. The point of view in The Road Not Taken is first-person-point-of-view, which “occurs when the narrator describes his or her personal action and thoughts as a participant in the story” (Clugston, …show more content…
There has been several works written about the same thing, yet the story that they tell are entirely different. Both of these stories are about the challenges and the struggles life throws at you. There are always decisions that need to be made through life and there are always going to be obstacles that get in the way. It is getting through those tribulations that are the trick. Not only that, but it is crucial not to give up. The stories portray that indefinitely. “The Road Not Taken” is centered on the choice concept with a direct link to the future as the man decides to take the road less traveled. It is never revealed as to why the man was at a crossroads in his life or the events that caused him to make a life-changing decision. What I can say is that the poem forces you to think about the possibility of lost opportunities in the future and what he left behind to achieve that. Maybe he is looking to go in a different career path or maybe he is moving to a different place. What we do know for certain is that he has had to go through some form of trouble throughout his life, but in the end he chose the right path. Last, but not least, in “Used to Live Here Once” the woman’s path symbolizes the entire journey through life from birth to