"The Road Not Taken" captured my attention because I was able to relate to the literary work in a personal way. The poem contains a metaphor in which an individual has to make a decision between two important choices. This touched me because it reminded me of the time when I came to this country and I faced a situation where I had to choose between two important things. Let me explain, one of the reasons that I came to the United States was to help my family financially. Since I did not speak English, I was only able to get a job that paid minimum wage. I was very frustrated because I needed more money than what I was getting paid each week. The situation got worse when one of my relatives got very sick. Everything came down to two choices. I could continue my venture in this country or I could go back to my home country, Peru. In "The Road Not Taken," Frost underscores these powerful moments in our lives. It speaks of situations when life encourages, changes, or improves us. There were…
Frost uses the images presented in the poem in a very involved and general way. The paths and the fork no longer refer to their definitions, but instead as keywords in a description of life. Through the poem, Frost is defining life as a series of decisions. Some of these decisions may, at the time, be thought of as insignificant, while others could be thought of as very significant. Frost argues that a decision's significance at the time is not really important, for any choice will change one's life. Every day, people, including the narrator of the poem, are presented with "Two roads" that diverge "in a yellow wood." These roads are not concrete or physical, but rather represent choices. The fact that one road is "grassy and wanted wear" while the other was commonly traversed shows the reader that some choices require one to choose something that is not commonly sought or to do something…
In The Road Not Taken, I feel like Robert Frost is trying to play with each individual reader a little. By naming this poem The Road Not Taken I think it is a metaphor for our everyday lives, the choices we decide to make and not make every day. (Clugston, 2010) “Then took the other, as just as fair, 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,” In this poem Frost describes two roads and they both describe change and transformation. Both roads are appealing to him in different ways, which makes the decision a hard one to make. This poem caught my attention immediately because it can be a universal poem, and no matter who reads it, anyone can relate to it. This is the reason why he cannot just walk down any road without thinking about this life changing decision. He is not by any means unsatisfied with how his life turned out he just often wonders “what if?”, as in the other road could have meant more possibilities, a better choice and even more rewarding for him in the end. A few themes that I noticed in this poem are regret, sorrow and remorse. The word ‘sorry’ and ‘sigh’ are mentioned throughout this poem and these words give it a somewhat gloomy feeling. After I had finished reading this poem I was actually dwelling on the road he did take, but then I came to realize that this is more about the road he did…
Frost first introduces the primary symbol of the poem in the first line; “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both.” If interpreted literally the poem is that of a man at a separation of paths in a yellow wood. The symbolism in the poem, however, involves the use of both roads as symbols of the choices made in the speaker’s life and the consequences of making those choices. In addition to the two roads symbolizing a crossing in the speaker’s life, there is a sense of regret in the speaker’s words. “And sorry I could not travel both.” Even though the speaker after much examination of both paths eventually makes a decision about which path he will choose to take, he also establishes that the decision, whether made irrationally or thought long and hard about, will change the speaker’s life in unpredictable ways. Without this symbolism represented by the fork in the road, this poem would have no choice but to be taken literally and would lose the recondite meaning behind the two paths diverged in a yellow…
The Road Not Taken What is the connotative meaning to the road not taken and how does it explain the purpose of the poem? To begin, the title of the poem is “The Road Not Taken”, by Robert Frost. The poem is about two roads that go different ways and a person having to choose one of the roads. One of the roads look like many people have gone through it and the other road mysterious with almost no sight of being taken recently.…
A visual that the fork represents a decision that must be made where each road leads to different destinations. A handful of lines provide metaphors that would support this, but it is the ones in the final two stanzas that really relay the message. The narrator says, “Oh, I kept the first for another day! / Yet knowing how way leads on to way, / I doubted if I should ever come back” (Frost, p.689). The audience can see that there is a dilemma that is faced where these roads will probably lead in a direction where the narrator cannot return. The poem concludes with the statement, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference” (Frost, p.689). One can only conclude from these words that the decision to take one road rather than the other, has “made all the difference” (Frost,…
In the poem The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost explores the tough decisions people have to make throughout life by comparing it to choosing which road to take in the woods. He declares that even though the two roads show different signs, they are the same. Through diction and imagery, Frost explains that despite the uncertainty of the future, one has to choose a path without looking back.…
Poetry has graced the world of literature for centuries. Writers have entertained their thoughts on paper with their use of language, symbols, and imagery. For as long as there have been poets writing poetry, there has been people trying to interpret their meaning. Often, these interpretations are based on what the reader wants to see versus the authors intended purpose. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” is a popular poem that is often misinterpreted as a message to nonconformity. However, the poem’s use of symbolism and subtle irony reflects a regretful tone to cultivate its true message about the complexities of decision making and missed opportunities.…
Likewise within “The Road Not Taken”, the speaker comes to a stop, but in this poem it is to make a choice. To choose one of the paths before them, that will inevitably shape the rest of their life. They weigh out both roads and recount their surroundings and the beauty of both trails, but ultimately will look back on their choice with a “what if” outlook. The speaker’s life was considerably changed by the decision made and they will always look back to wonder how their lives could have been different if the other path was…
The Poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, is a very deep and moving story about the struggle of choices made in everyday life. Frost is figuratively stating in the poem that choices about a person’s future are usually very difficult to make and the outcomes will always be a mystery. Frost uses a good deal of poetic devices within this piece but theme and metaphor help give the story a better image for the reader.…
Remembered as a poetic genius of the 20th century, Robert Frost is one of the most celebrated and prominent poets in American history. Frost’s use of repetition, exquisite detail, and rhyme scheme produces a poem that leaves the reader with a distinct, unforgettable image. Furthermore, Frost’s trying life serves as inspiration for his work, especially for some of his most prominent works, including “The Road Not Taken.” Although his careers spans across the 20th century, Robert succeeds at tying his poetry to 19th century propensities and styles, while mixing in new techniques of the 20th century (“Robert Frost” Poetry Foundation). Robert Frost is a distinguished poet who used personal experiences and alluring observations to speak to people…
In the previous verses Frost explains in narrative one road to be the road that the traveler like stated earlier can be assumed to be Frost himself, to be road he will choose. However, that is not the case in that we find that the lyric has changed. Bringing confrontation with the other road to be explained as “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”. Frost emotions have changed when he gazed upon the second road. This is what brought the irony of the poem and also shows good use of nominally poetry. Meaning the sectioning a poem to where it was written, putting the poem “The Road Not Taken” into that category. I believe the second verse of the poem grabs the attention of the reader, Frost changing the tone of the poem showing dilemma the traveler faces. This also brings the curiosity of the reader and brings them to make decision themselves of which path they would choose and would the traveler choose the same…
This essay discusses the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost. This poem describes a man who is walking in the woods. As he is walking, he finds that the path he is on splits into two roads. He is forced to decide which road to take in order to continue his journey. Throughout the rest of the poem, he describes the experience of his journey. Frost uses many poetic devices throughout this poem. He uses metaphor to describe the road as a part of life. He also uses rhyme scheme to show the important phrases and words to help the reader understand and comprehend the message behind the poem. Finally, Frost makes use of alliteration and similes to draw the reader closer to the text and compare his experience to other occurrences…
The poem “The road not taken” by Robert Frost outlines a scenario every human being on the planet has encountered. The images and emotions evoked are masterfully woven into the style that Frost used. Using the formalist approach this poem is easily stripped down to the intent of sharing a common decision making process with the readers. Robert Frost is able to skillfully use writing techniques to share a common experience of which road to take in life and create a poem that evokes those memories every time.…
"The Road Not Taken" is a narrative poem consisting of four stanzas of iambic tetrameter and is one of Frost's most popular works. This poem, besides being among the best known, is also one of the most misunderstood.…