Life and Death-a Journey of Choices
Life and Death-A Journey of Choices
ENG 125
Hannah Martin
February 7, 2013 Life and Death-A Journey of Choices There is a great increase of capacity in knowing one have choices in life. The metaphor for both works “The Road Not Taken” and “A Worn Path” is that each one had to use the power of decision. The theme behind Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” and Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path” is a journey of life changing choices that symbolizes hope, perseverance, and courage.
A “theme is a representation behind a story”. To say it in a way I understand, a story within a story. “A symbol is something that has a literal identity but also stands for something else….” A metaphor is an image which imaginatively compares one thing with another, showing how each has qualities that resemble the other” (Clugson, R.W., 2010). Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” has a representation of symbolism, metaphors and imagery. Two of the symbolisms are roads and nature.
In line 1 of “The Road Not Taken”, the splitting roads in the woods are metaphors. The roads symbolize choices and decisions taken in life. The roads description in lines 4 and 5 “And looked down one as far as I could/to where it bent in the undergrowth” (Frost, Robert, 1916) is a metaphor for the future. The persona can only see a certain distance down the roads in the woods. One can only visualize the consequences of one’s choices for a short while in the future.
In line 3 “…long I stood” has an imagery of the narrator starring and pondering which road to take. The narrator knows he has to make a challenging decision and that with either road he chooses, there was going to be a life changing experience that would make his life better or make it worse. The persona studies the roads long enough to find a tiny difference to see which way is the best way and know one cannot continue until he chooses.
In lines 13-15 “Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
ENG 125
Hannah Martin
February 7, 2013 Life and Death-A Journey of Choices There is a great increase of capacity in knowing one have choices in life. The metaphor for both works “The Road Not Taken” and “A Worn Path” is that each one had to use the power of decision. The theme behind Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” and Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path” is a journey of life changing choices that symbolizes hope, perseverance, and courage.
A “theme is a representation behind a story”. To say it in a way I understand, a story within a story. “A symbol is something that has a literal identity but also stands for something else….” A metaphor is an image which imaginatively compares one thing with another, showing how each has qualities that resemble the other” (Clugson, R.W., 2010). Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” has a representation of symbolism, metaphors and imagery. Two of the symbolisms are roads and nature.
In line 1 of “The Road Not Taken”, the splitting roads in the woods are metaphors. The roads symbolize choices and decisions taken in life. The roads description in lines 4 and 5 “And looked down one as far as I could/to where it bent in the undergrowth” (Frost, Robert, 1916) is a metaphor for the future. The persona can only see a certain distance down the roads in the woods. One can only visualize the consequences of one’s choices for a short while in the future.
In line 3 “…long I stood” has an imagery of the narrator starring and pondering which road to take. The narrator knows he has to make a challenging decision and that with either road he chooses, there was going to be a life changing experience that would make his life better or make it worse. The persona studies the roads long enough to find a tiny difference to see which way is the best way and know one cannot continue until he chooses.
In lines 13-15 “Oh, I kept the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
References: Bartel, R. (1977). Life and Death in Eudora Welty 's 'A Worn Path '. Studies In Short Fiction, 14(3), 288. Breeze, A. (2004). Owen Glendower’s crest and the Scottish campaign of 1384-1385. Medium Aevem, 73(1), 99-102. Retrieved from: http://search.proquest.com/docview/194191830?accountid=32521 Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature . San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books/AUENG125 Dazey, M. (1979). Phoenix Jackson and The Nice Lady: A Note on Eudora Welty’s "A Worn Path". American Notes & Queries, 17(6), Frost, Robert (1916). “The Road Not Taken.” Journey into Literature, ed. R. Wayne Clugston (2010), Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Section 2.2. Ngovo, B. L. (2008). Historical Approach to Eudora Welty 's 'A Worn Path ' in a College Reading Course. Eureka Studies In Teaching Short Fiction, 9(1), 118-126 Welty, Eudora (1941), “A Worn Path.” Journey into Literature, ed. R. Wayne Clugston (2010), Bridgepoint Education, Inc., Section 6.3