The Road Not Taken
Running head: THE ROAD NOT TAKEN
The Road Not Taken
Ashford University
ENG 125 Introduction to Literature
Instructor: Susan Turner-Conlon
The Road Not Taken
Everyday people make choices such as what clothes to wear or how to style their hair. These choices are not as life changing as other choices we make that determine who we are. These can be anything like choosing whether or not to marry a person or having children. Life choices are not made by people, they are made by an individual. The choices may not be original but how they impact a person’s life is unique. Life is full of choices that must be made. “The Road Not Taken” is a consideration of the choices one must make in life.
Choices are looked at differently by the individual person. Each choice at a time should be given a fair chance to be studied. In the poem it says, “then took the other, as just as fair,” (Frost 6). Robert Frost is saying that the traveler gave each road a fair chance while deciding which road to take. With the result of the choice the traveler makes, the decision was not a bad one because the traveler says, “and that has made all the difference,” (20) which means the decision made was the best for the traveler. Decisions in life should always be thought out especially if it is a big decision that could drastically change your life with no going back.
Using the reader-response approach I’ve found that it’s a more personal way to relate to a story or poem. I believe everyone has found themselves at this point in their lives, which is why I was able to connect to the poem. I chose this particular poem because I’ve made a few hard choices over the past few years that dramatically changed my life. I also choose this poem because as a Christian there are scriptures about choosing the right path throughout life. “And looked down one as far as I could” (4) When there’s a decision to be made that I know will be life-changing, I write down the positives and negatives of the
The Road Not Taken
Ashford University
ENG 125 Introduction to Literature
Instructor: Susan Turner-Conlon
The Road Not Taken
Everyday people make choices such as what clothes to wear or how to style their hair. These choices are not as life changing as other choices we make that determine who we are. These can be anything like choosing whether or not to marry a person or having children. Life choices are not made by people, they are made by an individual. The choices may not be original but how they impact a person’s life is unique. Life is full of choices that must be made. “The Road Not Taken” is a consideration of the choices one must make in life.
Choices are looked at differently by the individual person. Each choice at a time should be given a fair chance to be studied. In the poem it says, “then took the other, as just as fair,” (Frost 6). Robert Frost is saying that the traveler gave each road a fair chance while deciding which road to take. With the result of the choice the traveler makes, the decision was not a bad one because the traveler says, “and that has made all the difference,” (20) which means the decision made was the best for the traveler. Decisions in life should always be thought out especially if it is a big decision that could drastically change your life with no going back.
Using the reader-response approach I’ve found that it’s a more personal way to relate to a story or poem. I believe everyone has found themselves at this point in their lives, which is why I was able to connect to the poem. I chose this particular poem because I’ve made a few hard choices over the past few years that dramatically changed my life. I also choose this poem because as a Christian there are scriptures about choosing the right path throughout life. “And looked down one as far as I could” (4) When there’s a decision to be made that I know will be life-changing, I write down the positives and negatives of the
References: Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Kendall, T. (2012). The art of Robert Frost. New Haven : Yale University Press,