ENGL 102: Literature and Composition
Summer 2013
Aleta Byrd
APA Format

Outline

Thesis: Symbolism in The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is descriptive of a young adult's private struggle regarding which path in life to take.

I. Thesis and Introduction
II. Symbolism of setting a. "Morning" symbolic of beginning of life in line 11 b. "Yellow wood" symbolic of sunrise and beginning in line 1 c. "Wood" in line 18 symbolic of private/inner struggle in line 18
III. Symbolism showing longing for both paths a. "Sorry" in line 2 b. "And both that morning equally lay" in line 11
IV. Symbolism showing backup plan a. "Kept the first for another day" in line 13
V. Symbolism showing satisfaction with choice a. "Made all the difference" in line 20
VI. Conclusion

Symbolism in The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is descriptive of a young adult's private struggle regarding which path in life to take. The many symbols in the poem show a young person who is indecisive about which choice to make and the longing to choose each option in front of them. The symbolism follows the person's indecision through to decision and finally shows satisfaction with the choice made. The first display of symbolism occurs in line 1, where he utilizes the term "yellow wood" to show the earliness of day, reminding the reader of sunrise and also showing symbolically a beginning. Again in line 11, Frost uses the term "morning" to show both the time of day and also symbolize the early stage of life the narrator is in. The repeated use of the word morning reinforces the point of life the narrator is in during the poem. The term "wood" in line 18 is descriptive of the place, but also invokes the feeling of a private or inner setting in the reader’s mind for the narrator’s struggle Frost implies throughout the poem. As the scene is so well shown through imagery and symbolism, Frost is free to bring the reader’s attention to the true focus of the poem. The narrator shows desire for both paths, thereby denoting the struggle within. In line 2, simply stating "And sorry I could not travel both" shows this longing for both choices in front of him. When Frost uses "And both that morning equally lay" in line 11 to show that both choices have equally positive and negative sides, one can see the want to select each of the paths once again. Frost even goes so far as to again show symbolically to the reader that the narrator has a back up plan in line 13 by saying that the first path was kept for "another day." The narrator states the choice made in line 20 "has made all the difference," showing a resolution to the struggle described in the first 19 lines by Frost. The path showing the least wear is the one chosen by the young person. Satisfaction with this choice is shown through symbolism yet again, in the same line (20). The reader can sense the satisfaction of the narrator, and is put at ease with the decision of the narrator in the last two lines of the poem. In Frost's The Road Not Taken, beautifully woven symbolism sets the scene of a youth's inner struggle regarding the direction life will take. The imagery used reminds the reader of new beginnings and a private and intimate setting. As the young person shows longing for both of the choices in front of them, Frost makes use of symbolism once again to show the want to make each choice, so much so that he shows the path not chosen as the narrator's contingency plan. As the struggle is brought full circle when the narrator states the reason for the choice made, the reader senses the symbolic satisfaction in the resolution of the struggle Frost so cleverly shows.