...Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, a poem revered for decades, portrays the decisions we face in life; through a narrative. With each of its four stanzas incorporating different literary devices to create a solid storyline, open to interpretation by the reader. A narrative; “a story told, by a narrator about events that may by factual, fictional, or mythical.” (Threadgold 232) described here by Terry Threadgold, is one literary category Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken comes under, due to it containing, “the principal parts of a narrative – setting, complication, climax, denouement, and coda” (Threadgold 231). The setting takes place in a “yellow wood” (Frost 127) where two paths diverge, and the complication comes from deciding which of the two paths the narrator should travel along. The climax arrives when the narrator finds himself torn between his decision and is shortly followed by the denouement when he makes his decision on which path to take, concluding with saying “and that has made all the difference” (Frost 127): the coda. Frost’s poem is also open to interpretation by the reader, whereby they “[do] not necessarily follow the txt’s or the narrative’s instructions” (Threadgold 232), an act that leads to a deeper sense and meaning of the poem. Making it easy to distinguish a metaphorical link between the difficult decisions individuals make in their lives, and the decision between the paths the narrator must make. The connection between Robert Frost’s The Road...
Words: 1057 - Pages: 5
...Sarah K. McAfee May 8, 2008 English 151-15 The poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, tells a quick story about a lone traveler who arrives at the end of a path leading to a fork road. Confused about which road to take, the traveler speaks figuratively about how each path looks and in the end decides to take the path he calls “less traveled by” (line 19). Each person in life comes across crossroads where he or she has to choose which path leads to a better future. The reader can take what Frost wrote and interpret that this poem represents that decision that we eventually have to make. One of the major themes of this poem is “life’s decisions” because the author creates a scenario where people have to make a decision of which road to take in life. The poem’s theme is “life’s decisions” because in the poem the traveler arrives at a fork in the road and has to choose the path to take to get to his destination. In life, we also have to make that decision. This could be Frost’s interpretation of someone who is approaching this kind of scenario . The first stanza of the poem states: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth” –Robert Frost This stanza is describing the thinking process of the person who has to make his or her decision on which path to take. The person is trying to figure out how far each path will go but...
Words: 780 - Pages: 4
...into the person they are today and the people they will be in the future. This theme clarifies the ambiguous interpretation of Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” as it is often misconstrued on its underlying meaning. Many believe Robert Frost’s intentions were to convey a message to discover new roads and challenge one’s self. Others believe the poem to stay true to its title and suggest that people should proceed along the road less traveled by others, in other words express individuality. The poem tells the story of Robert Frost himself, who comes to a fork in the road in his life and is not sure as to which path to proceed along. Each path looks just as good as the other, in fact they look exactly the same which is why he finds great difficulty in making a decision. When he finally chooses, he pictures what life would have been if he had taken the other. In this poem “The Road Not Taken”, Robert Frost portrays not of having the ability to make a choice, but rather how a choice defines him as an individual and how this ultimately affects his lives. Frost makes it clear that each path is virtually the same, so instead of the theme being taking the road less traveled by; it is truly about how the choice to take the road less traveled by identifies him as a person. In the first stanza of the poem, Frost discusses what he sees before him; a fork in the road. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both, And be one traveler, long I stood And looked...
Words: 2221 - Pages: 9
...Poetry Analysis Essay for “Road Not Taken” By: Robert Frost Course # and Title: ENGL 102: Literature and Composition Semester of Enrollment: Spring 2012 Name: Timothy Bayless ID #: L22915807 Writing Style Used: MLA Timothy Bayless L22915807 ENGL-102 C04 Poetry Analysis Essay Outline I. Introduction A. Facts: Robert Frost thought a poem should start with delight but end in wisdom and has also won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry four times. B. Title and Author: “The Road Not Taken” By: Robert Frost C. Thesis: The poem displays the difficult decisions people make in order to progress in life and how one choice can alter the future for better or worse. II. Body A. Meaning and Message i. Surface Meaning: A person comes to a “y” in the road and has to decide which way to go. ii. Deeper Meaning: Internal debates are overwhelming when deciding what the right decision to make is. iii. Theme: The choices made in life can alter the future for better or worse. B. Tone i. The person speaking in the poem seems to have a certain level of maturity and it shows in the debate about which road to take. ii. The tone of the speaker is solemn in nature. iii. The reason the tone seems solemn is because the speaker is left with...
Words: 1400 - Pages: 6
...Symbolism of the Journey in "The Road Not Taken" and "A Worn Path" ENG125: Introduction to Literature Instructor: Deborah Cunningham Amber Huntley April 9, 2013 Symbolism of the Journey in "The Road Not Taken" and "A Worn Path" When reading a short story or a poem it is not possible to comprehend the author’s true meaning of his or her written word without using symbolism to bring the literary work to life. Oftentimes the symbolism can be interpreted differently by each individual. We do know that the symbolism of literary works are created in the imagination of the writer to show certain events or interrelated facets of the literary work. Moreover, the joy of reading is so that the reader can interpret what these symbols mean to them and begin the wonderful journey into the world of literature. As we read, we begin to unravel and decode the symbolic nature of the characters journey throughout the written word. Also; the journey is not only in the reading of the literary work but, in deciphering the symbolism to find its true meaning as it relates to you, the reader of the short story or poem. Therefore, we can see from Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken,” and Eudora Welty’s short story, “A Worn Path” that the symbolism a writer uses is the journey to discovering the path of the literary work itself. The best example of this symbolic journey is Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken.”. In this poem we read about a man...
Words: 1792 - Pages: 8
...American Poetry Interpretation Robert Frost, one of the most famous poets in American history, gave a whole new window to the world to view it through poetry. His poetry collection explores many different aspects of his writing. Though he was one of the finest poets in American history, his works were the subject of misinterpretation due to the figurative language used in his works. The publication of most of Frost’s successful poems occurred after he moved to New England in 1912. As a result, Frost used the scenery of New England’s surroundings, nature, and the speech of the countryside in many of his poems. Frost’s poems seem to explain the nature of living of people and seem to be self-explanatory on the surface, but his observations have an edge of skeptics and irony, which the reader discovers upon reading several of his poems. His poems are never as old-fashioned, easy or carefree as they might appear on the surface. Though Frost used the uncomplicated language of the New England countryside, the complicated and darker themes of his poems do not appear on the surface. Nature comes into play in the first live of the poem “The Road Not Taken” when Frost introduces two separate paths in the woods, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, / And sorry I could not travel both” (Frost, 1999/1916, line 1-2). He has to make a choice during his journey in the woods regarding, which path he should choose to be same and happy at the end but is not able to decide the right path...
Words: 1463 - Pages: 6
...choose in life. Robert Frost’s 1916 poem “The Road Not Taken” demonstrates how the poet emphasizes ambiguity, which is “the use of language that has more than one meaning, creating uncertainty about how to interpret what has been stated,” (Clugston, 2010) that is associated with life choices. He also uses a metaphor, which is “an image that imaginatively compares one thing with another, showing how each has qualities that resemble the other,” (Clugston, 2010) by comparing the two roads with life choices of right or wrong. This poem captured my interest because it represents the decisions people make every day and the after effect that these choices may have on one’s life. In this essay I will use the formalist approach, which is “most widely used in literary criticism; it focuses on the form and development of the literary work itself,” (Clugston, 2010) to better explain my analysis. The poem is made up of four stanzas that include five lines each and the rhyme scheme of the poem is ABAAB. Although this is a short poem that does not take away from the fact that it has powerful meaning. People may never know the true meaning behind Robert Frost’s famous poem, “The Road Not Taken” but we all have our own opinions, beliefs and interpretations. Stated in Washington Times, “In the 44 years since [Robert Frost]'s death in 1963, much has been made of the elusiveness of his poetry as if he were hiding a lot and had a lot to hide.” (Ganz, 2007). I believe that Frost’s way of writing...
Words: 731 - Pages: 3
...destination.” The journey is a central focus of Robert Frost’s “The Path Not Taken” and Jean Rhys’s “I Used to Live Here Once,” although the destination is also an important part of the latter. While both stories have similar themes, they have different points of view; both show that life can change during the journey. In addition, both stories illustrate that things aren’t always as they seem. This paper will compare and contrast the two stories and how despite the different viewpoints, there is one thing in common; regardless of the journey a person takes, there are many obstacles and hurdles. Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” has been often interpreted with different meanings but is one of the most quoted poems of all time. Many interpretations of the poem believe it encourages individualism and self-reliance. There are others that believe it is not what the author intended. Upon closer examination we can determine that Frost’s intended message is that life choices are inevitable, a natural part of the life process, and that we cannot know whether the decision was the right one until we are in the future looking back at that particular moment in time, nor can we ever know what choosing the other path would have meant for our future. As the poem goes on, we see the author lamenting over his choices at the beginning of the final stanza: “I shall be telling this with a sigh (Clugston, 2010).” Perhaps this is Frost thinking back about the road he did not take and whether that truly...
Words: 2687 - Pages: 11
...Literary works are often comprised of symbolisms that convey a message to the reader. In the two literary works, A Worn Path by Eudora Welty and The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, symbolism is used to capture the nature of both pieces. They both reflect a journey through imagery and metaphors. Each literary work has its unique way of expressing its message, one through the alliteration, ambiguity and visual sensation of poetry, and the other through a short, but evocative story about an elderly woman on her journey through a long, treacherous path. The Worn Path begins with an African-American grandmother that has begun her journey to get medicine for her grandson who lives in ‘town’. Her name is Phoenix Jackson and is described as an elderly woman on a mission. The beginning of the story explains that she is making her way down a long and difficult path to retrieve a much needed medicine that will help cure her grandson’s ailment. The dialect and manner in which the story is told suggests that the story takes place in the late 19th century after the ‘Surrender’ or a reference to the defeat of the Confederate army and the victory of the Union. It also makes implies that Phoenix resides in the south, or what would be the former Confederacy. Phoenix begins her path without question; only after the exposition does she glance back to where she had first begun her path. “After she got to the top she turned and gave a full, severe look behind her where she had come. "Up...
Words: 1028 - Pages: 5
...journey of “life” that we all make from birth to death. And many of the journeys in life can be a struggle. Eudora Welty’s short story “A Worn Path” is the story of an old woman experiencing a journey in her life with countless struggles along the way. Eudora Welty’s short story “A Warn Path” gives us the journey that an old woman makes out of love for her family and the strong will and determination she has to complete the journey. Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” is a poem about having to make a hard decision during his journey of life. Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” gives us the journey on a man who has to make a decision and choose what path he wants to spend the rest of his life down. Both “A Warn Path” and “The Road Not Taken” have one particular theme which is “Journey,” but both pieces of literature have different content, form and style. While the journey is the theme of each of these pieces of literature, each author gives a different perspective of the journey through different meaning. In the poem “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost portrays the journey as the choices people take in their life and the impact of these choices to their future. Frost shows how a choice today has long term effects on what they will become tomorrow. Frost gives the reader the scenario of choosing the path that many others choose, or choosing the path that few choose to solve their choice. One path has to be chosen and Frost...
Words: 2525 - Pages: 11
... | [Poetry Essay] | | “The Road not Taken” by Robert Frost demonstrates the power of allegory in simple writings of poetry with vivid use of symbolism to convey the true message. “The Road not Taken” is written by Robert Frost who was born on March 26, 1874 and passed away on January 29, 1963. His father William was a 1872 Harvard graduate and a teacher and his mother Isabelle was a Scotswoman and a teacher as well. They moved from Pennsylvania to San Francisco where they had their first son who they named after the southern hero General Robert E. Lee. Robert had one sister Jeanie who was born in 1876. Robert seemed to struggle as a child in school but after graduating from Lawrence High school top of his class he started college at Dartmouth College but dropped out before the semester ended. In 1894 Mr. Frost sold his first poem and shortly thereafter 1895 he married his high school sweetheart Elinor. In 1906 Derry Enterprise publishes “The Tuft of Flowers” after a public reading of the poem. Shortly thereafter in 1913 David Nutt and Company publishes Frost’s first book of poems called “a Boys Will. In 1937 Frost won The Pulitzer Prize for “A Further Range”. In the midst of all the publications and literature success Frost is plagued with family problems that include the death of several of his children one by suicide and the passing of his wife and he himself passed away on January 29, 1963. “The Road not Taken” clearly shows the use of allegory in order...
Words: 754 - Pages: 4
...Robert Frost (1874-1963) was the leading modern American poet of nature and rural life. He found beauty and meaning in commonplace objects, such as a drooping birch tree and an old stone wall, and drew universal significance from the experiences of a farmer or a country boy. Most of his poems have a New England setting and deal with the theme of man's relationship to nature. The influence of nature in Robert Frost's works creates a palette to paint a picture filled with symbolism for the reader to interpret. In the analysis of Frost's The Road Not Taken, Tree At My Window, Two Trumps In The Mud Time and Stopping By The Woods On A Snowy Evening we can pick out specific examples to illustrate Frost's overall use of nature. In the first stanza of Robert Frost's Stopping by the Woods on A Snowy Evening we find the speaker reflecting on the beauty of a wooded area with snow falling. Whose woods these are I think I know. His house is in the village though; He will not see me stopping here To watch his woods fill up with snow. You can feel the speakers awe and reflective peace when looking into the woods that night. He doesn't know the owner of the land but is still drawn to the beauty of the scene. Nature poet Robert Frost gives a scene that is taken into the reader and digested for a time in the speaker's mind. It shows us that it is all right to take a minute out of a hurried hour and reflect upon what is around you, whether it is a snowy wood or a quite room....
Words: 2773 - Pages: 12
...Make: Examining “A Road Not Taken” Aaron J. George 31 July 2011 English 102 OUTLINE I. Thesis Statement on A Road Not Taken A. Regret or satisfaction B. Choice and consequence II. Theory about the meaning behind the poem A. Second stanza B. Traveler and his options III. The setting of the poem A. Emotions experienced B. Unknown future IV. The title and its interpretation A. Simple or complex title B. Ulterior meanings of the title V. Making the choice A. Living with the choice you made B. Having the guts to choose The Road Not Taken is a simple, yet contrastingly complex, meaningful poem about a simple walk on an unsure road in the woods, which leads to places only the traveler will know as the choice unfolds. This is a poem told by the narrator, but based on the readers’ outlook on life. At first glance, Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”, is about a walk on a leaf-littered road in the fall woods, but it has a more significant meaning of how it feels to live with life’s certainty, uncertainty. The poem is celebrated as one of Frost’s masterpieces, created with a unique style, ironically, forcing the reader to make a choice as well, on the opinions created from each readers unique perspective. In the end, a sigh by the lone traveler could mean regret or it could mean satisfaction, which is up to the reader to define. The Road Not Taken has memorized readers...
Words: 1056 - Pages: 5
...An Analysis of “Acquainted with the Night” by Robert Frost Many of Robert Frost's works have been interpreted as autobiographical, incorporating his love for the natural world in the thoughts and feelings of the speakers of his poetry. The genius of his work however lies in the broad meaning of his words so that they apply to everyone. In his poem "Acquainted with the Night", Frost uses symbolism and rhythm skims to convey through the speaker what many feel are lonesome feelings of isolation from some awful deeds, which the speaker feels ashamed of. Others may view the poem as being full of optimistic, life proclaiming symbolism that reflects the speaker's pride in choosing the road less traveled. His use of symbolic ideas allows for his work to be interpreted in various ways, and every reader can find their own meaning to his words. Robert Frost experienced many losses in his life including his father in 1885, his mother in 1900, his sister in 1929, and four of his six children, two of which died at very early ages. Of course everyone experiences losses in their lives, but one can imagine the profound effect the death of a child would have on one's disposition. The often gloomy and even depressing tones of many of his poems can be seen as a projection of his own depression and feelings of loss. Most people read "Acquainted with the Night" as dealing with the ideas of loneliness, depression, sufferings, and even contemplation of suicide. Everyone can relate to the feelings...
Words: 924 - Pages: 4
...Literature INSTRUCTOR: Alex vuilleumier March 17, 2013 ANALIZTION OF THE ROAD NOT TAKEN Jackquiline Dixon English 125 Introduction to Literature INSTRUCTOR: Alex vuilleumier March 17, 2013 ANALIZTION OF THE ROAD NOT TAKEN Analization of The Road Not Taken Jackquiline Dixon English 125 Introduction to Literature Instructor: Alex Vuilleumier This paper is an analyzation and evaluation of Robert Frost’s literary work entitled. The Road Not Taken. In this paper I will explain why the work captured my attention. I will also describe one of the analytical approaches outlined in chapter 16 of me text book, using details from the test to support my interpretation. Then I will evaluate the meaning of the selected work using the analytical approach chosen. I hope that after you read this paper on The Road Not Taken, the formalist approach that I use for analyzation, will give more enlightenment on this work. But I do believe that that archetypal approach would also be effective on this work also. The Road Not Taken interests me for many reasons. I was drawn in because of the title of the work. It insinuates an irony. As if the road taken should have been taken. The symbols and metaphors that are used lead one to represents life choices that many of us may take. I also see the allegory in this work. The different concepts that we may encounter. The regrets of not taking a certain road. The approach that I choose is the formalist approach, because it...
Words: 334 - Pages: 2
