The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost relates on both a literal and metaphoric level to the concept of a journey. The poem depicts one man’s journey throughout his life, the choices he made and the road he travelled. The Road Not Taken is a poem with universal relevance about a journey that every person takes. Here is a first person narrative tale of a monumental moment in the speaker’s life - Frost can be considered the speaker. Frost is faced between the choice of a moment and a lifetime manifested in his poem. Frost presents the idea of an individual facing the difficult unalterable predilection of a moment and a lifetime. This idea in Frost’s poem is embodied in the fork in the road, the decision between the two paths, and the speaker’s decision to select the road not taken.
Frost effectively conveys his theme and meaning through the use of numerous techniques. These techniques include simple yet powerful imagery, word choice and rhyme and rhythm. Also vital in the effectiveness of this poem is the use of symbolism and the extended metaphor present.
Literally this man is a traveller standing at the divergence of two roads. Metaphorically this man is in the ‘autumn’ of his life, suggested by the “yellow w
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The choices a person makes in life are ultimately responsible for their future, yet at the same time a person can never go back to the past and experience other possibilities. The simple word choice interests the reader by not unnecessarily complicating the poem. There are an abundance of options in life a person faces; Frost symbolises this in the diverging of the two paths in his poem. The use of 1st person enables a direct insight into the subjects thoughts and feelings. The decision for which path to choose from can be hard to accept, just as the revelation of the choices. Frost has used numerous techniques to convey the meaning of the poem to the reader. This is similar for the rhyme and rhythm scheme, which is simple and effective. It is unfeasible to predict the outcomes of capital decisions we make; often it is essential to make these decisions fixed on nothing more than questioning which selection will provide fulfilment. The speaker’s sight is limited- his eyes can only see the path until it bends into "the undergrowth. Throughout this journey there are instants where choices between alternate paths have to be made - the route a man decides to take is not always an easy one to determine. ” A person’s life can be metaphorically related to a physical journey filled with many twists and turns. Especially in the last stanza the poem’s tone changes, into a more reminiscent and reflecting which results in a strong positive feeling conveyed by Frost. Both roads diverge into a "yellow wood" and appear to be "about the same" in their purpose. Faced with these decisions, man has to weigh his options carefully to make an optimal choice.
The two paths represent the options man has to choose from.
Approximate Word count =
1118
Approximate Pages =
4 (250 words per page double spaced)
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