“The Road Not Taken”

By: Robert Frost

Focus Questions

What would you say is the most important decision you have made so far in your life? How did you make this decision? Looking back, was it a good decision or do you have regrets?

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler,

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.

Literary DevicesMetaphor

The poem revolves around the metaphor comparing the decisions we make on the journey of life to a fork in the road. Just as we must decide which road to take when travelling in order to arrive at a location, we must make decisions in life that will greatly impact our destination. The speaker is a “traveller” on the road of life who wishes that he could go both directions and avoid making a decision.

Literary DevicesSymbolism

1. “Yellow” - The yellow coloring of the woods is representative of the light, hope, and promise that the speaker is standing before. His future is bright and stretches before him. Though both paths are equally lit, he must choose only one.

2. “Woods” - The poem is set in the woods because we get an image of a quiet, deserted place where the speaker is left alone to decide. There are no road signs or people to stop and ask for directions. Similarly, there are no signs in life designed to help people choose their path.

Symbolism

3. “Roads” - The roads are symbolic of the paths we take in life. Every road leads to a specific place and the nature of one’s destination depends entirely on the decisions that are made. We don’t just arrive at a location; we make a series of choices that lead us there.

4. “Morning” - The morning represents a new beginning and the endless possibilities the day ahead has to offer. Frost sets the poem in the morning to reveal that the speaker is in the early years of his life and his future is spread out before him.

Meaning:Meaning:The literal meaning of this poem by Robert Frost The literal meaning of this poem by Robert Frost is pretty obvious. A traveller comes to a fork in is pretty obvious. A traveller comes to a fork in the road and needs to decide which way to go to the road and needs to decide which way to go to continue his journey. After much mental debate, continue his journey. After much mental debate, the traveller picks the road "less traveled by."the traveller picks the road "less traveled by."The figurative meaning is not too hidden either. The figurative meaning is not too hidden either. The poem describes the tough choices people The poem describes the tough choices people make when travelling the road of life. The words make when travelling the road of life. The words "sorry" and "sigh" make the tone of poem "sorry" and "sigh" make the tone of poem somewhat gloomy. The traveller regrets, leaves somewhat gloomy. The traveller regrets, leaves the possibilities of the road not chosen behind. the possibilities of the road not chosen behind. He realizes he probably won't pass this way He realizes he probably won't pass this way again.again.

Poetic devices:Poetic devices:•There are plenty literary devices in this poem to be There are plenty literary devices in this poem to be discovered. One of these is discovered. One of these is antithesis. antithesis. When the When the traveller comes to the fork in the road, he wishes he traveller comes to the fork in the road, he wishes he could travel both. Within the current scope of our could travel both. Within the current scope of our physical world, this is a non possibility (unless he has a physical world, this is a non possibility (unless he has a split personality). The traveller realises this and split personality). The traveller realises this and immediately rejects the idea.immediately rejects the idea.•Yet another little contradiction is two remarks in the Yet another little contradiction is two remarks in the second stanza about the road less travelled. First, it's second stanza about the road less travelled. First, it's described as grassy and wanting wear, after which he described as grassy and wanting wear, after which he turns to say the roads are actually worn about the same turns to say the roads are actually worn about the same (perhaps the road less travelled makes travellers turn (perhaps the road less travelled makes travellers turn back?). back?).

The image 

• The most common literary technique in the poem is symbolism.  

• The Road in the poem represents the direction of life, while the wood symbolizes our lives. 

     

•     

Future is unpredictable

• bent into undergrowth two roads diverged • complicated better claim: • grassy, wanted wear• more challenging & adventurous 

   

   

   

 

   

  

The image 

• The wood---life 

• Life is like the wood because no one can clearly

see or predict what will happen in the future due

to the obstacles in the way such as branches and bushes, which blind our eyes. 

 

Which one is not taken? 

 

• By whom? 

• Two choices?

  

The Theme Which one to take, that is the question! 

However, many of us agree that we would like to choose

• the more travelled path because we are more likely to• know what the coming result is.

• Taking the more challenging way is too threatening or difficult for an average person.  

• Apparently the road not taken by the majority is the second one—grassy and wanted wear.

• Initially, the poet depicted the uncertainty and the mental suffering of making choices.. 

• Before making his decision, the poet had his

mental struggle,• [L3]“be one traveller, long I stood”. • After comparing the two roads, • he [L13]“kept the first for another day”.• However, he knew there was no chance to return, though

he stated that• “I doubted if I should ever come back.”[L15]

    

The poet knew he had only one life• and he would like to lead a different one.• Gradually, he gained confidence in his choice. At the end of the

poem he urged and encouraged that people should try something new instead of following others.  

• ‘I took the one less traveled by,• And that has made all the difference’.

 

   

• The last point is the ambiguity we see in the poem. Frost is too wise to be absolute.

• He never denied every possibility.

• Balancing each choice, he made his

choice but still left room for readers

to have their final say.