The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost - Book Report/Review Example

[The [The [The The Road Not Taken In analyzing the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost, it represents the classic choice of a moment and a lifetime. He relies much on the reflections of nature to convey his theme. However, this poem seems to be in essence very simple but opens the door for many interpretations. In using a simple fork in a road, Frost writes much to symbolize life and choices in which one will make. Frost uses unique ability to see an ordinary, everyday activity to portray such a theme. By using such simple endeavors, Frost reaches his audience on a more personal level. However, it is only ones past, present and the attitude with which he or she looks upon the future that determines the shade of light in which the poem will be seen. There is never a straight path for one to follow on life's journey. By using two paths in which to choose from, Frost leaves one to realize that everyone must travel and will reach a point of decision. In knowing that each one may be influenced in many directions, Frost clearly implies 'And be one traveler, long I stood. No matter how each of us may be influenced by family or various sources, there is only one traveler that will be affected by any decision and there is quite a lengthy thought process involved. Regardless of any outside influence there is only one to be involved and truly affected, as does any choice in life. Then as we close out the first stanza, we establish that yet one road has been looked down as far as possible. However, the use of the semicolon after undergrowth initiates a turn of the head to lead into the examination of the other road. Then he took the other, just as fair, and having perhaps the better claim. What seems to have made it such a better claim is that it was grassy and wanted wear. It was a road obviously not for everyone because it seemed that the majority of people took the other often traveled path. Therefore, Frost calls this the road less traveled by. The simple fact that the traveler chooses to take this path over the frequently chosen path, indicates the type of personality in the traveler. It shows that the individual is one to not particularly follow the crowd but sets him apart from the rest by doing something new and unique. It is often called the path of least resistance. And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black. The leaves had somewhat covered the ground and since the time they had fallen no one had yet to travel on this road. Perhaps Frost does this to show that each time a person comes to a point where they have to make a choice, it is new to them. It envisions that it is somewhere the traveler has never been. They may tend to feel as though possibly no one else had ever been there either. A modern phrase comes to mind in saying that it is human nature to have the want or desire to go where no man has ever gone before. (Oliver, 123-37) The two roads in the poem, although, diverging, lead in different directions. At the beginning they appear to be somewhat similar, but it is apparent that miles away they will grow farther and farther away from each other. Similarly, too many choices faced in life. It is impossible to foresee the consequences of most major decisions we make and it is often necessary to make these decisions based on a little more than examining which choice wanted wear. In the end, we look back upon the choices we have made and like the narrator sigh, observing that they have made all the difference. In this poem, Robert Frost extensively uses many literary features that reflect his theme. To "paint" a morbid and remorseful character in the poem to represent his sorrow and regret, Frost uses color words. The term "yellow wood", which is found in line one, is very suggestive about the atmosphere of the poem. Yellow wood here means that a forest is covered with yellow leaves. This is a phenomenon only seen during autumn, a time when the leaves have no more green and valor in them and start to die. This is reflective about the author's remorse about his wrong decisions and immediately sets a negative tone to the atmosphere of the poem. Another term "black", found in the second line of the third stanza also help creates the mood. Black is often stigmatized with something that is morbid and dark, and it has served its purpose well in this poem. These two terms reflects the theme because these dark colors reflect the gloomy feelings of the author. The form of this poem also reflects the theme and the tone of the author. This poem possesses a rhythm scheme that is reflective about the events in the poem. In the first stanza, there is a uniform nine-beats-per-line. This is so because there is nothing eventful in that stanza, just the narrator looking at the two roads. The second stanza onwards is different. The rhythm scheme is irregular. A line could have eight beats while another line could have nine or ten. This signifies the ups and downs the narrator experiences when he travels one of the paths. There are four stressed syllables per line, varying on an iambic tetrameter base. The figurative language used creates an aura of remorse over not being able to travel both roads. The narrator of the poem comes to a point in the woods, where he is forced to choose one of two roads to travel. Both ways are equally worn and equally covered with un-worn leaves. The narrator chooses one, telling himself that he will take the other another day. But he knows it is doubtful that he will have the opportunity to do it. He admits that someday in the future he will look back with remorse and say he took less traveled road. The "yellow wood" symbolizes life. The two different roads represent the many decisions in life that all must come across. Faced with these decisions, Frost has to weigh his options carefully to make a satisfactory choice. The first of the two paths is the more common than the other, which "wanted wear." Frost presents a classic conflict- the decision between a common path and a rarely chosen path. (Andrew, 69-82) Knowing that he cannot travel both paths Frost hesitantly chooses the second of the two. He expresses his disappointment in not being able to take both roads simultaneously. "Oh, I kept the first for another day!" (Line 13) he hurriedly states. This is said with excitement at the mere thought of being able to somehow return and chooses again. The narrator proceeds down the second path, "I doubted if I should ever come back." (Line 15) is said as he realizes the truth. There is no going back. One choice leads to another and sooner or later the path becomes forgotten or impossible to return to. So then the question arises; which road in actuality was the one "less traveled". Of the two roads the Frost says, "the passing there / had worn them really about the same." (Line 9, 10) This statement insinuates that both roads, "that morning equally lay, in leaves no step had trodden black". (Line 11) One road was not less traveled by the other. They were both equal. The narrator chooses his path not because it was less traveled but, "Because it was grassy..." Illustrating major human flaw: of making decisions based upon outside appearances. Our narrator in actuality took the road most scenic. The last stanza of this poem seems to get the most attention. This classic poem has been turned into a modern day clich. (George, 61-63) When the last two lines are taken out of context they are positively inspiring. But the first two lines are critical in understanding the true meaning of "The Road Not Taken". The speaker anticipates his own future insincerity-, "I shall be telling this with a sigh/ somewhere ages and ages hence:" - He knows that he will be a hypocrite when he holds his life up as an example. Frost predicts that his future self will betray his decision. The "sigh" gives is away. It foreshadows remorse about what he's about to say, "I took the road less traveled by, and that made all the difference" But somewhere in the back of his mind will remain the image of yellow woods and two equal worn paths. To take or not take the road, this is what you should think about as you read the poem by Robert Frost entitled The Road Not Taken. Many of us have taken, but somehow we always seem to end up on the right road. At a young age you are at the crossroads that may decide your future life. Robert Frost referred to a road or path when describing a direction someone has taken in life. In this poem there are three literary elements that are used to enhance the poem. They are Imagery, Diction/Connotation, and Persuasion. Imagery may bring an image to your mind that appeals to the sense of sight, but it can also appeal to the senses of sound, touch, taste, or smell or even to several senses at once. It is especially important in poetry. For example, in line (1) Two roads diverged in a yellow wood. The yellow wood is a forest during the fall season. It is peaceful and tranquil. Even though both roads direct to the unfamiliar, he uses imagery to choose which road to travel, because it was grassy and wanted wear. (Karen, 196-210) This shows that most decisions are based solely on what they look like. Due to imagery, he is now having second thoughts on rather he should have taken this road. He is feeling like he is going where no man has gone before. The imagery cannot be successfully accomplished without diction/connotation. Diction is the writer or speaker's choice of word, but, along with the choice of words, the connotation of words also becomes significant. Three examples of diction and connotation in a word are claim line (7); they could have used land but diction made it different. Diverged is yet another expression. And besides this, trodden is also a bombastic word. These are all interesting and carefully picked words. Next is persuasion, he persuades you to pick the best roads in life through all his elaborate non-sense bombastic words. This would be school which is not always the best when you have classes you despise. That would be a bad road. The poem is straight up telling you that you only have two roads to choose from in life, the school road or the poverty road. Works Cited Andrew M. Lakritz, Modernism and the Other in Stevens, Frost, and Moore (Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 1996), 69-82. This book presents an overall criticism and literary evaluation of Frost's as well as other two poets' poetry. It elaborated the modernity trait and trend that is found in Frost's poetry in a broader and thought provoking way. George Monteiro, Robert Frost and the New England Renaissance, 1996; Oster, 61-63. This book is devoted to the poetry of Frost and connects it from literary correlativeness of New England Renaissance. All the aspects of Frost's poetry are highlighted and thoroughly discussed with Renaissance touch and perspective in this book. Oliver H. Evans, "Deeds That Count': Robert Frost's Sonnets," Texas Studies in Literature and Language 23 (spring 1981): 123-37. This journal article throws light on the sonnets of Frost. It presents all the literary devices used by Frost in a very thorough and comprehensive way. The writer pays special attention to love poems of Frost highlighting Frost's modernity in the filed of poetry. Karen Rood, "Wildness Opposing 'Sentence Sounds': Robert Frost's Sonnets," 1995: Tharpe II, 196-210. The book is also another collection of valuable literary criticism and appreciation of Frost's sonnets and focuses all the poetical devices and instruments used by Frost in his famous masterpieces i.e. sonnets. Read More