“The Road Not Taken” was written by the famous American poet Robert Frost in 1916. This poem talks about an important life choice to be made. The speaker’s life was metaphorically related to a journey filled with turns and twists.
At the beginning of the poem, the speaker the vastness of the forest, in which the path they were taking forked into two. He probably wanted to go both ways; however, with only himself, it was not possible. He says he looked down one of the roads, but it was so long and went through dense undergrowth, an area with low-lying vegetation, shrubs, or small trees, that it was impossible to see the end of it. Then, he decided to take the other path that went with his heart, assuming it was the better of the two since the path looked “grassy” and “wanted wear.” The speaker exclaims that he would come back and take the road he didn’t take on another day, but he wasn’t sure if he should. He connects this idea with his life from the future, claiming that he will face the same kind of struggle when it comes to making life-long decisions. When you make a decision to go on one path, you cannot help but consider the consequences of taking the other.
Some quotes use rhetorical devices to show a better understanding of the usage of language. Firstly, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” metaphorically connects to how a person’s life would be if he were confronted with different choices. Secondly, “Yet knowing how way leads on to way / I doubt if I should ever come back” also shows the use of metaphor to describe how life cannot be altered, that once you have chosen a way, you must keep walking regardless of anything that will interfere with you. Thirdly, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- / I took the one less traveled by, / and that has made all the difference” also metaphorically demonstrates how the speaker chose to take the path together with the minority of people, and it has changed his life. One of the most significant characteristics of “The Road Not Taken” is that it is a simple and meaningful but also a purposeful poem that can make people think profoundly. The language of this poem is pure and natural, but its conception is very clever. It is not difficult for us to see that the fork in the road described in the poem is a symbol of the fork in the road of life. It shows that in our life journey, we often have to choose between two paths, two thoughts, or two actions; therefore, the choices we decide to make will determine the different directions of your life. Every reader can find his own life experience and make connections to this poem with a similar experience. Because of its rich connotation, this poem leaves the readers with space for imagination, thus being touched and causing deep thinking.
Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost.” Poetry Foundation, Poetry Foundation, www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44272/the-road-not-taken.
