The poem, “The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost, delineates that the decisions which an individual makes in their life can have substantial effects on their future, despite the fact that they may not realize it. This idea is essentially illustrated as the speaker is initially faced with a dilemma: there is a fork in the road, although he can only embark on one path.
The poem is essentially an extended metaphor about how any decision that a person makes during a present moment will determine their subsequent prospects. The first stanza begins with the repetition of the word “and” in order to accentuate the difficulty associated with selecting between two alternatives, in this case, which road the speaker should embark on: “and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could” (2-4). As the poem progresses, the speaker describes how he “took the other one [the road]… because it was grassy and wanted wear” (6). This phrase is where most people are under the impression that the speaker walked upon the road that was less traveled on, however, the speaker later contradicts himself by explaining that both roads were“worn really about the same” (10). As a result, the reader is able to infer that both of the paths were equally traveled upon, yet the speaker made a conscience decision to pursue one road over the other. The decisions which humans …show more content…
At this point, it is not wholly clear whether the “sigh” is a resonating sound of contentment, or one of regret at not having proceeded through the other road. Consequently, the speaker is left to contemplate upon what he had potentially lost as a result of not choosing to take the other path. The thought of the unknown and the opportunities that may have arisen will ultimately plague an individual’s mind and potentially inflict feelings of
The poem is essentially an extended metaphor about how any decision that a person makes during a present moment will determine their subsequent prospects. The first stanza begins with the repetition of the word “and” in order to accentuate the difficulty associated with selecting between two alternatives, in this case, which road the speaker should embark on: “and sorry I could not travel both and be one traveler, long I stood and looked down one as far as I could” (2-4). As the poem progresses, the speaker describes how he “took the other one [the road]… because it was grassy and wanted wear” (6). This phrase is where most people are under the impression that the speaker walked upon the road that was less traveled on, however, the speaker later contradicts himself by explaining that both roads were“worn really about the same” (10). As a result, the reader is able to infer that both of the paths were equally traveled upon, yet the speaker made a conscience decision to pursue one road over the other. The decisions which humans …show more content…
At this point, it is not wholly clear whether the “sigh” is a resonating sound of contentment, or one of regret at not having proceeded through the other road. Consequently, the speaker is left to contemplate upon what he had potentially lost as a result of not choosing to take the other path. The thought of the unknown and the opportunities that may have arisen will ultimately plague an individual’s mind and potentially inflict feelings of