The speaker does not forge his own path though showing that he is not the only one to take the more potentially difficult path, but states, “in leaves no step had trodden black” which shows that no one had chosen either path before him leaving the decision to himself without the opinion of others who have traveled before him. Because no other new path is formed, the reader can make the conclusion that the speaker will not endure struggles that have not been endured previously in the same manner, for example, losing children or struggling financially.
