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Frost, Where the Road Takes Us

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Frost,
Where the Road Brings Us

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English 1080

Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” both portray similarities in themes of the weight of realities, while taken place in a setting of nature. Each are about experiences in life in “The Road Not Taken” the speaker is youthful, making the decision to last a lifetime metaphorically portrayed by an autumn forest. He must overcome his mentality to succumb from the more beaten path in a road, showing his uniqueness to take the other. “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” where as Frost uses an older speaker, more grizzled and experienced in life. The speaker also experiencing a choice, seeking a life without struggle in isolation he then reflects upon his responsibility towards the society. In the poem “The Road Not Taken”, the speaker stumbles upon a choice that will effect him forever. The poems talk of the speaker coming to a fork in his path, whereas now he has to choose one way or the other. This intersection in the road is a metaphor to all the decisions we have to make in life, and how easily it could alter with just by starting down a new path. The speaker thinks about his choices and feels that whatever path he takes; he will have to take for good. The speaker feels strongly that he must think really hard upon what path to take, so he doesn’t end up regretting his choice. “And looked down the road as far as I could / To where it bent in the undergrowth”, the speaker has nothing but sight to tell the difference from either path. He cannot see far enough to determine what a good choice is. The speaker then takes the road that looks less travelled by most, with no assurance of what lies ahead. Either to success or to hell but the speaker has to move forward in some direction to move forward in life. “that has made all the difference”, in the last line of the poem, confirms the speaker’s satisfaction with the road he has taken and perhaps the choice shouldn’t of been that hard on that day. By taking the road less travelled, the speaker shows his own rebellion against the conforming to society. Similar to “The Road Not Taken, in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” the speaker also has to make a large decision in his life. This time it is not a choice on where his life will lead him, but on isolation or to conform to the business and obligation of society. At first analysis of this poem, it seems as though to speaker is just stopping by a isolated wooded area to get away from the everyday struggles of civilization. Other symbols in this poem suggest that the “stop” of the speaker represents death. “Between the woods and frozen lake”, the wood becomes a life symbol. The frozen lake represents the solitude and peacefulness of death, both sitting side by side. “My little horse may think it queer” this line of the horse actually “thinking” is a constant reminder to the speaker that there is a world back home, of obligations and struggle. The death route of the speaker looks very promising, but it’s not himself that makes the decision. It’s the promises the speaker has already made to other people that keeps him from his peaceful passing. “But I have promises to keep / And miles to go before I sleep”, in the last stanza of the poem is when the speaker makes the choice to to return to his obligations. “miles to go before I sleep”, is confirming the choice that he is returning to his life, representing that he has a few more years left before take his sleep for eternity. Assuming in both “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” that Frost is the speaker at two different points in his life, represents the author in his own life choices. In “The Road Not Taken”, Frost at a younger point in his life has nothing to lose by taking either path of his choice. Either road in the poem could be “walked” again assuming he had come back to the fork at some point in life. However, in “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening”, Frost has already built up a life through the path taken and now has many obligations to live even though facing death at a dark hour of his life. The difference is that the choice in this poem is irreversible whereas he cannot be resurrected from death. Both speakers wrestle with choices throughout each poem but the biggest similarity on the theme of choice would be the different views on choice at different points in time. The speaker being younger, was curious to know what lead down each path in “The Road Not Taken”. Being youthful and rather naive of his paths although still young with rebellion, enough spite to go down the less beaten path. In “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” the speaker knows what lies on each end of his choices. He knows what lies back in society waiting for me, as well the peacefulness and soundlessness an eternal sleep would bring him, showing he is not curious for either – but rather prepared. Both Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” and “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” themes provide similar looks at decision making as well, as well as how choices change throughout a lifetime. “Stopping by Woods On a Snowy Evening” peruses the desire for rest when life’s struggles leave you weary and at the end of the road. “The Road Not Taken” is about the choice on what road to take, its all up to the person to lead it from there. People regret life’s roads sometimes; others feel proud of theirs. As Robert Frost represents in these two poems – it’s all about moving forward from wherever you stand.

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