...“The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost speaks of a situation in which a traveler makes a strong decision on which path to take using a composed, yet slightly gloomy mood along with a, rhyme scheme, literal setting and multiple literary devices to communicate the poem’s themes of commitment, confidence, individualism, cautiousness, and situational confrontation. The poem “The Road Not Taken” is set in the fall. As stated in the first line of the poem. “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” It describes a forest that isn’t dark as a usual forest setting. The “yellow wood” describes the pleasant time of year when the colors of leaves began to change. Another indication of the setting is in lines 11-12 stating “And both that morning equally lay, in leaves no step had trodden black” showing that there were leaves on the grown which had fell or are falling. Frost expresses some very through themes in this poem. By the taking the road less traveled and making the decision to go the way he wants, he demonstrates an act of the theme of individualism. The Traveler is interested in what is best for his self. He does not care what others are doing or what they have chosen. By choosing this path, the traveler shows that he is aware of the situation but understands what he must do, which another theme is shown in this poem. Taking the road he chose seems to be very risky, but this does not detour him from making the decision. This seems increase his likeliness of choosing this road. After...
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...“The Road Not Traveled. Outline: The Road Not Traveled • Decision Making • Mood Setting • Significant Title Literary Device • Communication • Contradictions Narrator Final Thoughts The theme of the poem is decision making. The Road Not Taken is a decision we have to make every day. The decisions we make in life determines the outcome of the future. Just as if the road that “was grassy and wanted wear” was less traveled, our decision depends on if we are going to take the grassy road that no one else took or take the other road that everyone took. I believe that the setting in the poem is a gloomy setting in deep thought. I feel as though he may have been walking to clear his mind and came upon a fork in the road and he had to make a decision to go left or to go right. The lines “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth” “…Because it was grassy and wanted wear …”(Frost, Robert. “The Road Not Taken”, 1874-1963) are the lines that lead me to believe that he was out just walking to clear his mind when he came upon a fork in the road. A specific word in the poem is what gave me the information to think that the setting is gloomy and he was in deep thought; undergrowth. Undergrowth pertains to a deep forest or a area of land that has grown up to be thick and full of trees. The setting of the poem, The Road Not...
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...Nuckols ID:24404996 WRITING STYLE USED: APA Two Roads, One Choice Jamie Nuckols Liberty University Online Robert Frost (1874-1963) The Road Not Taken - 1920 1. Possible Themes a. Goes own way b. Commitment- stays on path chosen c. Reflection on life with regret 2. Literal Setting a. Time of year- autumn b. In the woods c. Two roads d. evening 3. Mood of Poem a. Undergrowth, Black, Sigh, Difference. Suggests Sadness? b. Doubted- suggests regret? 4. Literary Devices to communicate theme a. Two Roads- One Traveler b. Long I stood c. Kept the first for another day d. I took the one less traveled by Working Thesis Statement The Poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost can be interpreted literally and figuratively. Through Frost’s use of theme, setting, mood and literary devices he sets the stage for the age old dilemma of making decisions in a crisis. Two Roads, One Choice Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” addresses the age old dilemma of making the correct choice and regretting the choice made. A man observes two roads in a wood and through much deliberation chooses the one he thinks has been less worn. The poem can be interpreted literally and figuratively. Through Frost’s use of theme, setting and literary devices he sets the stage for the age old dilemma of making decisions in a crisis. The title of the poem, “The Road Not Taken,” causes readers to begin thinking before they have...
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...Literary Analysis of “The Road Not Taken” 1920 by Robert Frost COURSE NUMBER: ENGL-102 COURSE TITLE: Composition and Literature SEMESTER OF ENROLLMENT: Summer 2011 NAME: Kevin G. Blascoe ADDRESS: 1031 Bradford Park Road Mount Juliet, TN 37122 Blascoe 2 Kevin G. Blascoe ENGL102 Professor Terri Washer 11 June, 2011 As the world gets older and people reflect the decisions of their lives, there is one thing perfectly clear in each individual: there is no correct interpretation in regard to the choices that each person has thought and acted upon as it relates to their own live’s and circumstances. Outline of Literary Analysis I. Introduction A. General theme and background B. Introduce “The Road Not Taken” C. Re-address thesis statement II. Description of the literal scene and situation 1. Mood 2. Metaphorical or symbolic implications 3. Analysis of title 4. Rhythm patterns 5. Scansion and technical methods 6. Theme and methods used to communicate theme III. Conclusion A. Summary of poet’s existentialistic philosophy Blascoe 3 Life constantly...
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...Poetry Essay “The Road Not Taken” By: Robert Frost English 102 In Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken”, he creates a negative tone which reflects the difficult choices humans make in life. It is about taking chances with major life choices and the uncertainties that one may face in life. Some of the themes in “The Road Not Taken” are individualism. The speaker makes a choice to go his own way by taking the road that is less traveled. Another theme is caution. Before the speaker decides to the “the road less traveled” the speaker decides to take time to think about taking the other road. Commitment is another theme in “The Road Not Taken”. The speaker does not have second thoughts about the road he decides to take which is the “road less traveled”. The speaker also has accepted the decision he has made to take the road less traveled. The “Road Not Taken” does have some symbolism. It is about actual and figurative roads which represents the roads that we drive and walk on. As the speaker of the poem states “every road we take, there is a road we don’t take”. Even if we make a wrong turn and take a different road these decisions may make us have changes in our lives and we will always think about the roads we did not take. The identity of the narrator is unclear. The poem does not state who the speaker is or the physical appearance of the speaker. It is left up to our imagination on what the speaker’s physical appearance is. I would describe the speaker...
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...Sydney Faulkner Poem Analysis “The Road Not Taken” By Robert Frost can be defined as a narrative poem because it tells a story, uses symbolism, mood, tone, and assonance typically associated with narratives. The poem describes a person, who chooses between two roads and wonders about his choice later. In the first stanza of the poem the person walks in the woods and comes to the place where two roads go to two different sides. The traveler is full of doubts since he does not want to miss the opportunity and wants to choose the right road. He spends time looking for both roads and thinking about the right choice. The road in this poem becomes a symbol of life, change and transformation. That is the reason the choice becomes so important for the traveler. He thinks not only about the right way to choose in the forest but also about the right path in life. That is the reason we can feel the switch of the mood by the end of the poem. When the traveler realizes that he will not be able to take another road, left by in the past, he regrets it as lost opportunity. He is disappointed because of the opportunity he missed. He states: “I kept the first for another day!” and we can hear regret in his tone. Now he realizes that his choice was final and looking at the road he did not choose, he “doubted if I should ever come back”. By the end of his journey the traveler realizes that each decision we take influences all our further life and this decision cannot be changed. Decisions...
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...Poetry Essay ENGL 102: Literature and Composition Spring 2012 Student Name Student# WRITING STYLE USED MLA Student Name Professor English 102 22 April 2012 Analysis of Robert Frost's “The Road Not Taken” Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road not Taken” is a lyrical poem that describes the author’s thoughts when he comes to a fork in the road and the difficult decision of which path to take. It is a closed form poem with a rhyming scheme of “ABAAB” with 4 stanzas of 5 lines each. The fork in the road symbolizes decisions individuals make in life. With his used of mood, symbolism, setting, and imagery, Robert Frost describes the dilemma of decision making and how those decisions play a part in one’s future choices. The poem can be used to describe how an individual decides to follow Jesus Christ, the faith that it requires to do so, and the result of giving your life to Him. The poem begins with “Two Roads diverged in a yellow wood”, symbolizing the different choices individuals have in life. The author explains to the reader that the decision is weighed out carefully and not hastily. Even as the author talks of trying to look down the road as far as possible, there is no sure way of seeing what is at the end. This symbolization can also be used to describe the way people try to make difficult decisions. Even though they may try to intelligently predict the outcome, these tough choices rarely have the answer easily found and requires...
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...B 2011 WRITING STYLE USED Turabian Thesis “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is a lyrical poem in which the emotion, symbolism, and certain rhythmic patterns are used to emphasize the thematics of the poem and the message the speaker is trying to deliver by writing it. Outline I. Introduction a. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost II. Theme a. Literal: i.e. “fork in the road” as an actual path b. Symbolic: i.e. “fork in the road” as a contemplated decision III. Mood of the speaker a. Uncertain at the opening b. Satisfied with the conclusion in the statement, “and that has made all the difference” IV. Symbolism a. Christian perspective b. Choice between good and evil V. Rhythmic patterns a. Assonance b. Alliteration c. Consonance VI. Conclusion Poetry Essay In order to acceptably examine a poem, the reader must be able to interpret the representation and significances in what the poet has written it. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” is a lyrical poem in which the emotion, symbolism, and certain rhythmic patterns are used to accentuate the thematic of the poem. It also helps to interpret the message the author or presenter is trying to send by writing it. Poems often times will have an actual, literal meaning as well as an unseen, symbolic, fundamental meaning that the speaker is trying to express to the reader. For example, in this poem the poet begins by standing at a fork in the road. He takes some time to consider which path he will take...
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...The meaning behind “The Road Not Taken” Laura M. Beck Liberty University English 102 September 26th 2011 Outline I. Symbolism II. Theme The paths and choices of life III. Mood and setting Choosing the right path a. One leads to eternal life b. One leads to destruction IV. Conclusion Choosing the right path makes all the difference. Thesis statement: This poem is a symbol of choosing which path we will take in life – the path to eternal life or the path that leads to destruction. The meaning of “The Road Not Taken” Some people have said that Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Less Traveled” is a tricky poem. I have even read where Frost himself used the word “tricky” to describe this particular piece of his. However when reading the poem especially as a Christian there is one possible interpretation that should stand out. That is that this poem is a symbol of choosing which path we will take in life – the path to eternal life or the path that leads to destruction. From what I have read many people do not see the two roads as the two possible roads we can take in life, but one must see that at least as a possibility. The mood of this poem is one that is a bit on the serious side. Of course there are many poems much more serious than this, but it is not to be taken lightly. When something is talking about choosing eternal life, or the path that leads to destruction it is not something anybody should take lightly. That is the theme of the poem...
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...Fairy Queen ’ or job. This poem was confusing to me, because I didn’t know if it was talking about a woman or a job. But it seems like he would take his job over anything. This poem has a little bit of rhyme scheme and rhyme. The poetic devices are repetition and personification. The repetition is how they are repeating over and thorough. The personification is the cowslips tall her pensioners are, in their gold coats spots you see. The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost (contains Imagery & Rhyme Scheme don’t know how to say it) “ The Road Not Taken ” by Robert Frost is about a ‘ Road ’. The Road is used as a metaphor and as an extended metaphor of choices we have to make in life. The form in the road is used as a metaphor throughout the poem, it is termed as an extended metaphor in line 6 where the person is thinking of taking one road but takes another. This could be a metaphor for thinking of your choices before deciding. This could be a metaphor of making decisions during the fall of your life or when you are getting older. In the beginning, the woods are yellow meaning in the autumn. Nature is also used as a metaphor in the poem. A poetic device used in this poem is personification: “ Because it was grassy and wanted wear ” He means, The grass wanted wear but ...
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...stories and decided to make the folio based on ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ as it sounds really interesting to me. After reading thoroughly the first part of the story, I can say that Mr. Morris, Sargeant-Major has gone through some rough and brutal phase for which he holds ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ guilty and responsible. There was some bitter fact that he hides from his friend, Mr. White though he warns him about the misfortune. As for Mr. White, I felt that he is curious to know about the truth behind ‘The Monkey’s Paw’ but at the same time somewhere down the line he has a greed of getting more by making wish to ‘The Monkey’s Paw’. Whilst Mrs. White and his son takes this issue in a humorous and light way. From the very beginning author has set the mood of the story as suspicious and mysterious which fills the mind of the reader with a surge to reveal the unknown. From the suspicious environment created, it can be predicted easily that some ghosts and haunting is coming on the way. Very cleverly author revealed that there is some misfortune related to the history of the monkey’s paw and a holy man has spelled something over the mummified paw of monkey but what is that misfortune? Also, what was happening upstairs after Mr. White wished for the first thing? These are yet unsolved questions. Reading the very first part of the story, I can say that the story is filled with thrills, unexpected twists and will give us to read something that is unique. First part of the story is very powerful...
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...The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost English 102 B23 Liberty University 16 June 2014 The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost A stylistic and exploratory analysis of Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” uncovering the message from the work received by a diverse audience. There are a few themes in the poem The Road Not Taken By Robert Frost. The author communicates that he is faced with a choice to take one path or another and faces apprehension, hesitation, fear, indecision and regret as he is faced with the choice. While exploring the poem it seems that at first glance the author may be celebrating his choice of taking the road less traveled “took the one less traveled by” but in realty he is in a sense moving forward while looking back with the title being “The Road Not Taken”. This indecision is counter productive making him unable to live his life but to waste it away in indecision. The author communicates the difficulty of choices in life and the ability to have two different paths that can seem paralyzing from fearful uncertainty, which can lead to regret from indecision. The fear, possible regret, uncertainty, indecision and stagnation seems to be the tone of the poem. The poem is set in nature during fall with autumn leaves “in a yellow wood” piled on the ground from falling a while “leaves no step had trodden black”. The falling leaves pointing to time passing, two roads pointing to a choice at hand, the bend with the undergrowth as the uncertainty, the worn...
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...yet they all use similar techniques or terms used to write literature. All literature uses some type of tone, a point-of-view, and symbols. This tools for writing help tell the story by giving the reader the emotions, perspective and the hidden messages, making the story come alive to reader and in captivating the reader into the story itself. Others use different terms to help tell their story for poems, rhythm is used often. While in short stories and dramas, foreshadowing and metaphors are used to help tell the story. These tools are not used in every work of literature, but they are tools to help bring the reader into the story more, making the reader become excited or antsy about what is coming next. Looking at the poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost and the short story “Used to Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys, there are a couple of similarities and a few differences in their techniques. These techniques are what can make a poem and a short story differ are; symbolism, tone, point of view, foreshadowing, and rhythm will be discussed here. Symbolism A symbol in literature “is something that has a literal identity but also stands for something else-something that is widely understood and has been developed over a long period of time or by common agreement” (Clugston, R. 2010, sec. 7.2, para 1). Symbols are used by an author to help hint at what might be the true situation. In another words, symbols can help explain what a character is feeling without stating...
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...course. ENGL 102 Composition and Literature Liberty University Online By Melinda Cleary July 24th, 2014 I. Introduction Robert Frost’s “The Road not Taken” is probably the most well-known Poem in American Literature. Taught in high school English classes across the nation and studied by generations of professional scholars. Readers have the belief that “The Road not Taken” was speaking of a cross roads in Frost life. That he had to choose which path to follow and the one he took was “less traveled by”. The poem misleads you; in fact neither of the roads is less traveled by. II. Back up my theory a) “diverged in a yellow wood” – sets the location- yellow wood is only found in isolated locations across the south eastern U.S. -forest areas. b) “was grassy and wanted wear”- had not been stepped on or used. He speaks as if the woods needed someone to cross. c) “had worn them really about the same”- both roads were the same, neither was better than the other. d) “both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden black”- sets the season which could be early spring cause in the woods leaves are always on the ground. Trodden black was term used for crushed down by ones feet. III. Analysis of the Poem a) Literal setting – woods or forest b) Literal situation – author was alone and leaving away from something c) Mood of Poem- sad and melancholy d) Author has opinion – we are free to choose but do not know what we are choosing between. IV. My personal thought /...
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...Make: Examining “A Road Not Taken” Aaron J. George 31 July 2011 English 102 OUTLINE I. Thesis Statement on A Road Not Taken A. Regret or satisfaction B. Choice and consequence II. Theory about the meaning behind the poem A. Second stanza B. Traveler and his options III. The setting of the poem A. Emotions experienced B. Unknown future IV. The title and its interpretation A. Simple or complex title B. Ulterior meanings of the title V. Making the choice A. Living with the choice you made B. Having the guts to choose The Road Not Taken is a simple, yet contrastingly complex, meaningful poem about a simple walk on an unsure road in the woods, which leads to places only the traveler will know as the choice unfolds. This is a poem told by the narrator, but based on the readers’ outlook on life. At first glance, Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”, is about a walk on a leaf-littered road in the fall woods, but it has a more significant meaning of how it feels to live with life’s certainty, uncertainty. The poem is celebrated as one of Frost’s masterpieces, created with a unique style, ironically, forcing the reader to make a choice as well, on the opinions created from each readers unique perspective. In the end, a sigh by the lone traveler could mean regret or it could mean satisfaction, which is up to the reader to define. The Road Not Taken has memorized readers...
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