ENG 125 Introduction to Literature
Bull by the Horns… Life Decisions
Kristina Munz
May 7, 2013
Bull by the Horns… Life Decisions
The perspective of life is led by what the imagination captures. For some individuals, connecting to life can be just as difficult as a five year old trying to run a marathon. “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he…” (Bible, 1979). The power that shapes this expression can help anyone achieve great things or just waste one 's life altogether. That is why I think that literature found in songs, plays, stories, and poems helps all of us make a connection with life. Literature gives us a broader perspective in our imagination. The poem, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is one of those pieces of literature that help us connect to life. This paper will explain why "The Road Not Taken" captured my attention as a reader, evaluate the poem by using the reader-response approach, and finally describe said approach.
"The Road Not Taken" captured my attention because I was able to relate to the literary work in a personal way. The poem contains a metaphor in which an individual has to make a decision between two important choices. This touched me because it reminded me of the time when I came to this country and I faced a situation where I had to choose between two important things. Let me explain, one of the reasons that I came to the United States was to help my family financially. Since I did not speak English, I was only able to get a job that paid minimum wage. I was very frustrated because I needed more money than what I was getting paid each week. The situation got worse when one of my relatives got very sick. Everything came down to two choices. I could continue my venture in this country or I could go back to my home country, Peru. In "The Road Not Taken," Frost underscores these powerful moments in our lives. It speaks of situations when life encourages, changes, or improves us. There were
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