Indecision In Robert Frost's The Road Not Taken
Indecision is infuriatingly inconvenient. When someone is certain about something, they can make decisions easily. Through a deconstructive lens, being certain is a privilege in society. Yet certainty can at times be a burden and have unexpected consequences, while indecision can help make better decisions. The Road Not Taken written by Frost was inspired by his friend Thomas and was about indecision and how no matter what path Thomas takes, he will always regret it. Indecision often diminishes confidence, yet sometimes, it broadens a person’s perspective. This depicts that there are no definite lines on what is privileged and what’s not. With this, it relates back to the structure in society. When there are no definite lines, then there is a certain amount of ambiguity and it happens in literature, in people, and in
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the society; and because there are no definite lines, the structure collapses. Often structures in society seem rigid and in place, yet when deconstructed, the seams of the society falls apart and cracks start to sprout in the laws and norms that people abide to. When this happens, it portrays the flaws in the structure of communities. When people are indecisive, they are often skeptical and cannot express themselves fully. While when people are certain, then they have confidence and are not afraid to voice out their opinions. When one can voice their opinions clearly and concisely it is considered as a privilege. However, there are also times when certainty may bring unwanted and uninvited consequences. When one becomes overconfident it becomes a flaw, it is deemed as disrespectful when one only voices their opinion and ignores others’ ideas. In the same way, skepticism can actually be a helpful. In science, scientists are often skeptic about their work in order to realize new discoveries. In The Road Not Taken, Frost states that he “looked down one as far as I could… Then took the other.” This shows that to obtain new findings, one needs to be skeptic and take chances. There is the need to observe and be skeptic about the old theory, then test the new to confirm. This delineates the obscurity between confidence as a strength and skepticism as a fault in society.
In the poem it says that, “And having perhaps the better claim,… Had worn them really about the same.” The poet is expressing emotion and bias in the first line, but then the rational side comes in on the last line and states that in reality the two paths are actually the same.
On one hand, certainty keeps people rational when they are amidst a crisis and need solve an issue. There is not mass panic or anxiety and they deal with the issue quickly and effectively. However, not all problems and issues can be dealt with algorithmically. When it comes to emotional crisis the calmness of a person often irritates people and seems like they are indifferent and not empathetic. Also, although some people are tranquil and serene on the apparent surface, but in reality they are panicking inside. On the other hand, there are people who are emotional, but they can deal with emotional crises better and they are easy to read and are not superficial. This creates a more honest image of a person and can be considered as more real and genuine. It also presents the idea of the haziness between how rationality is accepted in society and emotionality is deemed as
absurd. Indecision is considered as a flaw in society, while certainty is a strength. When people are certain they make quick and concluding choices, leaving no space for themselves to change their decisions. It can be useful to be decisive, yet sometimes it causes regret. In the last stanza of the poem, Frost expresses that, “I shall be telling this with a sigh, Somewhere ages and ages hence” with this he illustrates that after the decision is made, there is often regret when it comes back as a memory. The decisions made may have be rash and reckless and not well thought, while indecision can be frustrating, but when the choice is made, it is well thought out and more likely to not be regretted. Thus, indecision can also be a strength and in fact, it is better to be indecisive rather than certain about rash decisions.
the society; and because there are no definite lines, the structure collapses. Often structures in society seem rigid and in place, yet when deconstructed, the seams of the society falls apart and cracks start to sprout in the laws and norms that people abide to. When this happens, it portrays the flaws in the structure of communities. When people are indecisive, they are often skeptical and cannot express themselves fully. While when people are certain, then they have confidence and are not afraid to voice out their opinions. When one can voice their opinions clearly and concisely it is considered as a privilege. However, there are also times when certainty may bring unwanted and uninvited consequences. When one becomes overconfident it becomes a flaw, it is deemed as disrespectful when one only voices their opinion and ignores others’ ideas. In the same way, skepticism can actually be a helpful. In science, scientists are often skeptic about their work in order to realize new discoveries. In The Road Not Taken, Frost states that he “looked down one as far as I could… Then took the other.” This shows that to obtain new findings, one needs to be skeptic and take chances. There is the need to observe and be skeptic about the old theory, then test the new to confirm. This delineates the obscurity between confidence as a strength and skepticism as a fault in society.
In the poem it says that, “And having perhaps the better claim,… Had worn them really about the same.” The poet is expressing emotion and bias in the first line, but then the rational side comes in on the last line and states that in reality the two paths are actually the same.
On one hand, certainty keeps people rational when they are amidst a crisis and need solve an issue. There is not mass panic or anxiety and they deal with the issue quickly and effectively. However, not all problems and issues can be dealt with algorithmically. When it comes to emotional crisis the calmness of a person often irritates people and seems like they are indifferent and not empathetic. Also, although some people are tranquil and serene on the apparent surface, but in reality they are panicking inside. On the other hand, there are people who are emotional, but they can deal with emotional crises better and they are easy to read and are not superficial. This creates a more honest image of a person and can be considered as more real and genuine. It also presents the idea of the haziness between how rationality is accepted in society and emotionality is deemed as
absurd. Indecision is considered as a flaw in society, while certainty is a strength. When people are certain they make quick and concluding choices, leaving no space for themselves to change their decisions. It can be useful to be decisive, yet sometimes it causes regret. In the last stanza of the poem, Frost expresses that, “I shall be telling this with a sigh, Somewhere ages and ages hence” with this he illustrates that after the decision is made, there is often regret when it comes back as a memory. The decisions made may have be rash and reckless and not well thought, while indecision can be frustrating, but when the choice is made, it is well thought out and more likely to not be regretted. Thus, indecision can also be a strength and in fact, it is better to be indecisive rather than certain about rash decisions.