Road Not Taken, Robert Frost
Michael Maddox
English 101
Burstrem
October 7, 2009
The Road Not Taken Life is full of choices and decisions that could ultimately change the outcome of our lives. In the poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, a traveler is destined to make that decision. This traveler man has to decide which road to take, one that is frequently traveled, and the one that is not. After contemplating which road to follow, he comes to the decision to take the road less traveled because he doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of others. Instead, he decides to be an individual. When coming to a fork in the road, this traveler knew he “could not travel both” (line 2). As this man chooses the “road less traveled by,” Frost implies that this man wants to be different by demonstrating his desire to be original. (Line 19). The road frequently traveled, is a metaphor for this man’s life and what he is expected to do. He doesn’t want to take the road frequently traveled because he knows what will come of him if he does. This road is one which he can see down, one which he can predict the end. He knows that if he follows this road, he will end up like everyone else. This man wants to be different; he wants to travel the road less taken and wants to be different. As the traveler begins his journey down the foreign road he says that he “doubts if [he] should ever come back”(Line 15) because he feels he can find something better down the road “less traveled” (Line 19). The traveler doesn’t want to return to the old conformity of his tradition by taking the road most frequently traveled. His doubts about returning home are not out of fear that he will fail, but out if assurance that he will succeed and find something better down this road not usually taken. This man knows there is something at the end of the road although he cannot see it. Once he finds it however, he will not want to leave. Throughout his journey, the traveler explains the two roads that
English 101
Burstrem
October 7, 2009
The Road Not Taken Life is full of choices and decisions that could ultimately change the outcome of our lives. In the poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost, a traveler is destined to make that decision. This traveler man has to decide which road to take, one that is frequently traveled, and the one that is not. After contemplating which road to follow, he comes to the decision to take the road less traveled because he doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of others. Instead, he decides to be an individual. When coming to a fork in the road, this traveler knew he “could not travel both” (line 2). As this man chooses the “road less traveled by,” Frost implies that this man wants to be different by demonstrating his desire to be original. (Line 19). The road frequently traveled, is a metaphor for this man’s life and what he is expected to do. He doesn’t want to take the road frequently traveled because he knows what will come of him if he does. This road is one which he can see down, one which he can predict the end. He knows that if he follows this road, he will end up like everyone else. This man wants to be different; he wants to travel the road less taken and wants to be different. As the traveler begins his journey down the foreign road he says that he “doubts if [he] should ever come back”(Line 15) because he feels he can find something better down the road “less traveled” (Line 19). The traveler doesn’t want to return to the old conformity of his tradition by taking the road most frequently traveled. His doubts about returning home are not out of fear that he will fail, but out if assurance that he will succeed and find something better down this road not usually taken. This man knows there is something at the end of the road although he cannot see it. Once he finds it however, he will not want to leave. Throughout his journey, the traveler explains the two roads that