Essay about Poem Analysis: The Road Not Taken

Thesis Statement: Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken”, shows us that making a decision is not always easy. I. Introduction a. Thesis Statement i. Robert Frost ii. Lyric poem iii. Choosing the road II. Choices a. Decisions making with senses b. Making decisions with sight III. Interpret the Poem a. Topic sentence b. Why he choose the road he chose IV. Conclusion a. Summarize We come to life changing trials in our life, some may be a path that we are glad we did while others wished that we can go back and choose the other because of a negative result.

In the poem written by Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken”, shows us that making a decision is not always easy. In the poem Robert Frost comes this particular situation in choosing one of two roads. The trial he has to face was choosing a road in which he cannot choose both, making him indecisive of which road to take. The lyric of the poem Frost narrates his feelings and emotions of his long awaiting decisions. Making decisions with his senses to which one would be more appealing to him. He uses his sight to base his decision in which road he felt that he had chosen was not the correct decision.

In the First verse of the Poem “The Road Not Taken”, Robert Frost writes about a traveler to which we assume is Frost himself approaching two roads. The lyric of the poem shows that this traveler to be optimistic and eager when he gets a first glimpse at these roads for the first time. We hat Frost uses symbolism to set the environment of the poem and gives the reader some ideas and tone the traveler may have to do. Frost also sets the mood of the poem into a warm feeling with the explanation of the roads “That are Diverged into yellow woods”.

With this warm specific example that Frost brings into the poem, I can see some irony playing a part in the poem in that we find out later in the story where with his decision of which path to take. In the second verse of the poem we stagger on to find that poem’s tone has changed from and optimistic and warm feeling to break and the beginnings of indecisiveness. In the previous verses Frost explains in narrative one road to be the road that the traveler like stated earlier can be assumed to be Frost himself, to be road he will choose. However, that is not the case in that we find that the lyric has changed.

Bringing confrontation with the other road to be explained as “having perhaps the better claim, because it was grassy and wanted wear; though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same”. Frost emotions have changed when he gazed upon the second road. This is what brought the irony of the poem and also shows good use of nominally poetry. Meaning the sectioning a poem to where it was written, putting the poem “The Road Not Taken” into that category. I believe the second verse of the poem grabs the attention of the reader, Frost changing the tone of the poem showing dilemma the traveler faces.

This also brings the curiosity of the reader and brings them to make decision themselves of which path they would choose and would the traveler choose the same road. In the third verse we find that Frost goes in more detail in contemplating to take one road and continue to the next road the following morning. However, he feels the traveler feels he would never come back. What Frost is essentially explaining is that the road that the traveler is a difficult choice to make. Frost is also connecting the reader to the poem giving the reader a way to relate, that we all have big decisions or our own road to choose.

This really can capture and audiences’ attention due that they can now relate with the traveler understanding that in the impatiens that would have been felt in verse two, now is connected and empathy in verse three with the reader. In the fourth and final verse Frost brings us to the conclusion of the poem. The traveler’s decision of what road he takes and it ends up not being the road he hoped it would. This Changes the tone again to regret. Again Frost relates his poem to the reader, where the reader can relate to regret or disappointment.

All of us can relate from decision that we have we felt after the fact, should have been done the other way can be very disheartening. We use our senses when it comes to making a hard decision and sometimes, and other times we cannot use our sense and have to rely on luck to bring a positive result. At end of the poem the traveler found out that the result was not his luck. The poem “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost shows us the changes of tone from being opportunistic to regret. Including showing us the lyric or emotions of the poem which captures the reader, where they may grasp a little irony in the poem.

Frost also shows symbolism where he sets the environment where it will be difficult choice he will have to make when approaches two roads by the yellow woods. Finally he shows us that some decisions in hope to have a positive result he will have to depend on luck. This poem connects with the reader placing them with the traveler, feeling every emotion that he felt from the first verse to the last. Frost will always be remembered as the author of the “Road Not Taken” and for teaching us that every little thing can change your life forever. (Barreras, 2013)