Robert Frost is one of America’s most beloved poets. His poems often explore the themes of nature, love, and loss. “On a Tree Fallen Across the Road” is one of Frost’s more famous poems. It tells the story of a man who comes across a tree that has fallen across the road. The man must decide whether to go around the tree or over it. The poem reflects on the choices we make in life and how they can impact our future.
In Robert Frost’s English poem, “On a Tree Fallen across the Road”, he uses literary devices such as imagery, alliteration, metaphors and personification to demonstrate his theme of overcoming obstacles.
Sometimes in life, we have to take different routes and it does not matter how those routes look because at the end of the day, we will get to our final destination.
Frost uses symbols throughout his poem to help readers understand his theme of overcoming obstacles. In the first stanza, Frost uses the symbol of a fallen tree to discuss how something that seems like an obstacle can actually be a blessing in disguise. The second stanza is full of symbols that relate back to nature. For example, when Frost talks about “the new pathway” (l. 9) this could represent taking a different route in life. The “sunshine” (l. 11) could represent hope and positivity, while the “birdsong” (l. 12) could represent happiness.
Frost also uses personification in the second stanza when he writes, “the new pathway beckoned me” (l. 9). This is an example of personification because the pathway cannot actually beckon someone, only a person can do that. Frost uses this literary device to show how the new pathway is calling out to him, tempting him to take it.
The poem is also full of Imagery which allows readers to visualize what Frost is describing. In the first stanza, readers can imagine the fallen tree and in the second stanza, they can imagine the sunlight shining through the trees and the birds singing. This imagery allows readers to feel as if they are in the poem, experiencing everything that Frost is describing.
Frost also uses alliteration in the second stanza when he writes, “The new pathway…” (l. 9). This is an example of alliteration because the words “new”, “pathway”, and “beckoned” all start with the letter “n”. Frost uses this literary device to create a flow in his poem and to make it more enjoyable to read.
Lastly, Frost employs metaphors in his poem to compare the fallen tree to obstacles in life. He writes, “the tree had fallen… no one had come/ To set it up again” (ll. 3-5). This is a metaphor because Frost is not actually talking about a tree, he is talking about an obstacle in life. In this case, the tree represents an obstacle that has been overcome. Frost uses this metaphor to show how we can overcome obstacles in our own lives.
Robert Frost’s poem “On a Tree Fallen across the Road” is a complex poem that uses various literary devices to discuss the theme of overcoming obstacles. Frost uses symbols, personification, imagery, alliteration, and metaphors to create a beautiful and meaningful poem.
He believes that life will always bring difficulties and unexpected twists, which may or may not be pleasant. This does not imply that we will be deterred in our tracks; it only implies that by providing alternatives, it will help us become better human beings. He also thinks that as human beings, we have a desire buried within us to achieve what we want in life and where we want to be, by making these tough decisions.
Robert Frost’s “On a Tree Fallen Across the Road” is a poem that speaks to the human condition. In it, Frost explores the idea that we all face struggles in life, and that these struggles can shape us into better people. He also believes that we have the power to choose our own path in life, regardless of the challenges we face. This poem is a reminder that even when life throws us curveballs, we always have the ability to choose our own destiny.
In only 14 lines, Frost expertly displays the theme of facing life’s choices through a fallen tree. He begins the poem with evocative imagery in the first stanza, using alliteration to set the stage with “The tree the tempest with a crash of wood.” By focusing on how important decisions shape our lives, readers see that this poem is not really about a physical tree at all.
This gives the reader a sense of foreboding, as if they know something bad is going to happen. The next two lines “Had thrown: It lay across the road” furthers this idea by showing that the tree has already fallen and is now blocking the road. This could be interpreted as an obstacle in life that needs to be overcome. In the second stanza Robert Frost describes the tree in more detail using personification. He writes “One side of it was bent clear round” which makes it seem as if the tree is almost hugging the ground. This could be seen as the tree giving up, or being defeated.
However, in the next line he writes “Till its twigs touched bottom nearly” which shows that the tree is still clinging on, despite being bent nearly in half. This could be interpreted as meaning that even when life knocks us down, we should still try to hold on and not give up.
In the third stanza Robert Frost talks about the leaves of the tree, and how they are “All turned toward the side that kept uppermost”. This could be seen as a metaphor for how people tend to gravitate towards what is most successful or ‘uppermost’ in life.
However, he then goes on to say how the leaves are also “Turned inward from the light”. This could be interpreted as meaning that people often forget to look inward, or introspect, when they are making important decisions in life. Instead, they only look at what is on the surface. In the fourth and final stanza Robert Frost brings the reader back to the image of the tree in the road. He writes “It lay just in the middle of the way” which shows how the tree is blocking both sides of the road and stopping any progress from being made.
This could be seen as a metaphor for how an important decision in life can often feel like it is blocking all other options and preventing any forward movement. However, Frost ends on a hopeful note with the line “But I left it where it lay”. This could be interpreted as meaning that even though life’s important decisions can be difficult, we should still try to move forward and not let them hold us back.
