Symbolism In The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost Is descriptive of a young adult’s private struggle regarding which path in life to take. L. Thesis and Introduction
II. The symbolism of setting
- a. “Morning” symbolic of the beginning of life In line 11
- b. “Yellowwood” symbolic of sunrise and beginning In line 1
- c. “Wood” in line 18 symbolic of private/inner struggle in line 18
Ill. Symbolism showing longing for both paths
- a. “Sorry’ in line 2
- b. “And both that morning equally lay” In line 11
IV. Symbolism showing backup plans
- a.Kept the first for another day in line 13
V. Symbolism showing satisfaction with the choice
- a. “Made all the difference” In line 20
VI. Conclusion Symbolism in The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is descriptive of a young adult’s private struggle regarding which path in life to take. The many symbols In the poem show a young person who is indecisive of which choice to make and the longing to choose each. The symbolism follows the person’s indecision to decision and finally shows satisfaction with the choice made. The first symbolism occurring in Frost’s poem Is in line 1, where he utilizes “yellow DOD” to show the earliness of day. Emending the reader of sunrise and also showing symbolically a beginning. Again in line 1 1, Frost uses the term “morning” to show both the time of day and also symbolize the early stage of life the narrator is in. The term “wood” in line 18 is descriptive of the place, but also symbolically sets a private or Inner setting for the struggle Implied throughout the poem. The narrator shows desire for both paths, thereby denoting the struggle within. In line 2, simply stating “And sorry I could not travel both” shows this longing for both choices in front of them.
When Frost uses “And both that morning equally lay” in line 1 1 to show that both choices have equal positive and negative sides, one can see the want to select each of the paths once again. Frost even goes so far as to again show symbolically that the reader that the narrator has a back up plan in line 13 by saying 1 OFF The narrator states the choice made in line 20 “has made all the difference,” showing a resolution to the struggle described in the first 19 lines by Frost. The path showing the least wear is the one chosen by the young person. Satisfaction with this choice is shown through symbolism once again, in the same line (20).
In Frost’s The Road Not Taken, symbolism sets a scene of a youth’s inner struggle regarding the direction their life will take. The imagery used reminds the reader of beginnings and a private and intimate setting. As the young person shows longing for both of the choices in front of them, Frost uses symbolism again to show the want to make each choice, so much so that he shows the path not chosen as the narrator’s contingency plan. As the struggle is brought full circle with the narrator stating the reason for the choice made, the reader senses the symbolic satisfaction in the resolution of the struggle Frost so cleverly shows.
