Research Paper On The Road Not Taken

700 Words2 Pages

The Road Not Taken

Often we have to make a decision that will affect our lives. Sometimes these choices are easy; frequently these decisions are similar to choosing between a rock and a hard place. “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost{1} is a poem that presents a problem. While out on a walk, the path splits and the author must decide which path (or road) to follow. He is by himself, so the decision is his to make. After looking as far as he can down the road, the paths appear to be almost the same. On this particular day, the head of the paths looked very similar as though no one had traveled either one recently. At first he thinks that he will choose one today, then return and travel the other. But given more thought, he sadly doubts that he will ever return. He …show more content…

“I will be telling this with a sigh, / Somewhere ages and ages hense .” (16-17) He had actually chosen the “less traveled” road and realized what a large difference this choice has made in his life. “I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.” (19-20)
According to Andrew Spacey (2) in his analysis of “The Road Not Taken”, the poem is a metaphor. The road is life and there are decisions to be made that will perhaps change his life forever. He’s at a turning point in his life and must make a decision. As humans, we tend to over think decisions. We weigh the pros and cons. This particular decision appears to be serious, and he has no idea what the outcome may be.
Life offers two choices. Results could be very different depending on the choice he makes. Initially, he decides on the less traveled path thinking that if that turns out to be the wrong decision he can try the other option. Later, he realizes that life changes and returning may no longer

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