Analysis Of The Road Not Taken

“The Road Not Taken,” by Robert Frost is about making a choice. God has given His people, the human race, free choice. In life, one choice leads to another and then another. In “The Road Not Taken,” the title, figures of speech, rhythm and rhyme to convey the uncertainty in choosing a path in life. However, believers in Christ are sure of their destination when choosing His path for life. Notice the title, “The Road Not Taken ,” immediately leads the reader to the conclusion a choice exists between the two roads. This poem is often mistitled as “The Road Less Traveled,” words found in line 19, but the speaker only hopes to make the claim that of choosing “the one less traveled by.” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 19) People who choose to

“Two roads diverged,” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 1); the roads - a metaphor for, life and where they go off in different directions represent the presence of a tough decision. The remainder of the poem carries the theme of making a choice. For people this choice is the decision to follow Jesus; the choice of life, or not to follow Him; the choice of death, but a choice indeed is made by all of mankind . The metaphors of the scenery develop a picture of heading for the unknown, “undergrowth” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 4), “grassy and wanting wear” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 8), and “leaves no step had trodden black” (Frost “Road” 1916/2013, 12). Although, Christians cannot foretell what is beyond each bend in the road of life. The end point, eternal life in Heaven, is the certain destination. There is a level of uncertainty in the decision as one stands and looks carefully down each road for some sign that the choice would become clear . This dilemma is much different than that for Christians, “God makes known [to those who follow Him] the path of life. ”

Frost’s poem uses iambic rhythm , although a few lines are anapestic, this beat helps facilitate the reader’s sense of actually walking down the road. Each line of the four stanzas has an end rhyme in the ABAAB pattern. This pattern ties the story together, keeps the reader engaged and develops a sense to keep reading to hear what comes

That seems unlikely as one road leads to the next and the next (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 14); just as one choice leads to the next set of choices. Conversely, people can always come to that juncture and choose Jesus as their Lord and Savior, the narrow road - life, no matter how many times they walk the broad road – sin and death. Only when the speaker looks back upon this decision, ‘ages and ages hence,” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 17) will he attest “took the one [road] less traveled by.” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 19) That is the way that the speaker will sum up how he ended up where he ended up, the one decision that led to many other decisions, not necessarily the condition of the road or the heart.

He begins the final stanza with a “sigh,” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 16) perhaps wondering what was lost by not taking the other road; Christian’s know that is the road to destruction, despair and death. The stanza and the poem ends by stating a truth, the road taken – the narrow road- “has made all the difference.” (Frost, “Road” 1916/2013, 20)

The road not taken on its exterior looks the same as the road traveled. Christians have confidence that the path that God has revealed to them is the only path to eternal life. The mystery is people must realize that the path to life in Christ