Road Not Taken Essay, Research Paper

Robert Frost?s poem ?The Road Not Taken,? leaves its readers

with many different ways to interpret its meaning. The reader?s life

experiences in the past, present, and outlook on the future will determine how

the reader will interpret this poem. Although the interpretation may vary from

reader to reader, the basic meaning is about life choices. This poem is about a

life struggle: the inability to take two paths at once. In the first stanza, the

emphasis is on the road that was not traveled. Frost wants to travel both roads,

but he cannot ?and be one traveler.? There is a strong sense of regret

before the choice is made because he knows that in one lifetime he cannot travel

down every road. Before making the final decision on which path to take, the

traveler ?looked down one as far as I could.? The destination of the road

that is not chosen is unknown. Although he strains his eyes to see as far as he

can, he will never know where that road might have led him. He takes the other

road that is ?grassy and wanted wear.? The road he chooses has a ?better

claim,? because it is the road that is less traveled on. By taking this road,

a clue to his personality is revealed. He is the type of person that wants to

try something new and different. In the third stanza, the leaves that cover the

ground have not been stepped on and ?no step had trodden black,? indicates

that no one has walked down the road since the leaves have fallen, therefore

describing a road not traveled. ?I kept the first for another day,? relates

to his desire to travel down both paths. ?knowing how way leads on to way,?

means that he is aware that all future life choices will be affected because of

the road he chooses to travel. In this stanza he realizes that once his decision

is made there is no turning back. At the end of the poem, ?I shall be telling

this with a sigh Somewhere ages and somewhere hence,? reveals he knows someday

he will look back and have some regrets that he did not go back and take the

other road. Although it seems that he is unhappy with his decision, he is not.

?I took the road less traveled by, And that has made all the difference,?

means that he does not regret choosing the less traveled road because if he had

not, he would not have had the life experiences that he did. This poem allows

readers with different life experiences to relate to the basic meaning of the

poem. It is a reminder that one decision in life can change everything and that

when we don?t go back and travel down the ?other? road, we might have some

regrets later on after it is too late.