The forked trail could symbolize maturation and development, as the character is forced to choose which direction he or she wants to take his or her life. This rendition of the setting applies a philosophical aspect to the poem, as it represents a life of innocence and potential. The author further establishes the setting as he indicates that the paths were not worn, even stating that one was grassy, providing a location of serenity and aesthetic beauty. Here, Frost again outlines his tone as he demonstrates the character’s rational contemplation and, eventually, regret. This suggests that the story takes place in the middle of autumn, most likely, contributing to the sense that time is running out-as in life-for the character. The phrase “a yellow wood” may be an indication of the color the trees radiated. In the poem, he writes, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…” (line 1). Furthermore, it can be said that Frost’s use of these figurative images are centralized to exemplify his tone of self-reflection and cogitation, as they boldly depict the importance of lifestyle decision-making.Īnother literary aspect Frost utilizes to express his tone is setting.

The poem unmistakably exhibits this analysis in the first stanza, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, / And sorry I could not travel both / And be one traveler, long I stood / And looked down one as far as I could / To where it bent in the undergrowth…” (lines 1-5). Secondly, before the character continues his or her journey, he or she notes that the end of the first trail is covered by a sort of “undergrowth”, metaphorically indicating the perplexity of life and the inability to predict the consequence of life choices. So, the character’s consideration about which road to take reveals a self-reflection the character has about which direction to go in life. Roads in literature often correlate with travel or a migration from one place to the next. This part, being one of the most vital, symbolizes a choice needing to be made, most likely in life. In the opening lines of the poem, the main character stops at a forked path in the forest, pondering which direction he or she will go. One of the most significant elements of this poem is Frost’s use of imagery. The poem is written in the first person and uses the pronoun “I” to personalize its meaning as a tool to have idea that the reader has direct access to the poet’s thoughts and feelings. The speaker is speaking further on a feature of human nature. And I believe the tone of sadness is appropriate for such a poem, as seen by some of the poet’s phrases and sentences, such as ‘And sorry I could not travel both,’ ‘I doubted whether I should ever come back,’ ‘I shall be telling this with a sigh,’ and so on. The poet sighs and speaks in a sad tone about a period in his life. Toward the conclusion, the tone shifts dramatically from undecided to regretful. We discover that this is a life-altering decision, not merely a choice between two mediocre options. We discover throughout the poem that there are two roads to follow, but the traveler, who we assume is Robert Frost, is unsure which one to take. The poem shows the readers that there are millions of decisions that we must take in life and sometimes there are choices that are best left to chance and to realize and that sometimes regret is inevitable.“Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim” is a quote in which we can tell that he has given this decision a lot of thought. Robert Frost portrays a very pensive and impactful tone in his poem The Road Not Taken through means of symbolic imagery, representative setting, thorough characterization, and powerful diction, in order to encourage the reader to reflect upon his or her own life choices. The use of such devices again aid to the connection between the reader and the character-forcing Frost’s message to become even more insightful. Frost strengthens the reader’s figurative presence in the poem by presenting such emblematic diction and setting. This characterization helps to bridge the gap between the reader and the character, allowing the poem to communicate a deeper resonance. Later in the poem, the author reveals the attributes and personality of the main character as he or she contemplates past life choices.

Frost establishes this theme with an allegorical illustration of two paths in the woods. The poem describes the dilemmas and choices one must make in life, and how those specific decisions affect that person. Robert Frost’s work The Road Not Taken conveys a very simplistic, yet introspective theme.

The road not taken images