Poem

Homework: Figurative Language

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

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;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I-
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

An example of figurative language used is Symbolism. The 2 roads are used to symbolise the paths that we take in real life. It is not just the normal paths that you see on the road but it is the decisions that we make which can decide our future.
"I doubted if I should ever come back." This sentence is also another form of Symbolism as it shows that after we have made decisions in life, it would be very difficult to regret, turn back and try to amend the mistake if we make a bad choice. Therefore, it symbolises that we should be very careful when making decisisions so that we would not regret it in future.
"it was grassy and wanted wear;" This sentence is a form of Personification. The "it" refers to the road and roads are non-living things, thus they cannot want something. Human traits and characteristics were given to the road so that it could "want wear".

And now, on why I liked the poem. Firstly, the poem was less abstract than E.E.Cummings poem such as "Anyone Lived In A Pretty How Town". Thus, it was more easily understood. In addition, it is very meaningful and delivers one important message-we have to be very careful when making decisions in real life as they affect our future so we have to make a good choice. This is because in future, if we regret the decision we made, it would be very difficult for us to try and make another change. However, instead of being so philosophical, the writer, Pobert Frost, presented this message in a more interesting way, by using Symbolism. Personification is also used a little in his poem too. Therefore, I find this poem short and sweet and I encourage others to read and enjoy this poem too!