Literary Analysis of The Road Not Taken

Life is full of decisions waiting to be made. Whether that decision is choosing what color socks to wear or deciding what career to pursue, it will affect our life in one way or another. The poem, "The Road Not Taken" tells a story of a man who reaches a fork in the road and must choose which path to take, each path different from the other. In this poem, Robert Frost contends that every decision we make, no matter how insignificant it may seem, will have an impact on our life.

Robert Frost uses a walk in the woods as a metaphor for making a decision in life, a situation that people face daily. "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood . . . " Each road starts from the same place, but may lead to two entirely different destinations and the traveler has no idea where those destinations may be. Not sure which path to choose, and afraid of making the wrong choice, he compares the two roads, much like we do when contemplating a choice, analyzing the pros and cons. Many times, we tend to choose the easy way out. The path that is traveled more often has a predictable outcome that keeps us inside our comfort zone, even though it may not be the most beneficial choice. In his comparison of the two roads, Robert Frost shows us the importance of making a decision and how it could affect us later on in life. By comparing the two roads, the traveler finally makes up his mind, choosing the road that is more beautiful and less traveled.

The traveler took the plunge, taking the road that had not been used as often as the other. Aware of how "way leads onto way . . . " the traveler regrets that he cannot take both roads. Although he knows that he may never be allowed the chance to travel the other path, he continues on into the unknown of his future. Imaging every choice in life like the forked roads in a forest gives us a clearer idea of how one decision leads to another and how this chain reaction can either take us deeper into the woods or guide us to safety. Through this, Robert Frost reminds us of the finality of making a choice that we will have to live with for the rest of our life.

The poem ends in an almost regretful tone as the traveler looks back at his decision and states that taking the road less traveled by had caused his life to turn out the way it had. This poem shows that we must make each choice carefully, for we may never have the chance to experience the other option. One small mistake could cause us to spend the rest of our days wondering what life would have been like if we had chosen the other route. The traveler comes to a conclusion and takes the road less traveled by, later claiming that it shaped his life. We must remember that each decision we make, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the moment, will affect our entire life.

There will always be decisions that need to be made, and the two options could take you to absolutely different destinations. The traveler in the poem shows us how the decision changed his life and that he will never be able to take the other road, even if his choice had been the wrong one. Throughout the poem, Robert Frost shows us that every single decision we make, no matter how insignificant it may seem, has an impact on our life.