Question

Choose a poem by Frost and discuss a literary theme or an item of interest. For instance, in "After Apple-Picking" why does the narrator refer repeatedly to sleep? How does the word change throughout the poem? What is the tone of this poem? Or, in the "Mending Wall," how does the poem reveal the theme of overturning tradition? What are the literal and figurative meanings of 'barriers' in the poem?

Answer 1

The poem is road not taken by Robert Frost. In the road not taken, Robert frost talks about importance of making decisions. The main theme of this poem is about making important choices in life, and how these choices may have an impact in one's life.

The author says that when he was travelling in a forest, he come across a fork road with two paths. He is now faced with a dilemma as to which path to choose. In literal sense, he has to make a decision which road to choose in this forest. One road looks like a safe road as it has been travelled many a times before and seems to be a safe option. On the other hand, there is the other road, which has not been travelled, and this road looks a difficult road to travel as well.

In a figurative sense, frost talks about the dilemma's we face in life, where there is always an easy, conventional way, which has been taken by the majority, and the outcome of it is also safe and predictable. The other way is the was of the unknown, which has not been travelled by many, and this way may bring up many hardships and suffering, but also this way is the unexplored territory, which may lead to new avenues and new opportunities. Frost says that he chose the path which was less travelled and this decision has "made all the difference."