"The Road Not Taken" is a poem about Robert Frost reflecting on a personal experience. He writes about the time when he had to make a tough decision. With the evidence gathered up, it seems as if he regretted the outcome of his decision and he is curious as to see whether the other choice could have been better or not. This is a very intellectual poem that could leave people in suspense. For a first time reader, you would never be able to tell if Frost actually regretted taking the path he chose, or if he was actually grateful for it. It all depends on how a person reads Frost's wording. The inspiration for this poem came from his walks with his friend, Edward Thomas, of England. In 1914, when Frost and Thomas lived in Gloucestershire, they frequently took long walks through the countryside. Thomas would choose the path which he thought might show his American friend a rare plant or any kind of special interest. However, by the end of the walk, Thomas would regret the choice he made. He would "sigh" over his decision because he thought he could have taken the "better" direction. Frost would always tease Thomas for all those regrets he would have. .
Frost takes a "sigh" in the poem. That could really throw people off. Frost might be implying that it was a sigh of relief, or possibly a sigh of regret. He could be completely happy about the path he chose, or he could be regretful for it. This poem could be analyzed in many different ways. From the research I did, I learned that Frost never really told anyone what the "sigh" at the end of the poem really meant. He said that it was a very tricky poem. This "sigh" came from those that Thomas would make after their walks through the countryside. When Frost returned to America as a successful discovered poet, he wrote "The Road Not Taken". The manuscript copy of the poem was sent to Thomas immediately.
