"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is told in a first person point of view, in which Frost is the speaker and on an early autumn morning, must choose between two forks in the road representing a path in the junction of his life. The symbolism and literary techniques Frost uses to reinforce his dilemma when choosing between the two roads can be seen throughout the poem.
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Frost introduces the elements of his primary metaphor, the diverging roads in the first line. In addition to them symbolizing a crossing in the speaker's life, he conveys a sense of regret that he must make an important decision that will direct him in either one way or another;.
"Two roads diverge in a yellow wood,.
And sorry I could not travel both".
Frost expresses his regret in lines 2-3 at his human limitations, that he must choose between the two roads. The choice is not easy for him, since "long I stood" before coming to a decision. In lines 4-5, he examines the path as best as he can, "And looked down one as far as I could", but his vision is limited because the path bends and is covered over, "To where it bent in the undergrowth." These lines indicate that although the speaker would like to acquire more information about the paths, he is prevented from doing so because of the nature of his environment. Symbolically, Frost is telling us that he cannot see into the future and know what will happen as a result of his choice.
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In the second and third stanzas, the speaker debates and finally makes a decision as to which road to take. He decides to take the second path because it's the one others have avoided. In lines 6-8, the speaker indicates that the second path is a more attractive choice because no one has taken it lately;.
"Then took the other, as just as fair,.
And having perhaps the better claim,.
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,".
Frost is more attracted to the less taken road because it is less taken, and it might bring him to a life that not many experience.
