Two roads diverged1 in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I could[5]To where it bent in the undergrowth;2Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted3 wear;Though as for that the passing there[10]Had worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden4 black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,[15]I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,[20]And that has made all the difference."The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is in the public domain.Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under theCC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licenseNotesAllDefinitionsFootnotesDiverge (verb) : to separate from another route or go in a different directiona dense growth of shrubs and other plants, especially under trees in woodlandlackedcrushed, flattened, or walked uponRead AloudAnnotateTranslateAssessment QuestionsShow Less12345Using evidence from the text, explain what the "roads" symbolize in this poem.
Question
Two roads diverged1 in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I could[5]To where it bent in the undergrowth;2Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted3 wear;Though as for that the passing there[10]Had worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden4 black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,[15]I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,[20]And that has made all the difference."The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is in the public domain.Unless otherwise noted, this content is licensed under theCC BY-NC-SA 4.0 licenseNotesAllDefinitionsFootnotesDiverge (verb) : to separate from another route or go in a different directiona dense growth of shrubs and other plants, especially under trees in woodlandlackedcrushed, flattened, or walked uponRead AloudAnnotateTranslateAssessment QuestionsShow Less12345Using evidence from the text, explain what the "roads" symbolize in this poem.
Solution
In Robert Frost's poem "The Road Not Taken," the "roads" symbolize the choices that one makes in life. The speaker comes upon two roads, or two options, and must choose which one to take. The fact that the speaker "looked down one as far as I could" suggests that he tried to predict the outcome of one choice as much as possible, but ultimately, the future is uncertain as the road bends in the undergrowth.
The speaker eventually chooses the road that was "grassy and wanted wear," indicating a choice that perhaps was less popular or more difficult. However, he notes that both roads were "worn... about the same," suggesting that every choice has its challenges, and no path is easy.
The speaker's reflection that he "doubted if I should ever come back" underscores the idea that our choices have lasting impacts and can't be undone. The final lines, "I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference," further emphasize the significance of our choices. The speaker suggests that choosing the less popular or more difficult path has led to a unique, perhaps more fulfilling life.
Therefore, the "roads" in this poem symbolize the choices we make in life and the impact they have on our personal journey.
Similar Questions
2Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted3 wear;Though as for that the passing there[10]Had worn them really about the same,And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden4 black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,[15]I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,[20]And that has made all the difference.
And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden4 black.Oh, I kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,[15]I doubted if I should ever come back.
Reflect on the significance of the roads being ‘equally lay in leaves no step hadtrodden black.’ How does this speak to the opportunities life presents to us?
What did the speaker notice about the two roads?
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