Explication of "The Road Not Taken."
Explication of "The Road Not Taken." The poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is about a man reflecting on a choice he once made. While the outcome of this choice is not implied to be positive or negative, the speaker notes that the choice in itself, and the consequences of that choice, have made a huge difference in the way his life has unfolded. Ultimately, the idea of choice is a key theme in the poem. Plot, use of color, symbolism and tone are all elements of the poem that help develop this theme. The basic plot/story of this poem involves the importance of choice. The poem begins with the speaker regretting that he could not have been two people so he could have at some point taken two roads instead of being confined to one; he wishes he didn’t have to choose one road over the other, but he does indeed have to make a choice. In the third stanza, the speaker describes continuing on the road he chose; he says that because he knows one thing leads to another -- "way leads on to way" -- he doubts he will ever return to this part of the road. Finally, he says that "Somewhere ages and ages hence,” meaning when he is much older, he will tell the story of this moment--the moment when that he had the choice of taking one road over another, and having taken the one he did made a big difference in his life. The speaker knows the choice is not to be taken lightly because it could, as he realizes while he reflects, be the difference between two very different life experiences ("And that has made all the difference"). Also adding to development of this theme is the element of color. It is a yellow wood, not green, which suggests the fall season when leaves turn colors. Seasons are frequently associated with periods in people's lives, such as spring for youth, and autumn for late middle age. So this is the "fall" of his life, or possibly around middle age. Therefore, he is a speaker who has had enough experiences to realize how important some decisions