The Theme of Choice

 

Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ as known to many, is about life’s many journeys. Up and downs are part of the journey of life. The American poet illustrates a situation where one is standing between a rock and a hard place, contemplating the decisions he will make, ‘two roads diverged in a yellow wood and I –I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.’ (Frost np)  The main character is at crossroads. On one path, he stretches his eyes as far as possible, trying to see where the path leads, and after giving it a thought he chooses an isolated and deserted path.

 As demonstrated above, the poem's main theme is choice. The choices people make, shape, and influence their life's destinies. When the main character encounters a fork-shaped road, he has to choose between two paths (Frost np). The road symbolizes life choices one encounters all through life’s journeys. However, he has to arrive at one decision. Choices have consequences and this is the main reason the character spends most of his time analyzing the situation before he can make an informed decision.

 In summary, the choices people make define their lives in the long run.  When the speaker arrives at the fork-shaped crossroads, the character has to choose one path and live with the consequences of his choices. Even though people might wish to forego some choices, other choices cannot be avoided hence this forces human beings to face the truth and go through the agonizing process of making a good decision. There can be little intervention one can take to alleviate the burden as one faces the life-changing choices alone. In the end, the speaker opts for the road less traveled and claims that it made all the difference in his or her life.

 

 

Work cited

Frost, Robert. The road not taken: A selection of Robert Frost's poems. Macmillan, 2002.