Understanding Poetry: Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken"

Close reading

When you read a poem, read each line carefully and try to understand the meaning behind the words.

SEARCH for HIDDEN meaning!

Now let's do a close reading of "The Road Not Taken." The poet says that he is "sorry [that he] could not travel both." And he tries very hard to "[look] down one as far as [he] could." What is symbolized by this action? Is there no turning back once he chooses one road?

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This poem seems to show that once a person chooses a certain path, he/she can't really turn back. Perhaps one can change paths, but the past cannot be changed. You will never know what the other path is like, so you might regret never knowing. Therefore, he chooses carefully--trying to see the consequences of taking the two different roads.

Listen

Do you agree or disagree with what our buddy Chaucer has to say about the poem?

Listen

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