The Road Not Taken

AMDG

Catherine Golles May 1, 2014

SSAM Kuya Jai

The Road Not Taken: Final and Life Changing

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost speaks out how the persona chooses from the two roads in front of him. He wants to take both roads at the same time even if he knows that it is really impossible. But then, he was able to choose from the roads after looking at the first roads as far as he could. But his view was blocked by trees and so he decided to choose the other one. After choosing, he almost regret his decision and he wanted to go back and take the other way but he doubted that he will have the opportunity to do so. And so he thought about the future and told himself that "somewhere ages and ages hence," he will claim that he chose the less-traveled road and that made a big difference in his life.

Based on the persona's point of view, he does not know where to go on those two roads. ("And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood") After choosing the other road, he started to regret his decision and he really want to go back. He then began to think of ways to go back or take the other road. ("Oh, I kept the first for another day!") That doubt about the decision that he made became the core issue in which an example of low self-esteem according to Freud.

And to hide that core issue, he used a defense mechanism which is denial. He is denying to himself that his decision to take the other road can be life changing: either for the better or for the worse of his future. ("Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim.") He also thought that the road that he took is the one less traveled even if he himself knew that the road he took and the other road is the same when look down on the other one and while he was taking the other. ("Though as for passing there Had worn them really about the same.")

He might have chosen the wrong road, but still, it can be the road he really...