Symbolism and Imagery

Choices, one would have to make a lot of these in his lifetime. While there are minor choices, there are major ones, either way, making a choice never come so easy. Making a choice is one of life’s most challenging hurdles each and every person would have to go through. It is one of those times when all of man’s senses are at work. The eyes need to see what to watch out for, as far as it can navigate through the blinding horizon. The ears need to heed the advices of those who has been there and done that, and do their own assessment of hard lessons that come by. The nose needs to smell the roses from time to time as life does not always have to be without pleasures, happiness from simple things fuels the soul to go on and move on. The mouth needs to shout out to release the madness it cannot contain much as it renders a smile at life whenever blessings come its way. And the sense of touch needs to feel the hard trails ahead as it needs to bleed every so often to remind him that he is human and that pain makes him stronger. In the like manner, it needs to feel the smoothness of the sail for no matter how hard the circumstances turns out to be, life is good and it is certainly a thing of beauty beyond words and human comprehension. At certain points in life, one is confronted by certain yields in the road he threads on. These are the moments when he has to make a decision. And yes only one way to go. Every choice a person makes becomes the essential elements that define his whole being. Robert Frost’s poem, A Road Not Taken was written with the use of symbolisms. The poem was about making life changing decision as well as the repercussions of every choice one makes. It tells more than having to pick a single road to thread. While the choice one makes is crucial no one knows for sure what lies beyond the bend of either way. After all, life is a journey and its destination is kept a mystery until one reaches the conclusion as the sun sets to mark the end of his beautiful life. The moment one takes his first stride on that road he chooses to thread, he can never take a step back and walk the other way. The wood Frost speaks about in this poem is symbolic of the world man lives in. On the other hand, the dark wood is symbolic of the solitude of oneself on which confines the finest literary works begins to materialize. Most people choose the other of the two roads particularly the one that is usually trodden for it promises a not so complicated path. As a dictate of human nature, people would not dare take the road less traveled for naturally if one has a choice, he would go for the one with less hassles, with less challenges, with less pain. Frost also utilized imagery in this particular poem that he wrote. The leaves that are kept undisturbed on the ground tell the readers that the road they cover is less traveled by. While making a choice is a fact of life and as usual and certain as the rising and setting of the sun, every time one does make a choice, it is almost as if he has never done so. The imagery of this poem implies the need to choose one of the two roads, where none gives even just a hint of what is laid in store for every traveler who walks by. The poem’s structure is one that is frank, distinct, and strong at the same time. Its focal point is on making a choice, the right one at that as well as the thoughts that runs through one’s brain every time he has to make life – changing decisions. The speaker in the poem opted to thread in the road that is less traveled by. This choice he made does tell so much about who he is and what he is made of. He is one of the few who would dare to set apart from all the rest who would rather stay in their comfort zones for fear of not being able to surface the challenge that lies ahead. He is characteristically more bold, valiant, and full of pride. He knew for a fact that there is not need to conform and seeking to be different can give a tremendous amount of satisfaction in the end. He is someone who is certain about what he wants to gain out of life. For him, conformity is a dead end. The faith he has for his beliefs, he chooses to keep. He knows when and how to battle it out whenever fate tests his principles and the values he holds in high regard. He is someone at peace with his individuality and his uniqueness, the very elements that defines who he is in all the ways that matter. He knows that he is very much capable of making that choice that could do him good. He has confidence that he can very well navigate his life and take charge of his own fate no matter what it takes and how hard it can be. While no one will ever know what could have been if he opted for the road he did not choose, regrets may come naturally. Nonetheless, not taking the easy way out is more fulfilling and thus makes all the difference. For when one deems that he made the right choice, regrets are much easier to dismiss. Each and every person alive live with choices until the last time he gasps for air to breathe. Every choice has its own share of repercussions and do create an impact and leaves a mark in each life it touches. In conclusion, this poem is one piece of poetry that outlives its author. It is timeless as it leaves a lesson that remains true today and even after several years more since it was written. It helps its readers to contemplate more on every choice they make as it would navigate the wheels of life in more ways than one and in every imaginable circumstance there is. Indeed, making a choice is one of life’s most challenging hurdles each and every person would have to go through. For inevitably, every person would have to make a decision for every opportunity in his life wherein he is required come up with one. Whenever he does, he must make it a point that he does so in the best of his ability. All because every choice he makes determines every twist of fate in the life he leads. And every choice he decides upon makes or breaks the life he worked so hard to live the best way he knew how. Works Cited â€Å"A Road Not Taken.† 2008. Bartleby.com. Retrieved May 9, 2007, from http://www.bartleby.com/119/1.html.