The Road Not Taken-Extra Questions, Notes

Extra Questions, Notes

Introduction of the Poem The Road Not Taken-

Introduction: First published in 1916, “The Road Not Taken” shows Frost at his best as a pastoral poet who combines rustic simplicity with hidden, indirect and implied meanings. Rhyming abaab, the poem has remarkable simplicity and clarity of style and language.

Theme

“The Road Not Taken” deals with the dilemmas that man faces in life. The two roads serve as a metaphor for the choices we make in life. Life throws up many alternatives. Man being an individual cannot take up all choices. The choice we make has a far-reaching consequence. Hence, our decision is a shot in the dark though our future is dependent on it. If the choice made by us happens to be not correct, we have to face the consequences as steps once taken cannot be retracted.

The significance of the Title The Road Not Taken/ Path Not Taken–

‘The road’ is the symbol of the choice made by us in life. Many times, we regret the choice made by us but what is done once cannot be undone. Man yearns for what he has denied himself in life, rather than what he has chosen. Hence, the poet has given his poem the title “The Road Not Taken”.  Some critics also call this poem ‘The World Less Traveled’

Literary Devices/ Figure of Speeches/ Poetic Devices used in the poem The Road Not Taken/ Path Not Taken

Alliteration-  is “the repetition of usually consonant sounds in a sequence of words. Only when the recurrent sound occurs in a conspicuous position at the beginning of a word or of a stressed syllable within a word.” It gives a musical effect and also enhances the poem’s stress.

Example: grassy and wanted wear

(‘w’ sound is repeated)

 Symbolism

The two roads described by the poet are the symbols of the challenges and choices that life offers. The beaten-track symbolizes the easier path and the less travelled road is a more challenging path. The selection of the difficult road by the poet symbolizes man’s urge to live life boldly.

Message/ Moral

Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not Taken” seems to hold out the moral that life is a continuous journey full of divergence every now and then. The important thing is to move on without looking back whether the choice of paths taken was right or wrong. The right or the wrong are relative terms. We cannot get everything in life and have to make choices. Whatever direction our life takes is determined by the choice made by us. Make a wise choice and be firm keep on moving without being in a dilemmatic condition. Be confident in your choices.

The

poem at a Glance/ Point Wise Summary of the Poem- The Road Not Taken

The poet was standing at a place where two roads/ paths ‘diverged in a yellow wood’.

He was sorry that he couldn’t travel both at the same time.

He looked down one as far as he could till it bent away in the undergrowth.

The other road was just as fair and perhaps presented a better claim.

The second road was grassy, less frequented by travellers and ‘wanted wear’.

The poet had to make a choice and he resolved the dilemma.

He chose the second road and `kept the first for another day’.

The poet had a doubt that he would never get a chance to travel on the first road again.

The choice had been made and it made all the difference in his life.

It was very difficult to say whether the choice was right or wrong on the spur of the moment

But the poet neither seems to be very happy nor very sad with his choice and leaves the end open to the readers and their choices.

Short and Simple full Summary of the poem- The Road Not Taken

The poet talks about two roads in the poem, in fact, the two roads are two alternative ways of life. Robert frost wants to tell that the choice we make in our lives has a far-reaching result. The poem presents a dilemma that every man faces in his life. One day while walking in a wooded area full of trees with yellow leaves, the poet comes to a fork in the place and he has to decide which road he should take. He stands there for long and starts debating over the choice. He looks at the first road as far as he can see, till it bends in the undergrowth. It seemed to have been travelled by many people. Then he looked at the second road. It was grassy and wanted wear means less travelled. The poet is tempted to walk on it. He keeps on thinking for a long time and comes to the conclusion that he cannot walk on both. That is the irony of life. We cannot travel all the available roads no matter how much we may wish to. However, he decides to take the second path with the intention of walking on the first any other day in the future. At the same time, he knows that the chances of his returning that way are very less. He also knows the manner in which one path leads on to the other. Finally, the poet started moving on the second road. Then the poem shifts to the last stanza and the poet become completely philosophical and talk as if he has travelled for a long era and looks back at the choices that he made in life and their consequences. Now he feels that life has been completely different. He feels that his life has been very different from the common people because he has always been tempted to take the path not generally followed by others. Here he advises doing something different also. It shows the poet as an adventurous man ready to take risks in life which everyone should be like.

कवि जंक्शन (संगम ) पर खड़ा है

यह कविता निर्णय लेने के महत्व का वर्णन करती है | frost दो सड़कों को जीवन के रूपकों के तौर पर प्रयोग करता है | वे जीवन के विकल्पों और भिन्न जीवन – दिशाओं की प्रतीक हैं | दोनों सड़कों का चुनाव करते समय जो निर्णय हम लेते हैं , वही हमारे जीवन में सारा फर्क (अन्तर ) डाल देता है | कवि पीले जंगल में एक जंक्शन (चौराहे ) पर खड़ा है | दो सडकें विपरीत दिशाओं में विभक्त हो रही हैं | वह अकेला यात्री है और दोनों सड़कों पर एक साथ नहीं चल सकता | वह पहली सड़क को जहाँ तक देख सकता है देखता है जब तक कि वह (सड़क ) मुड़कर झाडियों में लुप्त नहीं हो जाती |

दो सडकें और चयन

दूसरी सड़क भी उतनी ही सुन्दर है जितनी कि पहली सड़क | लेकिन यह पहली सड़क से बेहतर दावा पेश करती है | वह घास से भरी है और अभी घिसी भी नहीं है | कवि दुविधा में पड़ जाता है | लेकिन शीघ्र ही वह कवि इस दुविधा से निपट लेता है | वह उस सड़क को चुनता है जिस पर कम आदमी चलते हैं | वह पहली सड़क को किसी और दिन लिये छोड़ देता है |

कवि का सही सन्देह

दोनों सड़कें कवि के सामने गिरे हुए पत्तों से ढकी हुई हैं | जब कवि पहली सड़क को किसी दूसरे दिन चलने के लिए छोड़ देता है , तो उसे सन्देह भी होता है और उसका संदेह सही है | वह जानता है कि किस प्रकार एक रास्ते में से दूसरा रास्ता निकलता है और आदमी जब तक आगे बढ़ता रहता है तब उस क्रम में वह उस बिन्दु पर पहुँच जाता है जहाँ से वापस आना सम्भव नहीं |उसे सन्देह है कि जिस सड़क को पहले ही छोड़ चुका है उस पर कभी वापस भी आ सकेगा |

चयन सारा अन्तर ला देता है

यह कहना बहुत कठिन है कि जो सड़क हमने चुनी है वह हमें वांछित अंत तक ले जायेगी | क्षण भर में यह निर्णय लेना बहुत कठिन है | केवल कवि आहें भरते हुए यह बता रहा होगा कि उसके चयन ने उसके जीवन में सारा अन्तर ला दिया है | शायद जो सड़क नहीं अपनायी गयी वह इस सड़क से ज्यादा लाभदायक सिद्ध होती जिसे हमने चलने के लिए चुना था | लेकिन अब वह कुछ नहीं कर सकता क्योंकि उसके चयन को बदला नहीं जा सकता|

PARAPHRASE

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;(Lines 1-5)

अनुवाद : (पतझड़ में) पीले वन में से दो सड़कें दो अलग – अलग दिशाओं की ओर अलग कर रही थीं | मुझे अफसोस है कि मैं दोनों सड़कों पर (एक ही समय ) नहीं चल सकता था | मैं कभी देर तक वहाँ खड़ा उस सड़क को जितनी दूर देख सकता था देखता रहा जहाँ से वह झाडियों और छोटे – छोटे पेड़ों में मुड़ कर लुप्त हो गयी थी

Paraphrase: The poet was standing at a junction in a yellow forest where two roads separated in two different directions. The poet feels sorry that being the lonely traveller, he could not walk on both the roads at the same time. He stood there for a long time looking at the road down as far as he could. The road then bent and disappeared from his eyes in bushes and the undergrowth.

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same, (Lines 6-10)

अनुवाद : मैंने दूसरी सड़क पकड़ ली , जो कि पहली जितनी ही सुन्दर थी | और शायद वह अपने पर चलने का बेहतर दावा पेश करती थी क्योंकि वह घास से ढकी हुई थी और घिसी भी नहीं थीं | यधपि  जहाँ तक उन पर यात्रियों के चलने से घिसने का प्रश्न था , वे दोनों समान रूप से ही घिसी हुई थीं |

 Paraphrase: Then the poet took the other road which was as beautiful as the first one. The second road presented a better claim because it was (still) grassy and had not worn off due to walking of the travellers. As far as the question of their being worn due to the walking of the travellers, both of them had worn in the same way.

And both that morning equally lay

In leaves, no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

 Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back. (Lines 11-15)

अनुवाद : उस सुबह दोनों सड़कें मेरे सामने बराबर रूप से फैली हुई थीं | दोनों गिरे हुए पत्तों से बराबर ढकी हुई थीं | यह स्पष्ट था कि दोनों के ऊपर पड़े हुए पत्तों को यात्रियों के पैरों ने अभी मैला नहीं किया था | हाँ मैंने पहली सड़क को किसी और दिन के छोड़ दिया | हाँलांकि मैं यह जानता था कि एक रास्ते से दूसरा रास्ता निकलता जाता है और मुझे सन्देह भी था फिरकभी लौटकर (छोड़ी हुई ) पहली सड़क पर चल पाऊंगा |

Paraphrase:  Both the roads lay in front of the poet almost in the same condition. They were covered with the fallen leaves. And the leaves had not been blackened by the steps of the walkers. The leaves still lay there uncrushed by the steps. The poet left the first road thinking that he would use it on some other day. When he was doing so, he knew that how one way leads to another. He would go so far from the first road that he doubted if he would ever come back to walk on it.

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.(Lines 16-20)

अनुवाद : कवि अपने निर्णय से अधिक प्रसन्न नहीं है | एक दम क्षण भर में यह निर्णय लेना बहुत कठिन है | शायद अनेक वर्ष बाद , वह दुख के साथ जाहिर कर पायेगा कि उसका फैसला उचित नहीं था | वहां दो सड़क थीं जो दो विपरीत दिशाओं की ओर जा रही थीं | और उसने उस सड़क पर चलने का फैसला किया जिसका कम प्रयोग किया गया था | यह उसका अपना फैसला था , और इसी फैसले ने उसके जीवन में अंतर ला दिया था |

 Paraphrase: The poet does not seem to be very happy with his choice. Just now, it is very difficult to pass the judgement on the spur of the moment. After many years, perhaps he will be telling with a sigh that his choice was not very rewarding. There were two roads that separated into two different directions. And he chose the road which had been less travelled by. The choice was his own. And this choice has made all the difference in his life.

Extract Based Extra Questions.

 “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

 And be one traveller, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;”

Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

Answer.-The above lines have been taken from the poem The Road Not Taken’ by Robert Frost.

Why does the poet feel ‘sorry’?

Answer.-The poet feels sorry that he can’t travel on both the roads diverging in the forest before him.

What did the narrator see in the wood?

Answer.-The narrator saw two paths diverging in the forest.

The poet here is using “roads” as symbols of:

Answer.-Choices one makes in life.

why did he feel like travelling both the roads?

Answer.–He felt like travelling both the roads as both of them looked equally fair and promising. Although they had been worn out equally, that morning both lay untrodden.

Explain: ‘And be one traveller’.

Answer.-The expression means that he was an individual who couldn’t travel two roads at the same time.

Why did the poet look down as far as he could?

Answer.-The poet was unhappy that he could not take that road as he chose the other one and, that is why he looked as far as he could.

What is the meaning of the word ‘diverged’? What do the roads represent in these lines?

Answer. – ‘Diverged’ means separated. The roads represent the different chokes that one has to make in his/her life.

Who is the author of the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’?

Answer. – Robert Frost

Where do the two roads diverge in?

Answer.-The two roads diverge in the wood where the leaves have turned yellow in the autumn.

What is the mood of the poet in these lines?

Answer.-The mood of the poet appears to be serious and pensive.

What does the ‘yellow wood’ mean?

Answer.- ‘Yellowwood’ means that the leaves have turned yellow because of the autumn season.

(f) Why does the poet stand long?

OR

‘… long I stood’. What did the speaker do while standing for a long time?

Answer.-The poet stands long because he was in a dilemma about which road to take.

What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?

Answer.-The rhyme scheme of the stanza is ab aab.

What choice did the narrator have to make?

Answer.-The narrator had to choose between the two roads.

What does the narrator regret?

Answer.–The narrator regrets the fact that he cannot travel on both paths. He also regrets the fact that he cannot come back to the start once he makes a choice.

Why does the poet feel ‘sorry”?

Answer.-The poet feels sorry that he can’t travel on both the roads diverging in the forest before him.

Extra Questions:

“Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that the passing there

Had worn them really about the same,”

How was the other road?

Answer. – The other road was as fair and beautiful as the first one.

Why did the second road present a better claim than the first?

Answer. – The second road presented a better claim as it was still grassy and had not been used by many travellers.

What is the rhyme scheme of the given lines?

Answer. – The rhyme-scheme of these lines is ab, aa, b.

What does the poet mean by ‘as just as fair’?

Answer. –‘ As just as fair’  means that the second road was just as beautiful as the first one.

How do you understand the expression ‘grassy and wanted wear’?

Answer. – The second road was grassy and green with its grass was not crushed and worn by the steps of the travellers.

In which sense were the two roads similar?

Answer. – Both roads were similar in the sense that they both were appealing to the poet to travel on them.

What does “other” refer to in the above lines?

Answer. –  In the above lines, “other” refers to the road that was grassy and less travelled upon.

Which road did the narrator choose?

Answer. – The narrator chose the one that was grassy and less travelled upon.

Explain “grassy and wanted wear”?

Answer. – The road was covered with grass as not many people had walked this road so it was more inviting.

How was the other road?

Answer. – The other road was as fair and beautiful as the first one.

Explain: ‘… just as fair’.

Answer. –  By ‘just as fair’ the poet means that the road that he chose to tread on appeared to be just as inviting and as beautiful as the other road that was chosen by the majority.

 ‘And both that morning equally lay

In leaves, no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.”

Questions :

How did both the roads lie?

Answer. – Both the roads laid there with their leaves and grass not crushed by the steps of the travellers

Why did the poet leave the first road?

Answer. – The poet left the first road in the hope that he would travel on it on another day.

Why did the poet suffer from a doubt?

Answer. – The poet doubted if he would ever come back to the same place to walk on the road that he had left for another day.

Who does ‘both’ refer to?

Answer. – `Both’ refers to the two roads that lay in front of the poet.

Why does the poet doubt his coming back?

Answer. – The poet doubts his coming back because he knows his chosen road will lead to another road and he would go so far from the first road that he would not be able to come back to it.

Why would the poet like to come back?

Answer. – The poet would like to travel by the first road (the road not taken) and, so would like to come back.

Having chosen his road, what decision did the speaker take about the first road?

Answer. – He decided to stick to the chosen road for some more time and promised himself that he would travel the other one sometime later.

Explain: ‘leaves no step had trodden black’.

Answer. – No traveller had trodden on either of the two roads. It was evident from the fact that the fallen and sodden leaves lay uncrushed there. No feet had trampled them.

Why is the poet not sure whether he will ever come back to the first road?

Answer. – The poet thinks so because in the journey of life one road leads to another and one can seldom relive the moments and undo the circumstances gone by.

Who wrote the poem?

Answer. – Robert Frost

 I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence:

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.                                                

When will the poet look back on his life?

Answer. –The poet would look back on his life after a very long time — when he is an old man.

Why do you think the poet says this “with a sigh”?

Answer. –The poet is regretful; he could not return and take the road he had left behind to travel on another day.

 Why do you think the speaker will sigh?

Answer. –He will ‘sigh’ wondering what would have happened to his life if he had travelled by the first road. His dissatisfaction with his decision also might make him sigh.

Why does the poet say, ‘And that has made all the difference’?

Answer. –The poet means to say that it was the choice of that specific road that shaped his life in a particular manner. Had he chosen the other road life would have been different?

As a symbol, what does ‘road’ signify in the poem?

Answer. – As a symbol, ‘road’ signifies opportunities in life and the decisions and choices one has to make in life.

What do you mean by ‘sigh’? What will the speaker be telling with a sigh?

Answer. –‘Sigh’ means a deep breath of sorrow. The speaker will be telling about his decision to travel by the less travelled road, which has made all the difference in his life.

Does the poet seem to be happy with his choice?

Answer. –The poet has left the end open on the readers. They may assume whatever suits them after making a choice.

What will the narrator tell “with a sigh”?

Answer. –The narrator will tell about the fork that he had come to in the woods and the choice he had to make. The fact that he had taken the road less frequented by people.

Why does the narrator say, “And that has made all the difference”?

Answer. –The narrator said that later in life he shall be telling people how his life has been different due to the choices he had made long ago.

What did the poet wish to do when he takes the road that he has not been able to do?

Answer. – The poet wanted to come back and take the other road.

 What is the theme of the poem?

Answer. –The theme of the poem is the various problems we face in life and the choices we make.

Which poetic device defines the roads in the wood?

Answer. –A metaphor has been used to define the two roads in the wood.

What is the tone of the poet in the last stanza?

Answer. –The poet adopts a reflective tone in the last stanza.

Which road did the narrator finally decide to the lake and why?

Answer. –The narrator finally decided to take the road that not many people had walked on because it seemed more adventurous than the route everyone seemed to take.

Short Answer Type Important Extra Questions

Bring out the symbolism in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Answer- The poem The Road Not Taken’ concerns a choice made between two roads by the poet. The poet decides to explore one road and then come back and explore the other but this might not be possible. The choice of roads in the poem symbolises the choices that one has to make in life. All the choices appear to be equally attractive. They are confining too as one cannot foretell the eventual result of one’s choice. Through the years, however, we come to find out that the choices we make and the paths we choose, will make all the difference in our lives.

The poet kept the other road for another day. Was he able to travel back on that road? Explain.

Answer- The poet left the first road thinking that he would use it on some other day. However, he was not able to travel back on that road. He could never come back as the road he took led to other roads. He went so far from the first road that he doubted if he would ever come back to walk on it.

In the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’, why did the poet feel like travelling both the roads?

Answer- Both the roads lay in front of the poet almost in the same condition. He chose the second road and felt sorry about not choosing the first one. The poet wanted to experience both situations. He was also not sure of the outcome of his choice. So, the poet wanted to travel by both roads.

Write a brief note on the theme of Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Answer-  In the poem, ‘The Road not Taken’, the roads symbolise ‘Choices’ that one has to make in life. Whenever one has to take an important decision in life, one finds oneself coming across a fork in the road, one is travelling upon. No one has to choose the only way to walk upon. Here, one choice leads to another but it remains difficult to go back reiterate.

What moral lesson do you get from the poem ‘The Road not Taken’?

Answer- According to the poet, one should not adopt the shortcuts in life. We should choose the daring and experimental path that involves turmoil and tension. These practices ennoble a man for his life. In order to seek the truth, we should not follow the easy, convenient and trodden path. The poet has chosen the other road which is less trodden by the people.

What problem did the poet feel while standing on the intersection of the two roads?

Answer- While standing on the crossing, the poet saw two roads diverged in a yellow forest. For the poet both the roads looked fascinating. One was widely trodden and the other was untrodden. At last, he chose the second road and hoped to travel the first on some other day.

Explain “Way leads on to way.”

Answer- Here we can find two meanings. In the first, we find that the poet is undecided to follow the road. Once a choice is made, there is no retreating back even if the choice is wrong. Same is true for our life. We must make a definite choice where there is no turning. Situations do change and may require adjustments but we must not return.

Why did the poet keep the first road for another day?

Answer- The poet kept the first road for another day in the hope that he would travel it in future. But all know that our future is uncertain. No one can predict it. One can never hope to return to the original starting point to resume the path.

Does the poet believe that he would ever return to the first road?

Answer- No, the poet does not believe that he would ever be able to return to the first road. He is fully aware that one road leads on to another and that still to another. Hence it will not be possible for him to come back to the point where both the roads bifurcate.

What is wood? What did the narrator see in the wood? Were the paths similar?

Answer- Wood means a forest. He saw two paths diverging and disappearing in the undergrowth. No, one had more grass and seemed less used than the other.

What did the narrator hope that he would do one day? Was he sure of doing so?

Answer- The narrator hoped to come back and try the other path someday. No, he did not think he would do so because he knew that one path led to another and it would be difficult for him to come back.

Does one road seem to be more appealing than the other? Use examples from the poem to support your answer.

Answer-  At first the narrator comes to a fork in the road and is not able to decide which path to take. One of the roads looks more frequented by people while the second road appears to be less travelled on. Though he is tempted to walk on both, he decides to take the second path with the intention of walking on the first one sometime in future.

What does the poet mean when he says, ‘worn them really about the same’?

Answer-  The poet means to relay to the readers that both the roads that diverged in a yellow wood seemed similar and both of them looked as if they had not been used for a while.

What is the main problem or the dilemma of the poet?

Answer-

Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ revolves around the dilemma of making the right choice in life. He suffers from an illusion that he can use the option he has left for the other day. Whatever ‘road’ or way of life he chooses, it makes all the difference in his life. Sometimes after a long time, he will have to repent for choosing the path that was less travelled by. It didn’t turn out to be quite a rewarding choice or option.

How does the poet resolve the dilemma? Which road does he choose and why?

Answer- The two roads represent two ways of life. They stand for two directions, two attitudes and even two careers in life. The dilemma is of making the right and the rewarding choice. Two roads diverge in different directions. They look equally beautiful and fair. The poet leaves the first road for another day. He opts for the road that was less travelled by and ‘wanted wear’. He opts for an option that is not very conventional, popular and risk-free.

‘The Road Not Taken’ is a metaphor of life. Justify this statement. Justify the title.

Answer- In ‘The Road Not Taken’, Frost uses the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in life. Thus, the two roads are, in fact, two alternative ways of life. They represent two directions and two options open to the poet. He has made a choice. He has opted for the road which is ‘less travelled by’. He leaves the first ‘for another day’. It becomes impossible to come back on the road one has left. One’s choice makes ‘all the difference’ in one’s life. Hence, the title is appropriate and logical.

Why has the poet’s choice ‘made all the difference’ in his life?

Robert Frost uses the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in life. The two roads represent two alternative ways, two options and two directions of life. One has to face the dilemma. He opts for an unconventional and risky path of life. He chooses to be a poet. This choice has made all the difference in his life. Perhaps he would realise late in life that he chose an alternative which was less rewarding than the one he had left.

Why did the poet leave the first road? Did he ever get a chance to walk on the road he had left for ‘another day?

Answer- The poet left the first road and chose the other one which was less travelled, grassy and ‘wanted wear’. He left the first road for another day. But he had a genuine doubt. He knew that one path leads to another and then he would not get a chance to go back.

Did the poet repent for making his choice? Give an example from the poem to prove your point.

Answer- The poet had the freedom to make a choice. The two roads were, in fact, two alternatives in life that lay before him. The poet left the conventional and less risky way of life. He opted for the road that was less travelled by and ‘wanted wear’. He left the first road for another day. The choice he made brought all the difference in his life. He seemed to be unhappy about making his choice. ‘1 shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: ‘ But he couldn’t do anything now. His choice had altered the course of his life.

‘I doubted if I should ever come back’. Why does the poet doubt he should ever come back?

Answer- The poet doubts whether he should ever come back to tray-: the other road because he knows that one road leads to another. As a reckless and curious traveller, he was sure to continue to move on in the journey of life. Thus there were no chances of his retracing his steps. Normally one sticks to the decision once taken.

What does the divergence in the road signify in real life?

Answer- The divergence in the road signifies that many times in real life we have difficult choices to make. We take a long time thinking about which of the two would be a better option and only time can tell whether we were right in making the choice we made. The forking of one road into two is symbolic of the confusion or dilemma we face in life while confronting a problem and making a decision.

Why did the poet stand long on the forked road to make the decision?

Answer- The poet took long to make a decision because he could not foresee which choice would prove to be beneficial for hint As he looked at the roads he couldn’t see beyond a particular point. One road was well-trodden and the other showed no signs of anyone treading on it. Thus the poet stood there for a long time undecided which one to experiment with.

What impact did the choice of the ‘other road’ make on the poet’s life?

Answer- While making a choice of the roads, the poet took time deciding which one to take. The poet’s choice shaped his life in a different manner. He had a shade of regret about his choke. He knew that his life wouldn’t have been as it was presented if he had taken the other road.

Why do you think the poet sighs in the last stanza of the poem?

Answer- The last stanza reveals that the poet would be telling his story with a sense of regret as the alternative chosen by him did not yield a satisfactory result. He is not very excited while telling the story of his life as he feels that had he taken the other road things might have taken a better shape. Hence, the poet sighs with a sense of dissatisfaction in the last stanza of the poem.

The poet says, “I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.” What is ‘the difference that the poet mentions?

Answer-  The poet says his choice of that particular road has shaped his life in a specific manner with which he is not very happy. Had he chosen the other road, his ambitions and aspirations in life might have been fulfilled and he would not have looked back with a sense of regret. Probably, he would have called himself a successful man.

What does the poet mean by ‘yellow wood’?

Answer- ‘Yellowwood’ refers to the jungle with decomposing leaves shed from the trees. It stands for the world where people have been living since long.

Explain: ‘leaves no step had trodden black’.

Answer- No traveller had trodden on either of the two roads. It was evident from the fact that the fallen and sodden leaves lay uncrushed there. No feet had trampled them.

Which road does Robert Frost choose and why?

Answer- Robert Frost chooses the second road which was less travelled by the travellers. He chose the second road because it was more inviting and wanted to wear’.

“Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” What do the two roads indicate here? What was the poet’s dilemma?

Answer-  The two roads indicate the choices or decisions one has to make in one’s life. The poet has presented the dilemma that one goes through while taking a decision regarding one’s future. The poet, too, is faced with the dilemma of which road to choose for the course of his travel.

What is the theme of the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’?

Answer- In ‘The Road Not Taken’, Robert Frost makes a fascinating use of two roads as a metaphor for life. The two roads serve as a metaphor for the choices one makes in life. ‘Thus, the roads are, in fact, two alternative ways of life. The choice one makes has a far-reaching consequence. Elie poet leaves the first road for the road less travelled by and accepts challenges and dares to walk on the untrodden path which has made all the difference in his life.

Why did the poet leave the first road?

Answer- The poet left the first road thinking that he would use it on some other day. He found the second road more inviting. The second road was less travelled by and it also wanted wear.

Justify the title ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Answer- The tide ‘The Road Not Taken’ is quite appropriate. It clearly brings out the theme of the poem. The title hints at the dilemmas of life—the choices that one makes in life. Whatever ‘road’ or the way of life one chooses, it makes all the difference. It is the ability to do things differently that makes one stand out in the crowd. Many times, the man yearns for what he has denied himself in life, rather than what he has chosen. Hence, the poet has given his poem the title ‘The Road Not Taken’.

Important Long Type Extra Questions

What is the moral presented by the poet in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’?

Answer- This is an inspirational poem and quite tricky, according to Robert Frost himself. The poem presents an antithesis. The traveller comes to a fork and wishes to take both, which is impossible. One of the roads is described as

grassy and wanting wear’, then he says that both the roads look the same. This represents the eternal An poem encourages self-reliance, man: he finds the grass greener always on the other side.

This poem is a call for the reader to forge his or her way M life and not follow the path that others have taken reinforces the power of independent thinking and sticking to one’s decisions. The –“‘ will never know till you y have lived the dilemma of e poet  Thu does not moralise about choice, he simply says that choice is inevitable and you win ‘difference. So there is nothing right or wrong about a choice, it is all relative. Whatever direction one takes one roust pack it with determination and zest for one can never turn the clock back, or relive that moment.

As the poet who took the road not taken by many people, write a letter to your friend stating how “It has made all the difference”.

Answer-

Dear Keith,

As you know that I have established myself as a poet but this journey of life had not been very simple. I must tell you about the day when I was facing a dilemma to choose between the two roads to walk upon and I chose the one which was less frequent, leaving the first one for some other day. I knew full well that I will not get a chance to go back to it. Now I wish I had taken the first road. But friend, this is the irony of life, we cannot travel on all the available roads, no matter howsoever we wish to.

The basic thing is to make the right choice because after that we can’t undo them. It is only the future that will reveal whether our decision was right or wrong. Since I took the road less travelled by, it has made all the difference-The outcome is known to you. Rest in the next letter.

Yours,

Robin

What is the moral presented by the poet in the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’?

Answer- This is an inspirational poem and quite tricky, according to Robert Frost himself. The poem presents an anti-thesis. The traveller comes to a fork and wishes to take both, which is impossible. First, one of the roads is described as grassy and `wanting wear’, then he says that both the roads look the same. This represents the eternal dilemma in man when he finds the grass greener on the other side. This poem is a call for the reader to forge his or her way in life and not follow the path that others have taken. This poem encourages self-reliance, reinforces the power of independent thinking and sticking to one’s decisions. The poet does not moralize about choice. He simply says that choice is inevitable and you will never know until you have lived the `difference.’ So there is nothing right or wrong about a choice, it is all relative. Whatever direction one takes one must pack it with determination and zest for one can never turn the clock back, or relive that moment.

Why does the poet doubt he should ever come back?

Answer- This poem is about choices, decisions and their consequences. It is a fact that once the choice has been made, there is no going back. The traveller standing on the road of life is confronted with a dilemma when both the paths or choices look equally promising. Once a road is chosen, the traveller has to move on. There is no rewinding. There would never be a befitting time or opportunity for coming back and exercising the choice again. Time has changed, so has the psychology of the traveller. It will never be the same again. So one stick to the road one has taken and makes it lead to the destination already decided.

Describe the two roads the author finds.

Answer- One day during his walk, the poet reached a point of bifurcation. There were two roads and he had to take only one. He stood there surveying the pros and cons and looks at both the roads with great care. The poet looked at the road, as far his eyes could see till it bent in the undergrowth. He saw that the other roads was more grassy and needed to be travelled upon. But when he had gone a little ahead, he saw that the other road was also grassy.

Discuss the title of the poem “The Road Not Taken”. Is it appropriate for the poem?

Answer- Yes, it is apt because the title of the poem concerns a choice made between two roads by a person walking in the woods. He would have liked to explore both the roads, but he knows that he can’t walk on both the roads at the same time. He chooses the road not travelled on by too many people and many years later, he feels that all the difference in his life is because of the choice of roads he had made.

Why does the poet say he shall tell people “this with a sigh”? Why do you think the final stanza starts with a sigh?

Answer- The poet comes to a fork in the road and decides to walk on the path that looks less walked on. He is however wishful of walking on the other road on some other day. He is not sure if his choice has been the right one and feels that if someone asks him to justify his choice he would probably answer him with a sigh. The sigh could signify two things. Either it is a sigh of happiness and contentment at having achieved success in life because of the right choices made at the right time or it could be interpreted to mean that the sigh is one of regret and sorrow at having made the wrong choice and lost out on a golden opportunity.

Bring out the symbolism in the poem “The Road Not taken”.

Answer- The poem is about something more than the choice of paths in a wood. We can interpret the narrator’s choice of a road as a symbol for any choice in life between alternatives that appear almost equally attractive. It is only after the passage of years, that we can really evaluate the decisions and choices that we make based on the result of these choices. If we find success, the choice is the right one but if the result is failure and pain then the choice has obviously not been the right one.

The road is used as a metaphor for life in this poem. Can you think of another metaphor and explain why that has been used to describe life.

Answer- A puzzle can be another metaphor for life. A puzzle requires one to constantly keep figuring out the answers and right after one decision has been made, there are other problems awaiting solution. Similarly, life is also full of doubts and questions. When we are able to figure out solutions and make decisions accordingly another predicament often comes up. We are constantly figuring out things. hence, life is a puzzle.

“Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

 Because it was grassy and wanted wear.”

 – Robert Frost chose a road that was less travelled by. What does this choice show about his character?

Answer- Robert Frost’s choice shows that he is an adventurous individual who doesn’t like to take up the trodden paths. He studies the situation and takes his time to reach his own conclusions. Not afraid of taking on the challenges in life, he decides to explore the unexplored. He knows full well that the choice once made cannot be undone, so he chooses the comparatively difficult option. He knows that this choice would affect his life and he is ready to accept as it comes. He knows that if he had taken the other road, his life would have been very different than what it has turned out to be.

–Do you think people should regret their choices or decisions once they have been made? Why not?

I don’t think people should regret their choices or decisions once they have been made. First, life has in its store countless opportunities and possibilities so that nobody ever needs to regret. Second, it is not possible for human beings to do everything that is there to be done because they are bound by time and space. So I think instead of regretting, it is more important to keep moving ahead in life without looking back  Whether the choice of paths taken is right or wrong will be decided by time. Third, we must own the responsibility for the decisions and choices we make in our life.

Bring out the contrast and similarities between the two roads mentioned in the poem.

Answer- Both the roads mentioned in the poem are the offshoots of the same road. As this mother road running through the ‘yellow woods’ forks into two – these two roads are formed. Both of them are equally inviting and put the traveller in a fix as he stands to wonder which road to take up.

A keen observation reveals that unlike the other road, one of the roads is well-trodden. It has commonly been chosen by a majority of the people. Maybe it is considered to be an easier path. However, it takes a turn and its end cannot be seen just as the other road’s destination cannot be foreseen. In the morning both the roads are well-covered with leaves as no one has so far ventured on either of the two. Both the roads once chosen would have to be stuck to. Years later whichever road is not taken would be looked at wistfully and one would wonder whether the right choice had been made.

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the one less travelled by,

 And that has made all the difference.”

On the basis of your understanding of the above lines, analyse the following:

– why people are in dilemma sometimes?

 – what is the need of making the correct choices in life?

Which determining factors and values would you consider before making an important choice?

Answer- People are often in the dilemma because life throws up many alternatives and people are prone to temptations and ‘what-ifs’. They look at their lives in terms of what would have happened, had their choices been different. In doing so, they often lose sight of the importance of what they have in their hands. Sometimes they are in dilemma because of a moral or ethical conflict. Thus, I believe their dilemma can be blamed on their greed – ‘the more the merrier attitude’, plain indecision or a crisis.

The choices we make have far-reaching consequences. They hold the potential to make or mar a life. So we must exercise our choices carefully, weighing the pros and cons of everything, lest we have to regret later.

Before I make an important choke, I would carefully consider the far-reaching impact it is likely to have in my life and the lives of people I love. If my choice was going to result in something bad or evil or a short-term glory, I would rather not make it. So my choices in life would always be governed by need, responsibility and rationality. There will be no scope for regret once I have made choices, for I shall be responsible for them.

One of the lessons the poem “The Road Not Taken” teaches is the importance of making the best use of time and opportunity. Taking ideas from the poem, together with your own ideas, draft a speech to be delivered in the morning assembly emphasizing the need for making the best out of available time and opportunities.

In your speech, you should

Describe how time and opportunity once lost cannot be reclaimed • explain the effects such losses have on the quality of our lives

inspire students to make the best of time and opportunity by being proactive and action oriented

Answer-

Good Morning Everyone.

Today, I would like to share my views on the importance of making the best of time and opportunity that we get in life. The other day I was reading Robert Frost’s poem “The Road Not  Taken”, which is about making choices in life and the difference they make in our life. Since we have only one life to live and we cannot possibly have and do everything in life, it is really very important to make choices judiciously and once we have made them, we must stick to them and do all we can to achieve what we want to achieve in life.

We all know that time once has gone can never be reclaimed and an opportunity knocks at our door only once. If there is another knock, that is another opportunity, not the first one So, instead of wasting time and being torn in all sorts of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’, we must be proactive and make the best of time and opportunity that we have.

What if we don’t? Well, if we fail to respect time and honour opportunities, Time and circumstances may shape our lives in ways we do not expect or do not like. There may be consequences we would find hard to bear. We may be left regretting ever after if we do not make the best of our time and opportunities. So, let us make hay while the sun shines, for time and tide wait for none. And on that note, I would like to conclude my speech, for time, is up for me.

Thank you!

Describe the two roads the author finds.

Answer- One day during his walk, the poet reached a point of bifurcation. There were two roads and he had to take only one. He stood there surveying the pros and cons and looked at both the roads with great care. The poet looked at the mad, as far as his eyes could see till it bent in the undergrowth. He saw that the other road was more grassy and needed to be travelled upon. But when he had gone a little ahead, he saw that the other road was also grassy.

Extra Questions and Answers–

The poet will be telling ‘this with a sigh’ that he took the road ‘less travelled by’ and ‘that has made all the difference’. What is the difference that the poet mentions? Do you believe in making choices that are less ‘risky’ and acceptable or the ones which are adventurous, ambitious and unconventional? Give reasons for your choice.

Answer- The poet resolved the dilemma of making a choice. He chose the road that was less travelled by. Here, the two roads represent two options, two alternatives, two ways and two directions of life. The poet left the more acceptable and convenient road thinking that he would walk on it on another day. Though he doubted that once followed a path it would become impossible for him to come back to the one he had left. The poet had options to follow the road that led to prosperity, fame and money. It could have been a less risky and acceptable conventional option. But he chose to be a poet. His choice made all the difference in his life. Perhaps the road he had not taken would have proved more rewarding. Perhaps other professions would have proved more fruitful. The poet would regret it but without any redressal. The choice had been made and it was irrevocable.

I believe in making choices which are adventurous, ambitious and unconventional. The reason is simple. I am young and full of vigour I like to come across new challenges in life.

“The choice we make has far-reaching consequences.” How can you make the right choices in life?

Answer- Life is a continuous journey full of divergences every now and then. Life throws up many alternatives. Man being an individual cannot take up all the choices. The impact that our choice will make on one’s life also cannot be foreseen. Hence, our decision is a shot in the dark though our future depends on it.

Man revolves around the dilemma of making the right choice in life. If the choice made by him happens to be erroneous, he has to face the consequences as steps once taken cannot be retracted.

We should make a choice after taking advice and suggestions of elders who are more experienced than us. If we want to do something new and unconventional, we should see both positive and negative aspects because once we make a choice it cannot be retracted. We should be very careful and cautious and think many times before choosing any road in our life because whatever the choice we make today, it will have far-reaching consequences on our life tomorrow.

“I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the difference.”

(a)What is the difference that the poet mentions?

Answer- The poet says his choice of the less travelled road has shaped his life in a specific manner with which he is not very happy. Had he chosen the other road, his ambitions and aspirations in life might have been fulfilled and he would not have looked back with a sense of regret. Probably, he would have called himself a successful man.

(b)What values do you learn from the speaker?

Ans : The Road” is the symbol of the choice made by us in life. Many times, we regret the choice made by us but what is done once, cannot be undone. Man yearns for what he has denied himself in life, rather than what he has chosen. We have mainly two types of choices in life, the easier path and the more challenging path. The selection of the difficult road symbolises man’s urge to live life boldly. In the holy book the Gila, it is written that man should do work without thinking about rewards.

‘The Road not Taken’ symbolises the metaphor of choices made in life. Describe the theme of the poem justifying its title.

Answer- The Road not Taken’ is a biographical poem of Robert Frost. In the poem, Frost uses the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in life. It tells us about a man (the poet himself) who climes to a fork in the road he is travelling upon. He can’t travel both paths and must choose one. This fork represents a point in man’s life where he has to choose the right direction. He stands and watches the first alternative that life provides to him. Then he views the other road or the other option of life. He resolves the dilemma by choosing the road less travelled by the people. He hopes that his choice will be more rewarding when he reaches the end of the journey. The poet leaves the first road for another day. He has a genuine doubt that one road leads to the other and he will never get a chance of going back. The title ‘The Road not Taken’ is quite appropriate and logical. It is very difficult to say whether he has made the right choice on the spur of the moment. It is possible that after many years from now he will not be too happy with his choice. But he had already taken the decision which couldn’t be altered now.

‘The Road Not Taken’ symbolises the metaphor of choices made in life. Describe the theme of the poem justifying its title.

Answer- ‘The Road Not Taken’ is a biographical poem of Robert Frost. In the poem, Frost uses the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in life. It tells us about a man (the poet himself) who comes to a fork in the road, he is travelling upon. He can’t travel both paths and must choose one. This fork represents a point in man’s life where he has to choose the right direction. He stands and watches the first alternative that life provides to him. Then he views the other road or the other option of life. He resolves the dilemma by choosing the road less travelled by the people. He hopes that his choice will be more rewarding when he reaches the end of the journey. The poet leaves the first road for another day. He has a genuine doubt that one road leads to the other and he will never get a chance of going back. The title The Road Not Taken’ is quite appropriate and logical. It is very difficult to say whether he has made the right choice on the spur of the moment. It is possible that after many years from now he will not be too happy with his choice. But he had already taken the decision which couldn’t be altered now.

What is the dilemma of the poet in ‘The Road Not Taken’? How does Frost use the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in life? How does he resolve this dilemma and with what result? Had you been in place of the poet, would you have chosen the same road as chosen by the poet? If not, give reasons for your choice.

Answer- Robert Frost’s poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ is about the choices that one makes in life. In the poem, Frost uses the fork in the road as a metaphor for the choices we make in our lives. How our life will shape much depends on what option, and what direction we choose in life. The dilemma before the poet is how to make the right choice. Two roads are separating in a yellow forest. Both are equally fair. The poet sees the first road as far as it goes and assesses the situation. Then he turns to the second road as far as the first one. But the second road is less travelled by and its grass wants to wear. The poet resolves the dilemma by choosing the road which is less travelled by. He keeps the first road for another day. He knows that it becomes impossible to come back to the road one has left for another day. Frost himself chose the risky and unconventional profession of becoming a poet. Perhaps he was not happy about making his choice. Perhaps the road that was not taken would have proved more rewarding. But once the choice is made it becomes irrevocable. And this choice has made all the difference in life.  Being a man of adventurous nature, I would like to follow the unconventional path like the poet.

Multiple Choice Extra Questions-

Read the following extracts and choose the correct option :

I shall be telling this with a sigh

Somewhere ages and ages hence :

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –

I took the one less travelled by,

And that has made all the difference.

(a) ‘Sigh’ means :

(i) regret                                                          (ii) to hate

(iii) not to feel sorry                                        (iv) to be indifferent

 (b) What has made all the difference in the poet’s life?

(i) Choosing a travelled road                          (ii) Choosing a less travelled road

(iii) By not choosing any road                        (iv) By not being weak

(c) ‘Road’ is a metaphor for :

(i) travelling wisely                                         (ii) good health

(iii) choices we make in life

(iv) morning walks

Ans : (a) (i) (b) (ii) (c) (iii)

 2. And both that morning equally lay

In leaves, no step had trodden back.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to the way

I doubted if I should ever come back

 (a) ‘Both’ in line one refers to :

(i) leaves                                              (ii) roads

(iii) steps                                              (iv) the poet and his friends

 (b) The poet chose to travel on another road because :

(i) it was easier                                                (ii) it was shorter and easier

(iii) it was grassy and wanted wear                (iv) he was sure of his success in that way

 (c) The poet doubted if :

(i) he could ever finish his journey                  (ii) he could meet his family again

(iii) he could join his friend                             (iv) he could ever come back to travel the first road

Ans : (a) (ii) (b) (iii) (c) (iv)

Then took the other, as just as fair,

And having perhaps the better claim,

Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

(a) The poet didn’t take the first road as :

(i) It had worn out by continuous use                         (ii) It had been tried and tested

(iii) It was expected of him                                         (iv) It looked shabby

(b) The second road had the better claim as :

(i) It had been laying waste                              (ii) It was attractive with green grassy carpet

(iii) It needed to be explored                          (iv) It was full of surprises

 (c) The poet’s decision to take the other road indicates that he is :

(i) Adventurous                                               (ii) Calculative

(iii) Opportunist                                              (iv) Careful

Ans. (a) (i) (b) (iii) (c) (i)

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.

 (a) In this extract, the poet is describing.

(i) a road                                                                                  (ii) his love for trekking

(iii) two roads, the one he chose and the reason for his choice

(iv) his tastes

 (b) The poet doubts his comeback because

(i) he continues to follow the road he chooses                       (ii) he is very lazy

(iii) he is a man on the move                                                   (iv) he never repeats himself

(c) The first line of the extract can be explained as_________ .

(i) the world is round                                                  (ii) all roads have a dead end

(iii) all roads join at an intersection                             (iv) all roads lead to other roads

Ans. (a) (iii) (b) (i) (c) (iv)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveller, long I stood

To where it bent in the undergrowth

 (a) The poet is standing :

(i) at a crossing                                                            (ii) at a crossing in the autumn season

(iii) where two roads cross                                          (iv) in a forest

(b) He sees before him :

(i) a yellow forest and roads                                       (ii) two roads crossing

(iii) a dense forest                                                       (iv) two roads diverging in a forest

 Download The Road Not Taken Worksheet (Will be available soon)

 (c) His desire at this moment is to :

(i) cross the road                                                         (ii) travel further

(iii) travel on both the roads                                        (iv) see the forest

Ans. (a) (iii) (b) (iv) (c) (iii)

“And both that morning equally lay

In leaves, no step had trodden black.

Oh, I kept the first for another day!

Yet knowing how way leads on to way,

I doubted if I should ever come back.”

 (a) The poet decided that :

(i) he would take the second road and leave the first one for some other day

(ii) he would take the frequently trodden road

(iii) he would go back and decide later on                 (iv) he would take the first road

(b) ‘Leaves no step had trodden black’ implies :

(i) that the road was not taken by anyone                  (ii) that it was not a safe road

(iii) that the poet was not interested in taking the road

(iv) None of the above

 The Road Not Taken Lesson Plan for teachers (Will be available soon)

(c) ‘Should ever come back’show that the poet was :

(i) confident                                                                            (ii) indecisive

(iii) optimistic                                                                          (iv) pessimistic

Ans. (a) (i) (b) (i) (c) (ii)