14 - The Road Not Taken

14 - The Road Not Taken

By

Robert Frost

Stanza 1

Stanza 1: On the road of life, the speaker arrives at a point where he must decide which of two equally appealing choices is the better one. He examines one choice as best he can, but the future prevents him from seeing where it leads.

Multiple Choice

Do you think it was easy for the poet to choose between the two roads?

• Yes, it was an easy decision. The attraction for both roads was the same.

• No, it was not an easy decision. The attraction for both roads was the same. He stood at the juncture for a short time trying to decide which way to go.

• No, it was not an easy decision. The attraction for both roads was the same. He stood at the juncture for a long time trying to decide which way to go.

Multiple Choice

Why does the poet call the wood ‘yellow wood’?

• The poet calls the wood ‘yellow wood’ because the woods are yellow in color.

• The poet calls the wood ‘yellow wood’ because everything is turning yellow, as it is fall/autumn.

• The poet calls the wood ‘yellow wood’ because everything is turning yellow.

Multiple Choice

Who is the traveller? Why does he feel sorry?

• The poet is the traveller. He feels sorry as he cannot travel both the roads. He had to choose one.

• Rabindranath Tagore is the traveller. He feels sorry as he cannot travel both the roads. He had to choose one.

• The poet is the traveller. He stood and thought and then choose one.. He had to choose one.

Multiple Choice

Why does the poet look down the road as far as he can see?

• The poet looked down the road as far as he could see to know what was going on ahead.

• The poet looked down the road as far as he could see to know what lay ahead. The way was lost in the bushes and so he could not see any further

• The poet looked down the road as far as he could see to know what lay ahead. He had to make a decision about which way to go. The way was lost in the bushes and so he could not see any further

Multiple Choice

Choose the correct option to explain the phrase ‘bent in the undergrowth’.

The phrase means that………

• there were bushes

• one couldn’t see beyond a point

• the road was grassy and full of leaves.

Stanza 2

The speaker selects the road that appears at first glance to be less worn and therefore less traveled. This selection suggests that he has an independent spirit and does not wish to follow the crowd. After a moment, he concludes that both roads are about equally worn.

Multiple Choice

Where did the poet stand for long?

• The poet could not travel on both the roads.

• The poet stood at the fork for a long time as he was thinking about the poem.

• The poet stood at the fork for a long time as he had to decide which way to go.

Multiple Choice

Why is he forest described as yellow?

• The forest is described as yellow as it is the poet's favorite color.

• It was the autumn/fall season. the leaves had turned yellow.

• It was colorful so the poet described it as yellow.

Stanza 3

Leaves cover both roads equally. No one on this morning has yet taken either road, for the leaves lie undisturbed. The speaker remains committed to his decision to take the road he had previously selected, saying that he will save the other road for another day. He observes, however, that he probably will never pass this way again and thus will never have an opportunity to take the other road.

Multiple Choice

Does the poet take the road that he was looking at in the first stanza?

• Yes, the poet took the one that was traveled on.

• No, the poet took the one that was less traveled by.

• The poet just stood there looking at both roads.

Multiple Choice

Why does the other road have a better claim?

• The other road had a better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear.

• The other road had a better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear. It appeared as a new road.

• The other road had a better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear. Its leaves had not turned black by travelers walking on it. It appeared as a new road.

Stanza 4

In years to come, the speaker says, he will be telling others about the choice he made. While doing so, he will sigh either with relief that he made the right choice or with regret that he made the wrong choice. Whether right or wrong, the choice will have had a significant impact on his life.

Open Ended

Pick out words and phrases that suggest the poet is in a sad mood.