Figurative Language in a Poem.

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in 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,
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.
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 traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

This is the poem I have chosen to analyze for figurative language.
1) The poem uses symbolism and itself, is a metaphor.
The words in the starting of the poem, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood", symbolises the choices being laid out for oneself at the peak of one's life, as when the wood is yellow, is a metaphor to autumn, which is the point of one's life before old age, in which is winter. I think the author used this figurative language as he wanted to paint out a picture that seemed as if he was just talking about an ordinary forest, but was in fact talking about life's progress.

The next words in the next line symbolises that in life, you are only allowed to make just one choice in which the path of life you want to take. The author used this as he wanted to paint out that both, in a forest and in life, you cannot take nack the choices you make at the start, as you will just go deeper and deeper into the outcomes of your choices.

The next eleven lines (The whole line) are consisted of mainly metaphors in which it depicts the road that many people have traveled before and that things look way better if the author were to travel by that road and it also depicts the scene in which the road that had not been taken in a long time. This part the author chose as he wanted to emphasize that the road which many people took before seems the best way out, going to the destination where every one went to. Howver, the other road seemed unsure of where it led to, giving the metaphorical meaning that if you follow the direction where every one is going, you would achieve the same amount of success or failure as everyone else. But if taken the other road, you would achieve something that not everone has done, but it would be a risk.

The ending few lines is also a metaphor, telling the reader that after many years, looking back at the road he took, he realised that he had made the right decision by choosing the road less taken. The author put chose this as he wanted to relay the message of trying out a different road from what everyone took will bring you unexpected rewards, and would help you in the long run.

2) The like the poem as I find it inspiring and uplifting, undestanding the hidden meaning behind the poem. It illustrates the path of life, choosing the path less taken will bring unexpected rewards, and benefit in the long run. This poem will then spur me on to try new things, to endeavor. With this poem, many people would then understand that choosing what everyone else has chosen will not exactly be the more successful one, and you wil just be equal, if not just a wee bit better or worse than the other people whop have taken that road, or in this case, choice. Picking the road less traveled will bring surprises along the way, in which would help you grow more experience and in the end, emerge as the last man standing. However, it does contain its risks. The road, in another circumstance could also be dangerous, thus the avoidance of the road. Sunmming it up, I like this poem as it displays how to achieve in life not directly, but in a more peaceful, "nature-friendly" way.