ELECTIVE TWO: EXPLORING TRANSITIONS
Related text
'The Road Not Taken' by Robert Frost
The Road Not Taken
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.
Synopsis
Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken' was first publish in 1916 as the first poem in the collection 'Mountain'.
As the poem reveals, the speaker stands in the woods, considering a fork in the road. Both ways are equally worn and equally overlaid with un-trodden leaves. The speaker chooses one, telling himself that he will take the other another day. Yet he knows it is unlikely that he will have the opportunity to do so. The speaker admits that someday in the future he will recreate the scene with a slight twist: He will claim that he took the less-traveled road.
Publishing details/reference:
Frost, Robert. (1916)
How will Robert Frost’s poem 'The Road Not Taken' enrich the study of 'The Story of Tom Brennan' in the context of exploring transitions?
Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ is an autobiographical poem consisting of four stanzas of iambic tetrameter. In essence, ‘The Road Not Taken’ symbolises life, in that most individuals are faced with two different choices at one time or another. Although on face value the poem appears to be about non-conformity and taking the ‘road less travelled’, upon closer look the theme presents itself as indecision, because, as the poem explains, the speaker is frozen with fear of not choosing the correct path to travel “Long I stood and looked down one [path] as far as I could”. Like ‘The Road Not Taken’, ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ deals with the effects of geographical change and the anguish of decision-making and the growth it incites. The novels protagonist, Tom, feels despair over the foolish and irresponsible decision of his brother Daniel to drink and drive. Like the speaker in the poem, Tom is forced to deal with the consequences of his brother’s decision and, as a result, undergoes personal growth in the form of maturity. Studying the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ as a related text would enrich the text ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ due to the similarities in themes and issues. Both texts revolve around the inner turmoil of individuals and the difficulties they face as a result of theirs and others decisions and actions. Both Tom and the unnamed speaker experience emotional growth and maturity as a result of their experiences. As a result of studying the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ it is hoped that students learn about the ways language forms and features, and structures of texts shape meaning and influence responses in the context of exploring transitions.
Robert Frost's poem 'The Road Not Taken' was first publish in 1916 as the first poem in the collection 'Mountain'.
As the poem reveals, the speaker stands in the woods, considering a fork in the road. Both ways are equally worn and equally overlaid with un-trodden leaves. The speaker chooses one, telling himself that he will take the other another day. Yet he knows it is unlikely that he will have the opportunity to do so. The speaker admits that someday in the future he will recreate the scene with a slight twist: He will claim that he took the less-traveled road.
Publishing details/reference:
Frost, Robert. (1916)
How will Robert Frost’s poem 'The Road Not Taken' enrich the study of 'The Story of Tom Brennan' in the context of exploring transitions?
Robert Frost’s ‘The Road Not Taken’ is an autobiographical poem consisting of four stanzas of iambic tetrameter. In essence, ‘The Road Not Taken’ symbolises life, in that most individuals are faced with two different choices at one time or another. Although on face value the poem appears to be about non-conformity and taking the ‘road less travelled’, upon closer look the theme presents itself as indecision, because, as the poem explains, the speaker is frozen with fear of not choosing the correct path to travel “Long I stood and looked down one [path] as far as I could”. Like ‘The Road Not Taken’, ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ deals with the effects of geographical change and the anguish of decision-making and the growth it incites. The novels protagonist, Tom, feels despair over the foolish and irresponsible decision of his brother Daniel to drink and drive. Like the speaker in the poem, Tom is forced to deal with the consequences of his brother’s decision and, as a result, undergoes personal growth in the form of maturity. Studying the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ as a related text would enrich the text ‘The Story of Tom Brennan’ due to the similarities in themes and issues. Both texts revolve around the inner turmoil of individuals and the difficulties they face as a result of theirs and others decisions and actions. Both Tom and the unnamed speaker experience emotional growth and maturity as a result of their experiences. As a result of studying the poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ it is hoped that students learn about the ways language forms and features, and structures of texts shape meaning and influence responses in the context of exploring transitions.
How to get students to think about the effects of certain decisions:
Students are to write down in their exercise books four different decisions or choices they have had to make over the past week or month. e.g. To go to English class with Miss Milner or stay home and watch T.V.
Students are to then put their choices in order from least to most important and then discuss with the person sitting next to them and compare answers. Students should discuss the ramifications of the decisions they made and how their lives may be different if they had made different choice. Students should consider whether they had the same answers, and why/why not.
Students are to write down in their exercise books four different decisions or choices they have had to make over the past week or month. e.g. To go to English class with Miss Milner or stay home and watch T.V.
Students are to then put their choices in order from least to most important and then discuss with the person sitting next to them and compare answers. Students should discuss the ramifications of the decisions they made and how their lives may be different if they had made different choice. Students should consider whether they had the same answers, and why/why not.