Revision – English Lang. & Lit.

Beehive

Chapter 1 (Poem)

The Road Not Taken (Textbook Questions)

Answer the following questions:

1. Where does the traveller find himself? What problem does he face?
Answer: The traveller finds himself in the yellow woods at a point where the road forks
into two. He faces the problem of choice. He cannot decide which road to take to continue
his journey since it is not possible for him to travel on both roads at the same time.

2. Discuss what these phrases mean to you.

(i) a yellow wood

(ii) it was grassy and wanted wear

(iii) the passing there

(iv) leaves no step had trodden black

(v) how way leads on to way

Answer:
(i) Yellow wood symbolizes the autumn season. Symbolically it corresponds with old age.

(ii) It conveys that the road was full of grass and nobody had used that road. It was a
smooth road which had not worn out. It was an unexplored opportunity.

(iii) The use of the path by a passer-by.

(iv) It represents a path which was never/seldom taken in life for the fear of uncertainty.

(v) This phrase means how certain decisions one makes in life could pave the way for many
other decisions.

3. Is there any difference between the two roads as the poet describes them
(i) in stanzas two and three?
(ii) in the last two lines of the poem?

Answer:
(i) In stanza two the poet explains that the only difference between the two roads was
that the road he took is a better claim because it was covered with grass and was never
travelled before. Besides this difference, both roads had been equally worn down by the
passersby travelling on them. In stanza three the poet says that both the roads were
equally covered with leaves and that no person had stepped on them.

(ii) In the last two lines of the poem the poet says that there is a difference between the
two roads because he took the road that was less taken by other people. It made all the
difference to his journey.

4. What do you think the last two lines of the poem mean? (Looking back, does the poet
regret his choice or accept it?)

Answer: In the last two lines of the poem, the poet accepts the reality. The poet made a
choice and -accepted the challenging path. He took the unexplored path in his life. He
wanted to do something different in his life so he chose the less travelled road. No, he
does not regret his choice.

Answer these questions that follow:

1. Have you ever had to make a difficult choice (or do you think you will have difficult
choices to make)? How will you make the choice (for what reasons)?

Answer: Everyone has to make a choice in one’s life. Life is full of opportunities and
options. One can’t take up all of them. We have to make a choice out of them. No, I have
never had to make a difficult choice till now. I am too young to make an independent
decision. But after some time, I will also have to make a choice. When I face such a
situation, I will weigh all the pros and cons of the choice and take a decision. I may even
consult my parents and teachers for my decision.

2. After you have made a choice do you always think about what might have been, or do you
accept the reality?

Answer: It’s human nature to think what might have been if we had selected some other
path. But it’s also a fact that once we choose a path and cover some distance, there is no
going back. One should think before making a choice. One should weigh all the pros and
cons of the choice. But once we make a choice we should be determined to move on.
Regretting the choice does not help. Acceptance of reality motivates. I will definitely
accept the reality.
 EXTRA QUESTIONS
Answer the following questions with reference to the extract of the poem given:

1. “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) What does ‘both’ refer to?

Ans: Both refers to both the roads in front of the poet.

(b) What does the line ‘Leaves no step had trodden black’ imply about the setting of the
poem?

Ans: The time is early in the morning.

(c) What do you understand about the poet’s character from the line ‘Should ever come
back?

Ans: Poet is curious to know about the road/choice he left out.

2. 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,”

(a) Why did the road of the poet’s choice present a better claim than the first?

Ans: The author chose the road after much analysis.

(b) What is the poetic device used in the 3rd line?

Ans: Alliteration
(c) Which road did the narrator choose? Why?

Ans: The second road, which was grassy. He wanted to be unique and adventurous.

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

Ans: The choice made a person decides his destiny.

(b) What is the theme of the poem?

Ans: Significance of decision making

(c) Explain the symbols used by the poet in the poem.

Ans: Road, Woods, Bent on the road

Answer the following questions in 40-50 words:

1. What was the poet’s dilemma?

Ans: The Poet was standing before the two roads. He had to decide which on would lead
him to success. It was not easy for him to decide. So, he stood there and introspected.
Out of the two options, he had to choose the one. Of course, it was not an easy choice.

2. What do the roads represent figuratively?

Ans: The roads represent the problem of decision-making. Human beings suffer because of
their choices and decisions. They find themselves in such situations at every step in their
lives. Out of the available options, they have to choose the one that may take them to
their destination. The choice decides the outcome of life.

3. Was it easy for the poet to decide which road to choose? Why / Why not?

Ans: No, it was not easy. He could not see any differences in the beginning, later a closer
observation brought to his notice the slight difference between the two roads. The second
road has some grass and weeds, which shows that it was less used by the passer by. He,
being unique, chose the second road. Still he has a tendency to look or explore the first
road as well. He tried to convince his mind saying that he reserved the first road for later.

4. Did the poet take his decision haphazardly?

Ans: No, he speculated and brooded over the situation. He took this decision after a lot of
contemplation. He did not take this decision haphazardly. No doubt, he was a bit confused.
After all, it was not quite easy to make the right choice. But he exercised his option after
much contemplation.

5.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 symbolizes 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.

Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:

1. What is the theme of the poem “The Road Not Taken’?

Answer: The poem ‘The Road Not Taken’ offers a profound perception into the process of
decision making. The traveller at the crossroads of the diverging roads is symbolic of an
individual at a decisive moment in his life’s journey. His decision or choice of future action
is of utmost significance since the decision decides his destiny. The poet, Robert Frost,
through this poem asserts the importance of the right decision at the right time. In life
we have to make our choices; sometimes we have to make these choices without the full
understanding of the state of affairs. Even then, we should arrive at decision only after
carefully considering all the available options. We may regret our choice or we may be
excited about our choice, but the choice at the crucial moment will determine and change
the path of our life. Hence, the poem stresses the need for deep and critical analysis of
the situation before we arrive at a life-transforming decision.

2. Does the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’, symbolize or reveal a meaning or aspect of
freedom or responsibility?

Answer: The poem reveals the complex nature of a seemingly simple decision. The narrator
is conflicted as he thinks about which road to take. Even after some deliberation and the
fact that usage “Had worn them really about the same,” he cannot help wondering, but
then doubting “if I should ever come back.” He is even trying to convince himself that he
has made the best choice as, when he looks back “Somewhere ages and ages hence,” he is
sure that he will be able to say that he made the best choice and that it “has made all the
difference”. This poem highlights the fact that freedom (of choice in this instance) brings
with it its own set of responsibilities. The poem also, perhaps, indicates the futility of
over-thinking some situations. If, even trivial decisions require so much thought, how can
anyone ever make life-changing decisions. Apparently for the narrator, this is life-
changing. At least the choice is his to make.

3.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.

4.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. First, one of the roads is described as grassy and 'wanted 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.