blueeyedlass16's Xanga

The Road not Taken.....

Wed, 14 Jun 2006 11:30:43 GMT

Growing up in a home where great works of literature were greatly appreciated, we were constantly encouraged to explore the bookshelves that spanned floor to ceiling. Novels and short stories captured my attention for hours at a time, but when I was quiet or wanted to think, I would curl up behind the family entertainment center with my small back against the warm brick chimney. I would drag blankets and pillows in with me creating a cozy little nest. It was there at a young age I became friends with Emily Dickinson, Emily and Charlotte Bronte, Robert Frost, William Wordsworth, Walt Whitman, Robert and Emily Browning, Robert Burns, Alfred Noyes, and so many others. When I first started reading poetry I didn’t really understand much of what I was reading, but I loved it because it was so beautiful. As I began to understand the words that I drank off the pages more and more, my love for them became much stronger. No matter what stage of my life that I was treading through, there was always a poet could describe what I was feeling.

As I was ending my senior year in high school, my best friend gave me a Robert Frost book for my birthday, and in its pages she wrote a note next to “The Road Not Taken.”

Everyone is a traveler on this journey through life; we choose the roads and paths that we take and the roads that we leave un-traveled. There isn’t and never will be a straight road leading in one direction with a clear view of what lays ahead. Robert Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken,” is a symbolic of the trials, complication, and decisions that every human being must, and will, face through the course of their lives. The title of the poem is self-explanatory, but the contents that follow can be interpreted many different ways. It is a poem that every individual may interpret differently given their life experiences and which path they choose to take. I feel that Robert Frost knew this; through his use of “free imagery” he makes his poem have a unique complexity, causing you to ponder what he really meant.

I believe that Robert Frost reveals through this poem the belief that the path or road that one chooses makes a person who they will become.

The first line describes the setting, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.” The description of “yellow wood” suggests that it is fall and the leaves are changing, which could be symbolic of the change in season in a person’s life. In the following line, “And sorry I could not travel both,” the narrator shows regret that he can travel only one of the roads. Giving the feeling that the choice he makes is of great importance, it is as though he doesn’t want to forever wonder what it would be like to have traveled the other road. In the next few lines of the stanza, the narrator spends much time choosing which road to take. As he tries to make his decision he, “looked down one as far as I could,” trying to get some indication of which road to choose, but the end could not be seen.

In the next stanza he looks down the next road, “Then took the other, as just as fair,” this one being, “perhaps the better claim.” It was a better claim because, “it was grassy and wanted wear,” thus it was obviously the path that the mainstream or majority of people did not take. I believe that Frost used the word “wanted” instead of another adjective, because it shows a kind of longing.

Surprisingly, in the next stanza the narrator declares the two roads the same, “both that morning equally lay.” Frost made the two roads look the same because if the two roads had appeared to be different, then the decision to choose would be much easier. By making the two roads appear to be the same the narrator must ponder what each path’s outcome may be.

“In leaves no step had trodden black,” I believe that Frost depicted that both roads were covered with leaves, covering all signs that others had traveled there, because when we come to a large decision in our own lives often we felt as though we are the only ones that have ever stood in that exact spot. I know that is how I feel when I was deciding which college to attend, although I knew that thousands upon thousands had come to the same fork in the road, I still felt as though I was the only one in history to ever feel confused.

The traveler finally decides the second road, “Oh, I kept the first for another day!” as though he might have the chance to come back to this same place and choose the first road. However, when the narrator says at the end of the third stanza, “I doubted if I should ever come back,” it’s as if the traveler realizes that once a step is taken or a thought spoken, it is finalized in history, there is no turning back.

The final stanza is one filled with regret, “telling this with a sigh,” I believe that the narrator is sighing because he is unsure of his original decision. “Somewhere ages and ages hence,” in this line the narrator is wondering if at the end of his life he will have regretted taking the path. I wonder why Frost chose to title the poem, “The Road Not Taken,” instead of, “The Road Taken,” - it holds an air of discontentment. My thoughts are answered in the last two lines, “I took the one less traveled by, / and that has made all the difference.” The path that each individual takes will shape and mold who they will become; there is no road map telling us to take the road less traveled or the road that is more traveled. Frost leaves us wondering: is there a right path, or is there only the path chosen and the one not chosen?

Friday, January 06, 2006

Fri, 06 Jan 2006 15:57:32 GMT

You scored as The Holly. In Celtic astrology, you're a Holly. The animal symbol that accompanies this tree is the unicorn. The ancient Druids say Holly people are cautious, capable, steadfast, efficient, supportive and protective. However, Hollies may be prone to perfectionism, loss of direction and possessiveness, especially toward people.

The Hawthorn

70%

The Holly

70%

The Oak

70%

The Hazel

60%

The Birch

60%

The Alder

55%

The Rowan

55%

The Willow

50%

The Reed

50%

The Vine

40%

The Ash

40%

The Ivy

35%

The Elder

35%

What Tree Are You? (Celtic astrology)
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Thursday, January 05, 2006

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 11:05:12 GMT

hehe

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 11:04:55 GMT

You scored as Starry Eye. You are Starry Eyed. You only want to be known. You have so many high amobitions and all you want do do is acheive them. You day dream about being famous and having millions of fans screaming your name.

Hurt Eye

50%

Starry Eye

50%

Crying Eye

50%

Sexy Eye

40%

Angry Eye

30%

Dramatic Eye

30%

What eye are you (Beautiful Pics)
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Thursday, January 05, 2006

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 09:43:36 GMT

My Fairyland

As you would leave the sanctuary of our blue back door, you would find yourself standing on a cement landing surrounded by a sea of green. Around this massive sea of green was a fence of dignified trees: if you cross the grassy plain to this hedge you would see that is gauds a great embankment. My small bare feet would carry me down its steep slope and soon I would be standing on a trodden dear path. Skipping, I would follow its narrow winding trail, through brier patches and evergreen plantations over hills and through gullies. As I came nearer to the end of the twisty lane the faint sound of rippling water would float to my eager ears. In moments I would be standing on the banks of a beautiful silvery stream with over hanging grandmother tress waving their white branches in greeting. Rolling up my pant legs, I would begin the journey across the pebble strewn creak bed jumping from rock to rock. Just of to the left was the greatest of all the white queens, her branches uplifted toward the heavens. Beneath her was a thick root forming a seat that overlooked a small waterfall, a seat that was there just for me. As I sat there stillness would envelop my entire being.

All would be quite except for the sweet distant song of a lonely bird and the gentle splashing of water. As I sat under the motherly arms of that ancient maple tree, I would be in awe of the glorious beauty that surrounded me. Listening to the stream lazily roll laughing and gossiping along at my feat, I would sit for hours just being and really observing mother nature show me her hidden secrets. In the fall I would watch torrents of wind stream through the spectrum of scarlet and gold, breaking some free from their resting places. I would watch as they began to delicately dance their way to the forest floor, rejoicing in their newfound freedom. The mossy carpet would be blotched with falls dramatic foliage; its shadowy green complexion interrupted with brilliant color.

Now as a young woman I go back to that hidden secret place nestled back in the woods, and I can still remember how it felt as a young girl to bask in the sunlight, to feel the majestic woodland standing tall shielding me from the world outside of its magical walls. It was there that I learned to be still, to take the time to really look at things. I learned to take time to find the hidden means in the simplest things.

Thursday, January 05, 2006

Thu, 05 Jan 2006 09:30:50 GMT

“ A word is not a crystal, transparent and unchanged; it is the skin of a living thought and may vary greatly in color and content according to the circumstances and time in which it is used.” – Oliver Wendall Holmes

These words were at one time thought to be music for the soul and were easily understood. Today, however, they are taught to senior level high school students in “Advanced Placement” level English classes, so that they might be deciphered and decoded as though it were another language. In an age where the latest reality television shows, top ten songs on the radio, and the world of Internet and instant message seemingly reign, have the classics with their wealth of knowledge been placed on the shelves of time to collect dust and mildew?

‘A picture is worth a thousand words.’ We have all heard this catchy phrase used many times, but is it really true? Can one photograph replace the existence of a thousand words? I have never seen a photograph that has depicted the massive and diverse range of emotions and feelings that a simple story can express and explore. Yes, photographs help us visually connect with things, and can be easy to relate to. But, I do not believe that one hundred pictures could capture the character and personality of a person, object, or story like a few short paragraphs can. With the recent catastrophe, Hurricane Katrina, photographs and images bombarded us from everywhere, the television, newspapers and journals, and the Internet, to help us understand this horrible event. Shortly after Katrina hit the airwaves, I read a short story written by a Katrina victim, although short in length, it was much more powerful in depicting the emotions of the many survivors then the thousands of images that I had seen.

Growing up in the “instant” or “me, me, me” Generation, I find it horribly sad that in pursuit of instant gratification. (e.g. internet, instant messaging, cell phones) we have become lazy and disconnected. We have become so accustomed to the world being at our fingertips quickly, that if we are required to read a four hundred page book we instantly turn to the “friendly world of Internet” to find the footnotes.

Who is to blamb for the regress in English in schools today? Is it the children because they are unwilling to apply themselves to their studies, is it their parents for not spending enough time working with their children on homework, is it the teachers for making the requirements too easy, or is it the government trying to beat the people of America into submission through the lack of education? Or, have we just grown accustomed to a world filled with “lol” (laugh out loud) G2G (got to go!) and the many other puns that have taken over proper English and grammar? The work by Shakespeare, one of the greatest poets, today are “dummified” so that the average American high school students can understand the struggle between moral integrity and a need for vengeance in the story of “Hamlet” or the heart wrenching romance of “Romeo and Juliet” Is it sad , or it is fate that we should simply accept for our generation, to live in a world dominated by instant Internet access and instant messaging with all of its puns and let some of the most intriguing and fascinating information gather dust?

Thursday, December 29, 2005

Thu, 29 Dec 2005 14:19:40 GMT

You scored as Jo. You are Jo! Skilful in writing, artistic, melodramatic and sanguine.

75%

Beth

60%

Meg

35%

Amy

30%

What heroine are you from Little Women?
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Saturday, December 10, 2005

Sat, 10 Dec 2005 09:00:38 GMT

Hello all,

Only two more finals!!!!! Only one more weekend of torture!!!!! I cannot wait for Tuesday so that I can sleep all blessed day……it will be like a little taste of heaven. Lol. Well needless to say I am in finales week of an awful semester, but it will soon be over. Thank God! ….there I feel better…how about you!

Jessie

Thursday, November 17, 2005

Thu, 17 Nov 2005 19:54:31 GMT

Hello All,

Wow I haven’t posted anything in so long…( I say that almost every time that I post. J). Life has been such a whirlwind, since I last wrote I have fallen into the routine of a college freshmen and my grandfather has had a stroke and is currently in a nursing home receiving therapy. Life has been really crazy, the school that I go to is catholic but not one christen is anywhere to be found. It’s a very dark place, and hard to be in daily, but God has been faithfully by my side holding me hand and uplifting my when I fall down. Well, I need to run…and I will try to post soon. Haha

Jessie

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Thu, 11 Aug 2005 20:24:46 GMT

Hello everyone,

I have had a really busy last few days, and unfortunately I don’t really have time to write much. I want to ask for prayer for a girl in my homeschool group, her name is Sarah Hurst and this past Tuesday night she was helping her dad build a tree house. As I understand it, she lost her footing and fell somewhere between 6 to 9 feet. She was Mercy flighted to the hospital, and pronounced to have a broken back. Late last night I received a call saying that the doctors are giving no hope that she will ever be able to walk again. She is a young girl of 15, just at the blossom of her youth. I am asking that you and your families will pray that doctors will either find some way to fix her or that God’s loving and merciful hand will heal her broken body. Thank you and God bless!

Jessie