Question

Read the following 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.


Respond to the following prompt:
Be sure to use proper grammar, sentence structure, capitals and punctuation. Be sure to answer all questions.
In your opinion, do you think McCandless would have appreciated this poem? Why or why not? Provide at least two text examples from the poem and what you know about McCandless to answer this question. Additionally, does this poem connect with you? Why or why not?

Answer 1

As a student, I would say that Christopher McCandless would have appreciated "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. McCandless was known for his non-conformist, adventurous spirit, and the themes in the poem align with his philosophy of forging his own path in life. The idea of taking the road less traveled and making choices that lead to a different outcome would have resonated with him, as evidenced by his decision to leave behind his conventional life and venture into the Alaskan wilderness.

The line "I doubted if I should ever come back" also speaks to McCandless's willingness to take risks and leave behind familiar paths. He was known for his nomadic lifestyle and his willingness to go off the beaten path, and the poem echoes this sentiment.

As for whether or not the poem connects with me personally, I think it does. I appreciate the idea of taking risks and making choices that lead to a different outcome. The poem encourages readers to embrace the unknown and to forge their own way in life, which is a message that I find inspiring.