The Road Taken Essay Example for Free

The Road Taken Essay Literature is the expression of thoughts, ideas, or feelings someone may have and can either be written or spoken. Often times we become part of the literature in a way to try to understand what the message is that the author is trying to provide to us. The literary work that I have chosen was a poem written by Robert Frost in 1916 titled, The Road Not Taken. There were a few reasons why this piece of literary work captured by interest and the first was that in High School we spent a week provided our analysis on this piece. It caught my interest based on the genre. Poetry is a type of literature that is open to interpretation and there is truly no right and wrong answer so it gives me the opportunity to analyze it without there truly being a right or wrong answer, I would have to back up my opinion with facts. What also caught my attention was the use of tone, symbolism, and imagination. My feelings on the tone over time have changed and I feel that the tone is more depressive. I can apply what I feel the meaning of the poem which to me means the journey we take in life and the choices we make and how we look back at them. Secondly the use of symbolism can be seen throughout the entire poem and can be applied to everyones life. Imagination can be tied with the symbolism, Robert Frost use of imagination gives the poem meaning and allows us to engage in identify with his meaning is and is trying to portray to us. One of the analytical approaches in Journey into Literature written by Clungston (2010), is a reader-response approach. It is a way to find a personal link with the poem but there is more to this approach, there are a few questions that we need to ask in order to develop a critical analysis of the work. What captured your imagination? Was it a feeling, an emotion, a  curiosity, or an aspiration? Did it involve a desire to escape a past or present association? What motivation or change did my connection with this piece of literature create in my thinking? In my relationships? What connections can I make between this piece of literature and others that I’ve read? Did my â€Å"connection† reinforce things I knew or add new insights? These are the questions that need to be answered prior to proceeding with a critical analysis essay of a particular piece of literature. The poem The Road Not Taken, written by Robert Frost is a poem which consist of four stanzas that each contain fives lines. What first drew me in was the symbolism and imagination which caused me to develop a personal and emotional connection to the poem. I developed a personal connection with the poem from the first stanza. Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler (Frost, 1916). His use of symbolism can be seen in this verse meaning the decisions people make in life or the unique path we all travel in life. He then proceeds to tell us how he is thinking about his decisions prior to making it and trying to weigh the options and try to determine the outcomes. long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth (Frost, 1916). In the poem Frost describes how he looks down both paths and how one looked better than the other but both are about the same. What I believe Frost is saying that both choices look good and that one may be better than the other but both have been followed. 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 (Frost, 1916). In this his last stanza he tells us that in the future he knows that we would look back and with a sigh that he took the road less traveled meaning that he made a choice that many do not make but this made all the difference. Now when I read the line I took the one less traveled by, (Frost, 1916) and I look at the title I begin to wonder why the title is not The Road Less Traveled. The poem does leave a lingering sense of melancholy mystery in my mind and I think both the sigh and title express this. I believe that Frost regrets the decision he has made this is why he would refer back to the road he did take. Also with the title The Road Not Taken, Robert Frost se ems fixated on what is down that path that he did not  take. Robert Frost has left this poem open to many different interpretations. I believe that everyone can find their own meaning to this poem based on their life experiences. Based on his use of metaphors, symbols, and imagination, he leaves the meaning open to the reader. References Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Frost, R. (1993). The road not taken, and other poems. New York: Dover Publications.

Aeneas Fights With Turnus Essays -- Aeneid Virgil Essays

Aeneas Fights With Turnus In the Aeneid, Virgil describes many human qualities, problems and characteristics. Some examples which I wish to illustrate can be found in the end of epic, in the scene of the final duel between Aeneas and Turnus. Virgil also introduces a novel idea in his work. Both sides, the Trojans and the Latins, are portrayed as noble people. Even though Aeneas is fated to win, and he is the hero of the work, the opposing force, Turnus, is not portrayed as evil, but rather like a noble person in a very hard situation. Virgil deals as much with physical and psychological problems Turnus faces, being an honest and noble man, as he does with Aeneas’s problems. By the time the battle begins, Turnus knows that he will lose. His sister, who was given some divine powers by Jupiter earlier, helped him during the battle before the final duel, but then she is called off by Jupiter. Turnus knew even before the battle started that he will lose, because it was fated for Aeneas to receive the land and marry Lavinia. He was urged by King Latinus and Lavinia herself not to fight but as the poet says, â€Å"Words cannot check the violence of Turnus† (Book XII, 62). Who was Turnus’s â€Å"violence†, or anger against? I do not think that it was Aeneas. Turnus was angry at the fate that forced him to give up the woman he loved to some newcomer. He could not accept that. Virgil is showing that anger can drive a person to the most irrational decisions. Turnus went, knowingly, to die because he was angry at fate, which cannot be changed. Aeneas faces a similar problem when he has to leave Dido -- fate is against his desires, but Aeneas, chooses fate’s way, while Turnus chooses his desires. This quality is not only portrayed in the ... ...ght of Pallas’s belt upon his murderer. He decides to avenge him, and punish Turnus for his crimes. Here, justice prevails over mercy, and repentance does not achieve any results. It is difficult to see how in later times Virgil might have been referred to as a Christian before Christ. He clearly here states that Aeneas, who was a very humane hero, kills Turnus to avenge his friend despite the fact that Turnus repented his sins. At the end, justice triumphs over feelings like mercy. Both men, Aeneas and Turnus are shown to be bound by justice. Turnus cannot accept Aeneas’s usurping of his wedding rites, and is prepared to fight and die for it. Aeneas cannot accept the slaughter of his friend, and must avenge him. And even though only one of them is the hero of the epic, both follow a similar path through the work, and both get what they were assigned to by fate.

Death, Dying, and Bereavement Essay

In our busy lives, filled with work and family, we learn to take many things for granted. One of these is that nothing will change, not our friends, families and jobs. However, every now and then, something happens to shake us out of our denial and into stark awareness that things can happen very suddenly. Then, we are reminded of how fragile life is and how nothing stays the same. Death is an inseparable part of life. If we are to live life honestly and without fear, we have to also accept that death is ultimately inevitable. Death should not cause us to live in fear, but rather to live our lives in the very best way that we can. It is important to not â€Å"bury our head in the sand† and instead, to make responsible preparations including financial and legal arrangements, as well as talking about our wishes with our family and friends. By understanding the rites and rituals that accompany a death in our culture, religion or spiritual group, we can better prepare for the dying and grieving process. Witnessing the death of my mother five years ago was a devastating blow but in retrospect it taught me to appreciate the small things in life, to value my relationships, and to trust in God. Finding Closure The death of a parent can be a very shocking and life-changing experience. Suddenly the person that you turned to for their wisdom and their advice is no longer available. The loss of a loved one will leave you feeling empty inside, as if the world will never be the same again and nothing will ever be able to heal your pain. The truth is that time heals all wounds and the world keeps on going as if nothing happened.

The Transition Of Medieval And Modern Times - 1235 Words

The transition of Medieval to Modern happened over a long period of time. The middle ages marked a dark time in Europe’s history, and the people were anxious to get out. The Renaissance began, and art emerged to create a brighter society. During the Reformation, the country shifted away from the Roman Catholic Church, and many Protestant religions emerged. The Scientific Revolution also marked a change in medical to modern by creating new ways to look at the world and mathematics. The Age of Discovery marked yet another change in Medical to modern Europe when new technologies emerged in order to navigate around the world. Along with many other rulers, King Louis XIV changed France into a country looking to expand, which differed from†¦show more content†¦Sfumato used smokiness, and the colors within the painting merging together. It was emotion within the scene and showed enormous depth. Through all of the different art advances during the renaissance, the Renai ssance Art helped shift Europe out of the medieval times and into a more modern lifestyle. The reformation was a key factor in the transition of medical to modern Europe. During the end of the Middle Ages, the Church became corrupt and started focusing on money instead of power. Therefore, many reformers emerged onto the scene to help stop these corrupt methods. Martin Luther was the first to go against the church, and he was followed by many other reformers soon after. Luther, along with other reformers, marked a change in the way religion was in Europe. They formed their own ways of religion against the church, and formed a modern way of religion in Europe. Before, there was one main religion, and if you were not Catholic you were not accepted. Yet after the Reformation, more religions emerged in Europe. Although they were not all accepted everywhere, the people were able to practice their religion without being persecuted. Through the Reformation and the acceptance of ot her religions, Europe shifted from medieval to modern. The scientific revolution in changed the way people thought about mathematics and engineering. In medieval times, there was no reason for a lot of the events. Through the scientific revolution, EuropeShow MoreRelatedHistorical And Philosophical Movement Of The Renaissance1596 Words   |  7 Pagesshape modern philosophy. By focusing, on ideas presented by Southern, Petrarch, and Burckhardt I will argue that the historical and philosophical movement of the renaissance progressed the writings and concerns of the medieval times through the emergence of humanism and free will, the revival of antiquity, natural philosophy and enlightment of knowledge. 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