Poetry is a universal form of art. People belonging to different cultures have their own forms of expressing poetry. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” and Gary Soto’s “Saturday at the Canal,” demonstrate two of the many styles of poetry. Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken” symbolizes an individual’s decisions. The factors leading up to that decision, as well as the consequences that follow, are always unknown, as elaborated in the poem. Gary Soto’s “Saturday at the Canal” expands on a person’s deep desires. Deep desires can only be accomplished through freedom, and Soto understands that true freedom is virtually impossible - it is not realistic. These two poems use different literary elements that make them unique to themselves. Those literary …show more content…
In Frost’s poem, “The Road Not Taken,” the symbolism would be the decision he had made on which road to take. This helps to develop the theme that there is always an unknown element of a person’s decision. Frost illustrates this unfamiliar element where it is stated: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—/ I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference” (18-20). This theme is emphasized through the symbolism of his decision. The speaker chose to go through the route he assumed was the least used, thinking that there would be a different outcome - the unfamiliar factor. It is something universal for an individual to do something without knowing the consequences. Simply out of habit or because it is impossible to know immediate actions that follow. Similarly, Gary Soto’s “Saturday at the Canal” uses a form of symbolism to portray his theme of freedom and desire. The San Francisco postcard mentioned in the poem directly symbolizes the speaker’s main desire; the desire to go to San Francisco. It is proven that this postcard is a direct symbol for desire where it states: “And feeling awful because San Francisco was a / postcard / On a bedroom wall. We wanted to go there” (13-15). The theme of freedom and desire is expressed through the symbol in the poem, the postcard. The speaker is aware that he/she desire going to San Francisco, but do not understand that in order to do so, one needs complete freedom. All over the world, people wish to be free, whether it be politically, racially, or sometimes even from themselves. Symbolism exceptionally influences the theme of these two poems and the way it is
Immigrants have been dreaming about the promise of America for hundreds of years, but only the people who are brave enough have continued on coming to become a true American. Many different ethnicities have traveled into America to live their American dream, which is to have a job, house, a family of their own, and to have Freedom. Many people could either travel by train or boat. The poem “The New Colossus 1883” by Emma Lazarus tells a main idea of the Statue of Liberty represents freedom for many immigrants.
Enrique’s family was from the poor side of Tegucigalpa ripe with corruption and drug use most families barely able to keep food on the table. The thought of going to a place as welcoming as the poem states, a place that has open arms to the poor and homeless. The line yearning to breathe free could reference the crushing poverty under which the mothers and fathers would seek out ways to keep their children away from the pain. Parents seeking out ways to improve their children’s life might see America as the only option available at that moment to keep food on the table and the kids in school. In addition the ideal “American Dream” and the media over inflating how perfect America is might just be enough to tear a loving mother from her kids they might be able to live a better life, even if it is with out her.
“Road Not Taken” is a renowned poem by a famous American poet containing a message about life’s choices that is familiar to most people. Donald M. Murray uses the notoriety of the poem’s message to his advantage by alluding to it. In doing so, he emphasizes the similar message of his essay about how innocence causes blind decision making and the way in which people look back on those
“There’s never been equality for me, nor freedom in this homeland of the free.” America never was America to me! Both poems were written about the American Dream and how it benefited some people, while not so much for other people and the two poets wrote about how America seemed at the time they were living. “I Hear America Singing” and “Let America be America Again” are two popular poems from history and they have their similarities.
Poetry Analysis Once the poem “History Lesson” was written numerous poetry foundations celebrated it for many reasons. “History Lesson” not only makes an impact on literature today it has also impacted people also. This poem inspires people and moves them to the point to where they can find a personal connection to the poem itself and to the writer. Not only does it hold emotional value for those who were victimized and those whose family were victimized by the laws of segregation, but the poem is also celebrated for its complexity. The poem uses many techniques to appeal to the reader.
The Thorough Breakdown of Poem Immigrants After reading and studying the poem “Immigrants” by Pat Mora, one can see and identify a few literary symbolisms that are used to express the fearful tone of the poem. This poems three literary symbols that can be seen are, a sense of pride, acceptance, and of course sacrifice. The tone of this poem show how much an immigrant has to sacrifice in this country, in order to gain acceptance and, therefore, be proud Americans. Although, they can’t ever stop being who they are, they must try and sacrifice their own culture in order to be Americans.
The second speaker also reshapes the first two lines of the entire poem into a plea to the majority. Beforehand, the first speaker uses those lines as a call for the old American spirit to be revived: “Let America be America again / Let it be the dream it used to be” (1-2). Both speakers change the meaning of the lines to express their thoughts on America. As a result, the poem expresses the desire for everyone to be treated equally in the land of freedom. The readers can relate to the speaker because they wish that everyone has equal rights in the country that proclaims itself to be the symbol of freedom.
Throughout this poem, Robert Frost uses extended metaphors to convey that every human has a path that causes them to constantly make choices that will continue to shape their lives. In the first lines of the poem, Frost states, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood/ And sorry I could not travel both” (Lines 1-2). Immediately, the idea is established that the speaker has to make a decision.
Rina Morooka Mr Valera Language Arts Compare and Contrast essay on “The poet’s obligation”, “When I have fears that I may cease to be”, and “In my craft of sullen art” The three poems, “The poet’s obligation” by Neruda, “when I have fears that I may cease to be” by Keats, and “In my craft of sullen art” by Thomas, all share the similarity that they describe poets’ relationships with their poems. However, the three speakers in the three poems shared different views on their poetry; the speaker in Neruda’s poem believes that his poems which were born out of him stored creativity to people who lead busy and tiring life, and are in need of creativity, while the speaker in Keats’ poem believes that his poems are like tools to write down what
By the end of the poem, we have learned that the difficulty of choices is that sometimes you really have to let fate take the lead. The use of symbolism with the paths shows that it doesn’t matter which side has been taken more but which is the best one for you. Frost’s use of a metaphor and symbolism helps us clearly understand the meaning of the poem and what he is really trying to say. “The Road Not Taken” is a poem in which we learn that sometimes we have to let fate take the lead. With the use of literary devices and tone we acquire that this poem is trying to show us that life is a mixture of both life decisions and fate.
In the poem, “The Road Not Taken,” Robert Frost uses beautifully crafted metaphors, imagery, and tone to convey a theme that all people are presented with choices in life, some of which are life-altering, so one should heavily way the options in order to make the best choices possible. Frost uses metaphors to develop the theme that life 's journey sometimes presents difficult choices, and the future is many times determined by these choices. Throughout the poem, Frost uses these metaphors to illustrate life 's path and the fork in the road to represent an opportunity to make a choice. One of the most salient metaphors in the poem is the fork in the road. Frost describes the split as, “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, and sorry I could not travel both (“The Road Not Taken,” lines 1-2).
When reading the poems “The road not taken” by Robert Frost,and “O’Captain,My Captain” by Walt Whitman it is evident that both have a great deal of distinctions, as well as commonalities. The first poem,“The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is a symbolic story of a young man discovering his path in life. “The Road Not Taken” begins during Autumn, in the woods. The speaker,a young man, takes a stroll along a road. Eventually,he reaches a point in which the road diverges into two.
Frost utilizes analogous imagery throughout his poems; specifically in this poem, he uses natural imagery like the woods and roads to signify these themes. The woods represent indecision and instinct. Everywhere in literature, the plots of novels and poems alike contain characters lost in the woods. Similarly, in “The Road Not Taken”, the woods represent indecision while an adrift traveler wanders lost in the woods (Rukhaya). Frost repeatedly uses this symbol, and “the image...has represented indecision in Frost’s other poems…
An article called; What give Robert Frost 's "The Road Not Taken" It 's power? Brake down the poem from stanza to stanza giving you all the key point to Mr. frost point of view in the road not taken. The article states that for the stanza where Mr. frost speaks about the Road he took that was less traveled and how that road made all the difference" is actually speaking in reference to the North Of Boston as an apparent Declaration of Independence against cosmopolitanism, society and the option of other. The poem is unique in its own way not unique as in one of a kind but unique as in having different meaning to want the poet would like for the readers to
The poem, “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost states that in life we come upon many decisions, and there are points where we have to let fate take the lead. “The Road Not Taken” uses two paths as a symbol of a life decision. To understand this poem you have to have understanding of life’s meaning. The author helps us better understand the message by his use of tone and literary devices such as metaphors and symbolism. In this poem we come to realize that life is a combination of decisions and fate.