THE SYMBOLISM OF THE JOURNEY

The Symbolism of the Journey

The Symbolism of the Journey

Thesis Statement

As it stands in modern days, symbolism is commonly used in short stories and poems. Either way the author uses such literary works to lure the reader in. When such works are used the writer must consider how a reader could relate, whether through life experiences or imagination. The experience begins with, and is determined by, the depth of connection you make with the imaginary world that a piece of literature presents. Now symbolism is something that has literary identity, but also stands for something else (Clugston, 2011). It is something that is widely understood and has been developed by common ground, and is intensified when used paradoxically.

Introduction

Using symbolism in a short story or poem helps the reader to understand the author's purpose behind the writing. I will review the poem, “The Road Not Taken” and two short stories; “A Worn Path” and “Used to Live Here Once”. I will show how, through symbolism, the journey is not necessarily the trip from the starting point to the ending point. While analyzing the readings using the archetypal approach, you can see the journeys the characters take are more of a journey through life.

The very first line in “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost is “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood” (as cited by Clugston, 2010). Right away I notice the color “yellow”. According to Journey into Literature, yellow means the approach of decay or aging (as cited in Clugston, 2010). The fact that there are two roads, a fork in the road, reminds me of how many choices we have in life. Which path is the right one?

Discussion

Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken," can be understood in various ways. The mood, attitude, and mindset of the reader predispose their thoughts towards the poem's true meaning. The title of the Frost's poem suggests that it is about decisions and obstacles in life and how people should handle them. Frost is voicing his opinion, saying that whatever path or decision making we make or do, one day, will be the key factor in your future tomorrow and thereafter. Almost every human being experiences life's bumpy road journey and Frost indicates in his poem that there are never just one single path to take; instead it is like a complex maze.  A traveler comes upon "two roads diversified in a yellow wood" (Frost 719 ). Frost indicates that it is a cross road in his life and he must chose one way or another. The option of choosing both roads is not there because it is not possible, so the traveler must decide how he wants to live the remainder of his life and choose that path.

This is a prime example of everyday life. It is nearly impossible to look into the future and see the end result of which path to take, and therefore makes it even more difficult of which life path to strive ...