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© Michal Preisler
Choice & Cost
Every choice you make has a cost because choosing
to do one thing means giving up the opportunity to
do something else.
Faced with the same options , different people make
different choices because each person has his / her
own way of making decisions based on different
values and beliefs.
When faced with the need to make a decision we try
to think about the cost and guess the outcome.
© Michal Preisler
The Road Not Taken
by Robert Frost
© Michal Preisler
© Michal Preisler
The Road Not Taken
By Robert Frost
http://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=ZzUm0wqhE7E
© Michal Preisler
Analysis and Literary Terms
• What is the poem about ?
• The poem is about a dilemma, the need to
come to a decision / solve a problem
• This is the theme of the poem
– Theme – the central philosophical idea of a story
or poem. We can usually find the theme by asking
ourselves – what is the poem / story about?
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• Is the speaker really standing in a forest
thinking which way to go?
• What does the road symbolize ?
The road = Life
– Symbolism - the use of a concrete image (symbol)
to represent an abstract idea.
© Michal Preisler
• What is the main dilemma in the poem?
The speaker is at a fork in the road – he has to
choose which way to go.
• The fork in the road is a metaphor for a point
in life when you need to make a choice.
• A metaphor is a type of comparison in which
one thing is described as if it was something
else (example: life is a box of chocolates)
© Michal Preisler
• How does the speaker solve his dilemma?
– He compares the two roads
– He weighs the pros and cons
– He tries to foresee the future
• Which road does he choose?
– the less traveled by
– The more adventurous / the less conventional ??
© Michal Preisler
HOTS – Problem Solving
Problem solving is a thinking skill the involves:
• Identifying the problem
• Considering the options
• Weighing the pros and cons of each option
• Reaching a decision
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• How do you think the speaker feels about his
choice ?
– Last stanza takes place in the future
– Sigh of relief ? Sigh of regret ?
– The “what if ??”
• Why is the poem called “The Road NOT Taken”
and not “The Road Taken” ?
© Michal Preisler
Robert Frost 1874-1963
© Michal Preisler