2. The Road Not Taken-updated- poem.pptx

CBSE IX prose

1. Have you ever had to make a difficult choice (or do you think you will have difficult choices to make)? How will you make the choice (for what reasons)?

2. COLLEGE

3. What you sow is what you reap.

4. The Road Not Taken Robert Frost

5. Learning Agenda About the Poet Introduction Reading and Understanding Poetic devices Comprehension

6. About the Poet ROBERT LEE FROST Born : March 26 th , 1874 – San Francisco, California, US Death : January 29 th , 1963 (aged 88) Boston, Massachusetts, US Occupation : Poet, Playwright Notable Awards Won a record of four Pulitzer prizes for poetry. Congressional Gold Medal for his poetic works. Poems Fire and Ice Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Mending Wall

7. Introduction In the poem - ‘The Road Not Taken’, the road symbolises the journey of life. The poet says that the path we don’t choose in our lives is ‘the road not taken’. He describes his feelings about that choice that he had left in the past. The path which we have chosen, decides our future, our destination . The important message that the poet wants to give is that the choice we make has an impact on our future . If we make a wrong choice, we regret it but cannot go back on it. So, we must be wise while making choices.

8. Central Theme 'The Road Not Taken' is more than a poem about someone trying to decide which road he's going to take on a stroll through the woods. It's actually a poem about the journey of life. The narrator's choice about which road to take represents the different decisions we sometimes have to make and how those decisions would affect the future.

9. Central Theme Think of the expression, 'down the road', that we often use to describe something that might happen months or even years from now, and you'll see how Frost is making the connection between life and journey .

10. Poet Standing at a Junction The poem brings out the importance of making a choice . Frost uses the two roads as metaphors for life . They stand for two choices , two alternative ways of life and two different directions of life. The choice we make, makes ‘all the difference in life’. The poet stands at a junction in a yellow forest. Two roads are branching out in two different directions. He is a single traveller and can’t travel on both the roads at the same time. He looks at the first road as far as he can see , till it bends in the undergrowth.

11. At a glimpse The speaker stands in the woods, considering a fork in the road. Both ways are equally worn and equally overlaid with un-trodden leaves. The speaker chooses one , telling himself that he will take the other another day. Yet he knows it is unlikely that he will have the opportunity to do so. And he admits that someday in future he will recreate the scene with a slight twist. He will claim that he took the less-travelled road.

12. Rhyme scheme   Rhyme scheme  is a  poet's  deliberate pattern of lines that  rhyme  with other lines in a  poem  or a stanza. The  rhyme scheme , or pattern, can be identified by giving end words that  rhyme  with each other.

13. Symbolism This literary device is the use of a situation or element to represent a larger message, idea, or concept. Imagery Imagery is language used by poets, novelists and other writers to create images in the mind of the reader. Imagery includes figurative and metaphorical language to improve the reader’s experience through their senses. Metaphor A metaphor is a comparison between two things that are NOT alike and replaces the word with another word. Simile Similes are comparisons between two things that are NOT like and replaces the word with another word but uses “like” or “as” within it.

14. Anaphora Anaphora is a technique where several phrases or verses begin with the same word or words. Alliteration Alliteration is the repetition of the beginning sounds of neighboring words. Personification Personification gives human qualities to non-living things or ideas. Repetition Repetition is a literary device that repeats the same words or phrases a few times to make an idea clearer and more memorable. There are several types of repetition commonly used in both prose and poetry.

15. Literary Devices Rhyme Scheme : abaab Symbolism : Two roads which represents two or more choices in our lives Anaphora : ‘and’ repeated at the beginning of lines 2, 3 and 4 Alliteration : ‘Wanted Wear’ ‘w’ sound is repeated; ‘first for’ – ‘f’ sound is repeated;‘though , that’- ‘ th ’ sound is repeated  Repetition : ‘Ages’ is repeated. ‘Two roads diverged in a wood’- this sentence is repeated in stanzas 1 and 4.

16. Two Roads and the Choice The other road is ‘ just as fair as the first one ’. But it presents a better claim in one sense. It is grassy and wants wear . The poet is confused . Finally, he resolves the dilemma. He chooses the other road because it is less travelled by. He leaves the first road for another day .

17. Poet’s Genuine Doubt Both the roads lie before him covered with the fallen leaves. When the poet leaves the first road for another day, he has also a genuine doubt . He knows how one way leads to the other and one marches on reaching a point of no return . He doubts if he will ever get a chance to walk on the road he has already left.

18. Choice Has Made All the Difference It is very difficult to say whether the road we have chosen will lead us to the desired end. It is very difficult to decide on the spur of the moment. Only the poet will be ‘telling this with a sigh’ that his choice has made all the difference in his life. Perhaps the road that was not taken could have proved more rewarding than the road that was taken. But now he can do nothing as his choice is irrevocable .

19. The Road Not Taken Fork in the forest Roads Choice Metaphor Two roads diverting into two directions in a forest On an autumn day the speaker stood observing both Both looked unused that day Poet’s choice of literary career Not opting conventional job Everlasting fame Poet decided to take the road less travelled by He felt it has to be used The choice made all the difference The poet’s sorrow that being single traveller he can’t take both He took the road less travelled by He kept the other for the next time, though he was not sure of coming back

20. Values Doing things that haven’t been done by others make all the difference in life. It is easy to go by a set-path but when you set the path it makes you exceptional. There is nothing to feel strange if you are odd. In order to become number one , you have to be odd.

21. Comprehension How does the poet describe the roads? 2m Key Points Presents picture of two roads that diverged in a forest Standing at that fork in the forest in autumn season, observed one road as far as his eyes could reach Second road which was over grown with plants Nobody had used both the roads The leaves fallen were untouched

22. Comprehension “And perhaps having better claim”- Explain. 3m Key Points Stood at the fork in the forest, observed roads that diverged Keenly observed one road as far as eyes could reach Turned to look at the second road Overgrown with plants and should be used Better claim because out of the two roads, that looked less travelled by

23. Comprehension What doubt did the poet have in his mind when he made up his mind? 3m Key Points The poet keenly observed one road as far his eyes could reach and then looked at the second one which was overgrown by plants. He felt that the second road should be used by someone and so he decided to keep the first one for the next time . But he knew that life is complicated and it may not be possible to come back. Once a path is chosen, it might take you forward and lead you to other roads ahead making it impossible to come back .

24. Comprehension What exactly do the roads represent? 3m Key Points Choice one has to make Metaphorically describes choice of literary career Customary for people to take up conventional jobs of engineers, doctors, clerks etc Conventional jobs safe but Frost chose literary career Path not taken up by many people Getting established as a writer not easy Poet describes second road - “grassy and wanted wear” Made all the difference in his life

25. Long Answer Type Write a critical appreciation of the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’. 5m Key Points Fork in the yellow forest Poet's regret for not being able to take both the roads Both the roads not used by anyone that day Decision to take the road less travelled by Choice of literary career Everlasting fame