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The Road Not Taken Rhetorical Analysis Essay

574 Words3 Pages

Quarter 2 EWP
At many points in life, one is faced with various choices, and the decisions contribute to one's identity and how one perceives oneself.
The metaphors of the two paths in “Road not Taken” by Robert Frost, the crystal stair in “Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes, and the caged bird in “Sympathy” by Paul Laurence Dunbar represent the speaker’s exposure to choices in life through which they develop their identities.
The two paths in “Road not Taken” by Robert Frost, represents the speaker’s exposure to choices in life through which they develop their identity. Frost employs the metaphor of two roads that diverge and lead in different directions. "Two paths diverged in a yellow wood." (Frost, Line 1). The speaker is presented with a decision between the two paths; both look identical, with no less traveled path evident. Frost applies the metaphor of the two paths to communicate a choice in life, where the decision between them dictates where their journey will take him. The two paths convey the deeper meaning of their identity. The two paths that lay upon Frost represent choices in life. Each choice one makes shapes one's identity. One’s choice unvails parts of one’s identity. …show more content…

Hughes presents the metaphor of the crystal stairs as the mother warns her son about the hardships in life. “Life for me ain’t been no crystal stair.” (Hughes, Lines 1-2). The son is faced with a choice of whether he takes his mother's advice and perseveres through challenges in life or give up. Hughes uses the metaphor of a crystal staircase to symbolize an easy life, whereas the mother’s stairs represent a challenging life. Hughes expresses the deeper meaning of identity through the metaphor of crystal stairs. The son’s choice between giving up when life gets hard or showing resilience reflects how choices affect one’s

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