Symbolism of the Journey

Running Head: Symbolism of the Journey 1

October 8, 2012

Symbolism of the Journey 2

Symbolism of the Journey

Reading a story, a poem, or a play introduces you to an imaginary world. You are drawn away from a living, breathing world into one that was created in the mind of the author. "Reading creates imaginary experiences. It connects you to new experience that become meaningful when you allow them to influence our thoughts and feeling" (R.W. Clugston 2010 Ch.1). The purpose of this paper is to describe the comparison and contrast contents of "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost (1916) and "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty (1941) in style and form of elements that these two authors used to make their work excellent and for the readers to understand their different viewpoint. Both writer focus on one particular theme that is" Journey". Both literatures have presented particular journey through which life can change. Out of many things in these two literatures there is one thing in common, no matter what journey person takes there is a lot of hurdles and hardship standing in their way to deter them. Both literatures have different point of view, characters and symbolism but the theme of the two literatures are the same.

In "The Road Not Taken" The narrator has come to a fork in a road in the woods. It's fall, and the leaves are changing colors. He's uncertain which way to go, and desires to go both ways. He stares down one road as far as he can see, but then he decides to take the other road'. He thinks the path he decides to take is not quite as worn as the other one, but really, the paths are about the same, and the fallen leaves on both look pretty fresh.

In "A Worn Path" Phoenix Jackson is "an old Negro woman" who continues forward over barriers that would not even be considered a hindrance for the young. This is a journey which she has taken before, and now "the time come around" she must travel it again. She begins her journey to town on "a bright frozen day in the early morning" in December. Phoenix Jackson is "very old and small ", and walks like the "pendulum in a grandfather clock" ever so carefully with her "thin, small cane made from an umbrella"( Clugston, R. W. (2010).

but you want to focus in on the content, form and style and compare how they are the same and how they are different in each of these stories and how do the two stories fall under that common overall theme?

Robert Frost and Eudora Welty demonstrated their point of view about journey in their writing. Both have defined journey in different approach through different themes of journey in their writing. The title of Robert Frost's poem, "The Road Not Taken", appears to mention a path in life he did not take. Most individuals write about the choices in life they did make. Maybe the author is proposing that he wishes he would have taken this other "road"?

Robert Frost brilliantly represents people choice taken in their life and its influence in future. Poem displays that individuals choice today has a long term effects on what they become in the future. They have to pick one path and once the decision is taken then it's almost tough and impossible to go back. It is imperative to make right choice at the right time. Choices should be made by individuals on what they want rather than what majority have done on the same thing. In this poem Robert frost have made known to peoples journey towards different path of life centering on their life and how this journey have long term or long lasting effect on their lives.

In short story written by Eudora Welty "A Worn Path" tells a story of elderly African- American women journey through wood into town. Phoenix Jackson is the name of the old feeble negro lady and she is in search of medication for her grandson who few years accidently swallow down lye and after that his throat used to swell. On her journey through the woods she encounters much interference, like the hunter who threatens her with gun, heavy brush and dog yet facing this all she doesn't stop her journey and reason behind this her love for her grandson. "A Worn Path" is a story which exposes love, perseverance, and racial prejudice.

In "The Road Not Taken" This poem is written from the first person point of view which the poet uses to suggest to readers that individuals are in control of making their own choices. Each person must choose his own path; so Frost repeatedly includes "I" to demonstrate this. In "A Worn Path" where Whelty uses a limited third person point of view where the narrator recounts things as they are happening. The only thoughts we hear are those spoken aloud. The author also sometimes reveals the activity of Phoenix's mind in the narration, as in the following passage: "Down there, her senses drifted away. A dream visited her, and she reached her hand up, but nothing reached down and gave her a pull." (R.W. Clugston 2010 Ch.1).

Symbolism of the Journey 4

The main character of "The Road Not Taken" is Robert Frost himself who is exposed as the traveler who walks through the woods. The traveler is out for a symbolic walk when he comes across two paths he stands there for a few minutes as he contemplates each path and the surroundings. Frost permits the reader to take part in the thoughts of the traveler. The