Juli 8B Blue Poetry Analysis Essay The poem Road Not Taken by Robert Frost is about two roads

in life. One road is used more often, by more people and the other is used by less people. The figurative meaning of the poem is that there are two paths you could take in life, and the poet is unhappy that so many people take the same path instead of taking their own, unique path. The message he is trying to convey is to take your own path (instead of everyone taking the same path) by turning the entire poem into a metaphor (replacing the two paths with roads to make it something solid) so that people can relate to it more easily. In this poem, the mood is sober and unhappy. This is shown by words such as: diverged, sigh, trodden, bent and wear. The diction proves that the mood is sober and unhappy because words like sigh, trodden, bent, and wear give a sense of exhaustion, and suggest that the author is tired. It also conveys a dark tone because these words arent exactly happy. In place of these words, the poet would use words like journeyed and exhaled if they were writing a more upbeat and joyful piece. The second way the poet tells us to take our own path is by turning the entire poem into a metaphor. The evidence that the author wrote the entire poem as a metaphor is at the beginning of the poem: two roads diverged in a yellow wood. It shows that he is writing an extended metaphor because he has turned paths in life into actual roads a person can take. It also enables the reader to understand how the author wants us to take our own path much better. The structure of this poem is 4 stanzas that represent different actions that the poet has done in order to help the reader understand the steps you take to get to the point where you decide which path you can take and the results of that. The first stanza is about observing the two choices of paths to take. The action in the second stanza is describing how the poet is debating on which road to take, and finally thinks that the roads are equal in the sense of the number of people who have travelled on it; he takes the other road because it was grassy and wanted wear so he thinks its travelled less. The third stanza is talking about while he is travelling and how he is observing the path he is on. He thinks that they are equal, but he doubted he would come back, to go on the other, more-travelled path. The final (fourth) stanza recounts how he went on that path, and how taking the lesstravelled road made all the difference in his life. He writes, I shall be telling this with a sigh, because he feels that too many people take the other road (the one he didnt take), instead of being themselves and not being a follower of everyone else, which makes him unhappy. After reading this poem, it leaves one trying to interpret it, and how this would help them in life, because you will definitely face tough decisions. How would you choose your options?

Would you take your own road so that you can be your unique self and be your own leader? Or would you be a follower and take the other road like everybody else?

Criterion A: Content You demonstrate an understanding of the poets message and how (s)he conveys it using language and structure. 0
You do not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below You demonstrate a very limited understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give few or no examples to support your thinking. You are missing poetic terminology (e.g. rhythm, simile, metaphor). You demonstrate a limited understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give insufficient examples to support your thinking. Your use of poetic terminology (e.g. rhythm, simile, metaphor) is sometimes accurate and appropriate. You demonstrate a sufficient understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give generally good examples to support your thinking. Your use of poetic terminology (e.g. rhythm, simile, metaphor) is usually accurate and appropriate. You demonstrate a good understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You give substantial details to support your examples (you include the words/phrases in the poem). Relevant poetic terminology (e.g. rhythm, simile, metaphor) is used accurately and appropriately.

Criterion B: Organization You are able to organize your essay in a clear and logical way.

Criterion C: Language and Style You can use appropriate language in your essay.
You do not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below You have very frequent errors in grammar and spelling that persistently hinder communication. You show little or no evidence of a register and style appropriate for an essay. You have frequent errors in grammar and spelling that hinder communication.

You do not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below Your essay is disorganized, unclear, and/or incoherent. You do not use body paragraphs or are missing topic sentences and/or quotations and analysis.

1-2

Your essay shows the beginnings of organization but lacks coherence.

3-4

Your body paragraphs sometimes include a topic sentence and few quotations with little You show some evidence of or irrelevant analysis. a register and style appropriate for an essay.

5-6

Your essay is generally organized, clear, and coherent. Your body paragraphs usually include a topic sentence and some quotations with subsequent analysis.

Grammar and spelling are generally accurate. Occasional errors sometimes hinder communication. You often use a register and style appropriate for an essay.

7-8

Your essay is usually well-organized, clear, and coherent, and the ideas build on each other. Your body paragraphs are well-structured and consistently include a clear topic sentence and correctly embedded quotations with subsequent analysis.

Grammar and spelling are accurate. Occasional errors rarely hinder communication. You consistently use a register and style appropriate for an essay.

9-10

You demonstrate a perceptive understanding of the poems meaning, organization and mood as well as how this is achieved. You consistently use illustrative details to support your examples (include the words/phrases from the poem) You show a sophisticated command of relevant poetic terminology (e.g. rhythm, simile, metaphor).

Your essay is consistently wellorganized, clear, and coherent, and the ideas build on each other in a sophisticated manner. Your body paragraphs are purposeful in their construction and always include a sophisticated topic sentence and correctly embedded quotations, which are subsequently analyzed in detail.

Grammar and spelling are accurate. Very infrequent errors do not hinder communication. You demonstrate a mastery of a register and style appropriate for an essay.

In order to succeed you need to:

Clearly communicate the poets message Use examples from the poem (quote lines) as evidence Use poetic terminology to explain your examples.

Use paragraphs with a topic sentence, three supporting details, and a concluding sentence Words and phrases taken from the poem should be inside quotation marks

Use a formal tone. Avoid contractions and slang. Write in the third person Revise for spelling and grammar