Journey
Nicole Banley
ENG125
David Schonfeld
04.15.2013
Journey
Sometimes separate works can share the same general theme, yet communicate it in unique ways. This paper will be comparing and contrasting the content, form, and style of “The Road Not Taken” by Robert Frost and “I Used To Live Here Once” by Jean Rhys.
The personas in both poems are obviously on a physical road or path, which symbolizes a journey of some sort. The text says that “When it is used in literature, persona refers to the person who is the narrator in a story or the speaker in a poem” (Clugston, 2010). Journeys can be physical, mental, emotional, or even spiritual. No matter where the journey leads, one thing is common with all journeys is that you will learn something along the way. Frost’s character learns that it is not entirely important which fork you take; as long as you choose one you will experience what life has to offer. Although Rhys’ story comes to a very dramatic conclusion, with the character realizing that she is actually deceased. The result is the same as other journeys, in that something important is revealed to her persona that was not known before the journey began. It is also interesting to note that both selections take place outdoors, which is symbolically appropriate for the journey theme. A physical journey is a great metaphorical equivalent of any other journey, be it emotional, mental, or spiritual.
Though they both traverse one, the characters do not seem to have the same attitude toward their paths. At first glance, he could be mistaken for a wanderer or drifter, but further reading reveals that he sees neither path as any more important than the other and that either way you will have an experience to remember when you get to the end. He also illustrates the point that there are certain times in our lives where we have to choose one thing over another, and that it is not possible to go back once you have done so. Frost’s journey is about...