TP-CASTT The Road Not Taken

Journal What is the hardest choice you’ve had to make so far and why? How did you finally make the choice? Write 8 lines.

T-(Title) “The Road Not Taken” Options that weren’t chosen Missed opportunities Regret

P—Paraphrase (Stanza #1) ORIGINAL TEXT ( ONLY WRITE THIS PART Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; There’s two roads that split (‘diverged’) midforest in fall. The speaker is only one person so he can’t go down both. He takes his time (“long I stood”) and looks down one road but the road is curved and his view is blocked by bushes (“undergrowth).

P—Paraphrase (Stanza #2) ORIGINAL TEXT ONLY WRITE THIS PART Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, He takes the other road, thinking it’s better land (“claim”) since it’s grassy and didn’t have (“wanted”) signs of use (“wear”). But he notices that there is a bald (“worn”) patch where the two roads meet because other people have also gone back and forth (“passing”) looking at both roads.

P—Paraphrase (Stanza #3) ORIGINAL TEXT ONLY WRITE THIS PART And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I marked the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back. Both roads were covered with freshly fallen leaves that no one had stepped on (“trodden”) yet. He made a mental note (“marked”) to use the other road one day, but he knows he probably won’t go back since a road becomes complicated and opens up even more roads (“way leads on to way”).

P—Paraphrase (Stanza #4) ORIGINAL TEXT ONLY WRITE THIS PART I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. He predicts he will be saying the following when he is older: There were two roads split in the forest and I took the one people hardly used. That made a big difference in my life.

C-Connotation (Vocab Terms) The poem is an Extended Metaphor (everything represents something else) In the Poem The two roads Autumn/Fall Season “Road Less Traveled” The “other road” The “undergrowth” that blocks his view Represent(s)…. A choice to be made A time of maturity (time to make choices) A “different” way of life A “normal” way of life The inability to see the future

C-Connotation Rhyme Scheme (Rhyme Pattern) (Letter) Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, A And sorry I could not travel both B And be one traveler, long I stood A And looked down one as far as I could A To where it bent in the undergrowth; B Then took the other, as just as fair, C And having perhaps the better claim D Because it was grassy and wanted wear, C Though as for that the passing there C Had worn them really about the same, D

C-Connotation And both that morning equally lay E In leaves no step had trodden black. F Oh, I marked the first for another day! E Yet knowing how way leads on to way E I doubted if I should ever come back. F I shall be telling this with a sigh G Somewhere ages and ages hence: H Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, G I took the one less traveled by, G And that has made all the difference.  H **Back and forth rhyme reflects the speaker’s indecision

A- Attitude (tone) Tone #1: Uncertain Tone #2: Proud “Doubted,” “Sigh,” and “Sorry” Suggest he is not sure He can’t see all the way down one road He describes the roads “as just as fair” and both have “equally” been covered with leaves He sort of thinks they BOTH look the same and can’t decide Tone #2: Proud “And I/ I took the one less traveled by” Repetition of “I” shows he’s not shy about his choice

S-Shifts In the last three lines, the speaker sounds more sure of himself: “I, / I took the one less traveled by, / And that has made all the difference.”

T-Theme Even if you aren’t 100% sure, you still need to make choices. The roads almost look the same Choices require commitment; you can’t go back and forth. “way leads on to way” Don’t be afraid to do things differently; it is worth it in the end. “Made all the difference”

T-Title (Again) What do you think the title means now? What’s the poem NOT named after?

Short Answer Reponse Do you think the speaker regrets his choice, or is happy about it? Explain using evidence from the poem. Use “ABC” format Answer the question Bring in quotes/evidence. Comment on your evidence/Explain it Box out ten lines on your paper and don’t go outside of the box. Turn in at the end of class.