"Two roads diverged in a wood, and
I--
I took the one less traveled
by,
And that has made all the
difference."
This is probably one of the most often quoted
pieces of the Frost poem, but I think it's also best suited for your question. The
literal meaning of the passage is that Frost is at a fork in the road. He can go down
the path that looks worn and well-used, or he can follow the path that is a bit
overgrown and seemingly less used. He knows that the well-worn path probably leads
somewhere, but he's not sure where the overgrown path might lead. He's literally
deciding which way to go.
Metaphorically, however, the
roads represent paths in life. Sometimes we come to a place in life where we need to
make a choice. We can't know the eventual outcome, no matter how far down a path we can
see, because we can never see to the end unless we venture down that path. I think
Frost is implying that this fork in the road is a decision. He can choose the decision
that is most often chosen by others, thereby allowing him to see the final outcome
somewhat better, or he can make a less popular choice and hope for the best. With the
less popular choice, he can't know as much about how things might turn
out.
As an example, think of choosing a major in college.
You can choose a business major, and you will probably go on to make a nice salary in a
corporate environment as many business majors have before you. This is the more trodden
road. OR, if you are in love with crafting jewelry, you can take the less popular road
and major in crafts or jewelry-making. You don't have as much certainty down that
path--you could go on to become the next Tacori, or end up broke and subsisting off of
Ramen. You will never know until you venture down the path.
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