Write 8 page essay on the topic Themes and Corresponding Works: Symbolism of the Journey.Download file to see previous pages... Both the works have a recurring theme of journey as both of them have th

Write 8 page essay on the topic Themes and Corresponding Works: Symbolism of the Journey.

Both the works have a recurring theme of journey as both of them have their own symbols of journey. The Road not Taken and A Worn Path display the worn out paths that the travelers have to travel in their lives and in spite of all the difficulties and hindrances, the travelers do not want to stop and end their journey without getting closer to their respective ambitions. Robert Frost in his poem, The Road not Taken informs about the two paths, he finds while travelling through the woods. He has to select one to travel, while he shows interest in both. After reaching the forked paths, he becomes double minded and chooses the one that seems better to him. He informs that both the paths appear equal. He took just the one that according to him was less travelled by. However, he wanted to travel the other as well. The paths were difficult but he was not ready to withdraw and chose the one to start his journey. Despite all the hardships he meets in the path, he wishes to travel and reach his desired destination. However, he leaves one path with a sigh as he wishes if he could come to this way again. There are a number of symbols of journey in the poem such as roads, woods, traveler, travel, step, way, one less traveled by and lead. Eudora Welty in her short story, A Worn Path narrates the story of an old African American woman who is travelling through a worn out path in order to get her grandson’s medicine. Her grandson has swallowed lye some years back due to which, he has trouble in breathing and swallowing food. The woman knows that her path is difficult to cover but her love and ambition are much stronger than her body state. She meets a number of obstacles in her way but due to her will, she defeats all the obstacles and finally reaches her destination. Although, she is very ambitious about her aim but after reaching her destination, she forgets her mission of taking the medicine and gains knowledge about her mission when a nurse asks her about her grandson’s survival. Her appearance shows her financial status. She is old but as compared to her age, she shows her strength by traveling such a long way. The theme of traveling is quite clear in the short story and like the poem, The Road not Taken, this story also has numerous symbols of journey such as path, steps, walked, direction, way, woods, hill, march, bank, climb, track, move, road and so on. As we start reading the poem The Road not Taken, we can easily notice the mentioning of “Two roads” at the very start of the poem. These roads are symbolic of journeying as roads are usually used for travelling purposes. Similarly, in the story A Worn Path, in the second line, the theme of travelling can be noticed as the writer writes, “Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied red rag, coming along a path through the pinewoods” (Welty, 1941). A woman coming along a path is indicative of journeying and she is on her way to reach somewhere. Therefore, from the very start of both the works, it is apparent that symbols of journey such as roads and path are present that are representational of the theme of travelling. The paths from which, Frost has to choose are in the woods symbolizing the complexity of the journey. Woods have complex appearance and indicate that the travelers are somewhat double minded or unable to decide. Same thing happens to Frost when he is unable to decide even at the end.