Monday, January 16, 2012

The Road Not Taken/The Hobbit

In Robert Frost's poem,"The Road Not Taken", the traveler comes to a fork in the road. He must make a decision about the path he must take. At the end of the poem, the traveler chooses the road less traveled and that has made all the difference.

In the play, "The Hobbit", Bilbo Baggins, Thorin and the dwarves are reminded repeatedly to stay on the path in Mirkwood Forest. Why would Gandalf warn Bilbo and the dwarves about remaining on the path?

While comparing and contrasting Frost's poem and The Hobbit, look for specific examples of what might happen when characters strayed from the path...

A) Sometimes words are symbols. The word 'path' is a symbol for something else. Describe the path each character chooses and why it defines who 'the traveler' and Bilbo Baggins are.
B) Think of a time when you were faced with a choice or decision to make in your life. Several people may have given you advice about the path you should take. How does the path/decision compare to"The Road Not Taken" and The Hobbit.