Frost and Hughes: Paths, Choice, and Identity in Poetry

Introduction: Two Poets, One Theme

Robert Frost was a well-renowned poet of the early twentieth century. His depictions of life as metaphorical statements on human existence, and his writings on rural life, made him a deeply relatable figure for many Americans of that era. Although his life and his writing went hand in hand — and his poems were a reflection of a specific historical moment — his broad subjects and distinctive points of view have ensured that his work has not been forgotten and is still discussed today. One of his most outstanding poems, widely regarded as a source of inspiration and self-discovery, is "The Road Not Taken" (1916). Although at first glance this poem may appear complicated and open to many different interpretations, it ultimately delivers a clear and recognizable message about the nature of choice.

In comparison to Frost's poem is a work by another brilliant poet, Langston Hughes. His poem "Theme for English B" (1951) also explores the topic of choices — choices that have already been made. Together, these two poems offer a compelling lens through which to examine how personal decisions, social circumstances, and the roads not taken shape human identity and experience.

Robert Frost and 'The Road Not Taken'

Frost's poem speaks directly to the topic of choice. The narrator comes upon two different paths, both appearing the same and both offering, at a glance, an equally uncertain future. The narrator makes a choice, but not without first wondering what the other path might have brought. He ponders the "what ifs" and suggests that one day he expects to look back and reflect on that moment of decision — perhaps imagining he will take the other option and discover what he missed. Yet he also recognizes the reality that he may never have that opportunity again.

This scenario is deeply applicable to real life, in which people make choices and dwell on the possibilities that could have been. The poem is often viewed as an inspiration for accepting the choices one makes and acknowledging the paths left untraveled. It expresses the idea that one learns from whatever path one takes, regardless of which road is ultimately traveled.

Langston Hughes and 'Theme for English B'

Langston Hughes' "Theme for English B" also speaks to choices, though ones already made and filtered through the experience of race in America. Being the only Black individual in a university classroom, the narrator is asked by his professor to complete a writing assignment about himself — his likes, his activities, his identity. During this reflection, the narrator realizes that he enjoys many of the same things as everyone else in the class, including his White counterparts who see themselves as fundamentally different from him. This is especially significant during a historical period when racism was the norm and discrimination was an accepted feature of daily life. The narrator concludes by stating that both he and his professor are learning from each other and will continue to do so.

Hughes' poem is a quietly powerful exploration of shared humanity across racial lines. By situating the narrator's self-reflection within the racially charged environment of a mid-twentieth-century American university, Hughes transforms a simple writing exercise into a meditation on identity, belonging, and the possibilities available to Black Americans of his generation.

Parallel Paths: Comparing the Two Poems

Both poems speak about a path that very few — or no one — had taken before. Hughes writes about his experience at the university, a path that very few Black people had traveled at that time. During that era, Black Americans did not have many choices, and when the opportunity to pursue higher education did arise, many thought twice before seizing it. Attending a university was not easy. In fact, for some Black individuals it was actually safer to remain in their own neighborhoods, among familiar surroundings, than to venture into predominantly White academic institutions where hostility was a near certainty.

This scenario can be compared directly to Frost's poem. Just as the narrator in "The Road Not Taken" faces the difficult choice of going one way and not the other, the same dynamic applies to the narrator in Hughes' poem. He, too, had to make a difficult choice: remain on the streets, where crime and illegal activity were prevalent, or go to college, where discrimination and racial profiling would be inevitable. Both options were, in their own ways, daunting. Both were choices to be made. And once the narrator chose one path, he could not help but think about the other one left behind.

Although not directly expressed in the poem, it is implied that Hughes' narrator reflects — on his way between school and home, taking in his surroundings — on what could have been, given the limited options available to a young Black man living in Harlem. In this way, both poems capture the weight of a decision made at a crossroads, and the lingering awareness of the road not taken.