Fork in the road (metaphor) explained
A fork in the road is a metaphor, based on a literal expression, for a deciding moment in life or history when a choice between presented options is required, and, once made, the choice cannot be reversed.[1]
Examples
- There is a common motif in Russian folk tales, where a vityaz (Russian knight) comes to a fork in the road and sees a menhir with an inscription that reads: "If you ride to the left, you will lose your horse, if you ride to the right, you will lose your head".
- The phrase appears in the Book of Ezekiel (Ezekiel 21:19–23 NRSV).
"Mortal, mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to come; both of them shall issue from the same land. And make a signpost, make it for a fork in the road leading to a city; mark out the road for the sword to come to Rabbah of the Ammonites or to Judah and to Jerusalem the fortified.
- A fork in the road is mused upon by Robert Frost in his poem "The Road Not Taken", which begins, "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..."[2]
- Malapropist extraordinaire Yogi Berra's saying "When you come to a fork in the road, take it" made the title of his book When You Come to a Fork in the Road, Take It!: Inspiration and Wisdom From One of Baseball's Greatest Heroes.
- It is also depicted in the book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland where Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a cheshire cat in the tree.
- The album cover of A Nice Pair includes a literal depiction of a fork in the road, a visual pun on the expression..
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Kovecses, Zoltan. Metaphor: A Practical Introduction. 12 February 2010. 131. Oxford University Press. 9780199705313.
- Web site: Robert Frost: “The Road Not Taken”. Robinson. Katherine. 27 May 2016. 26 January 2021. Poetry Foundation.
