Why did the chicken cross the road?
Obviously, to get to the other side. We all know that. But it’s so much more than that. Nine out of ten people picture an actual chicken standing on one side of the road, proceeding to waddle across the street, and ending up, of course, on the other side of the road. But might we search deeper behind the least funny joke of all time. I propose that there are two words that can be looked at with an entirely different perspective: Chicken and road.
Merriam Webster’s dictionary has several definitions of chicken. One of them of course being the farm bird we all know of, and the others being like “cowardly” or “a person who is afraid”. You know, like when your friend won’t jump off of the diving board or go on a roller coaster because they’re too scared? It’s likely that you tried to coax them into facing their fears by calling them chicken.
So, let us now assess the joke this way. Why did the chicken cross the road? Or, better yet, why did the person who was afraid cross the road? The answer remains the same. To get to the other side. Simple.
Let us now take a look at the word road. Webster’s dictionary has several definitions. Let us just look at a few of them.
- A hard flat surface for vehicles, people, and animals to travel on
- Process or a course of action that leads to a certain result
- A route or way to an end, conclusion, or circumstance
A road, in accordance with the definitions provided, is the way one must go to reach a certain destination or result. When we look into the second and third definitions that are provided, we learn that a road does not necessarily have to be the hard surface, which aids in travel. It can also be the choices, decisions, and actions that form and shape a person’s life. Through the years we are faced with a plethora of decisions to make. This starts from when we’re quite small really. To name a few….
Do I take his toy?
Do I hit other toy-wanter because he took MY toy?
Do I tell the truth?
Do I obey at home?
Do I kiss this person?
Do I go to college?
Do I run away and join the circus (Okay, you know we’ve all thought about it at one point or another)
Do I marry this person?
These are all questions that can shape our futures. As we grow up we face more and more crucial life changing decisions. Decisions that can, in a moment’s notice change the course and direction of your life. These decisions can be absolutely terrifying. In the well-known poem, The Road Not Taken, Frost alludes to the idea that we should not follow in the footsteps of every other person, but should take our own path. A path that, often is much more trying and difficult, but in the end makes “all the difference”. Taking the untraveled road is something that takes courage. It doesn’t mean that you’re not afraid, simply that, even in your fear, you made the decisions, rather, took the road that you needed to take.
Let us now interpret this joke within this context and see what it brings to light.
Why did the person who was afraid take the process or course of action that led to a certain result, or conclusion? Why did the fearful man take this path? Why did he walk forward as he did? Why did the chicken cross the road? Quite likely, to get to the other side.
