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    The document discusses the process of killing a tree. It states that a simple knife jab does not kill a tree, as the roots remain intact and can regrow. When branches are cut, they bleed liquid like human skin. The roots are described as the tree's strength, anchoring it to the "earth cave" where it is nourished. Only when the roots are entirely pulled out is the tree's strength exposed. In the sun and air, the tree dries out, turning brown, hardening, twisting and withering until it is finally killed. The poet aims to show that fully killing a tree requires sustained effort rather than a superficial or half-completed act.

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    Unknown

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    Sanjukta
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    The document discusses the process of killing a tree. It states that a simple knife jab does not kill a tree, as the roots remain intact and can regrow. When branches are cut, they bleed liquid like human skin. The roots are described as the tree's strength, anchoring it to the "earth cave" where it is nourished. Only when the roots are entirely pulled out is the tree's strength exposed. In the sun and air, the tree dries out, turning brown, hardening, twisting and withering until it is finally killed. The poet aims to show that fully killing a tree requires sustained effort rather than a superficial or half-completed act.

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    The document discusses the process of killing a tree. It states that a simple knife jab does not kill a tree, as the roots remain intact and can regrow. When branches are cut, they bleed liquid like human skin. The roots are described as the tree's strength, anchoring it to the "earth cave" where it is nourished. Only when the roots are entirely pulled out is the tree's strength exposed. In the sun and air, the tree dries out, turning brown, hardening, twisting and withering until it is finally killed. The poet aims to show that fully killing a tree requires sustained effort rather than a superficial or half-completed act.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    60 views4 pages

    Unknown

    Uploaded by

    Sanjukta
    The document discusses the process of killing a tree. It states that a simple knife jab does not kill a tree, as the roots remain intact and can regrow. When branches are cut, they bleed liquid like human skin. The roots are described as the tree's strength, anchoring it to the "earth cave" where it is nourished. Only when the roots are entirely pulled out is the tree's strength exposed. In the sun and air, the tree dries out, turning brown, hardening, twisting and withering until it is finally killed. The poet aims to show that fully killing a tree requires sustained effort rather than a superficial or half-completed act.

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    ON KILLING A TREE

    1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

    Ans. No, a simple jab of knife does not have the ability to kill the tree. It has to go through various
    processes. If its root is not removed from the earth, it will sprout again.

    2. What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?

    Ans. ‘Bleeding bark’ means the twigs which are cut mercilessly. They leave a liquid substance. If any part
    of the human body is cut, it starts bleeding. In the same way the liquid substance comes out from the
    branch of a tree. The human beings’ axe makes it bleed.

    3. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?

    Ans. It means that the earth protects it like a mother. ‘Earth Cave’ implies a hole inside it. The tree
    allows its roots to spread underneath. The earth protects it and fosters it. It provides all the essential
    ingredients to the tree.

    4. What has the poet compared with ‘Leprous hide’?

    Ans. The poet has compared the Leprous hide with the bark of the tree which has been discoloured with
    the passage of time. The poet says that the bark of the tree looks like a person who has leprosy and the
    skin of the body has been discoloured because of old age.

    5. What finally kills the tree?

    Ans. The sun and the air burn a tree when it is exposed of its strength. The roots are exhausted and they
    choke it. Thus, the tree is finally killed.

    6. Consuming the earth, rising out of it.” Explain.

    Ans. The poet conveys that a tree grows stronger in the earth. It feeds on the earth rising out of it. It
    gets its strength from it. It is not easy to kill the tree by a simple jab of the knife. It is securly attached in
    the soil.

    7. “The strength of the tree exposed.” Explain.

    Ans. Roots are the strength of the tree. So long as the roots are safe, the tree is safe. It cannot be killed.
    Once the roots are pulled out and exposed to the sun and the air, they wither and the tree is finally
    killed.

    8. What message does the poet want to convey through this poem?

    Ans. The poet conveys the idea through the poem the process of killing or cutting a tree. The poem
    seems to be contrary to our common belief that more and more trees should be planted. But here the
    poet lays stress on the implementation of the effective cutting of the trees. The message that the poet
    wants to convey through this poem is that we should always do a complete work at the time of starting
    it. Some people are in habit of leaving the work half done, while they think that they have done the
    work perfectly. But in the end they find that it was nothing but an illusion. So the poet wants us to finish
    the work completely whether the work is of killing of the tree apart it the poet wants us that we should
    do our optimum efforts and we should put ourselves whole heartily leaving no stone unturned.

    EXTRACT BASED

    1. Or pulled out entirely,

    Out from the earth-cave,

    And the strength of the tree exposed

    The source, white and wet,

    The most sensitive, hidden

    For years inside the earth.

    1. What is the theme of the poem from which the above stanza is taken ?

    2. When is the strength of the tree exposed ?

    3. What does ‘The source’ refer to ?

    4. What is a synonym for the word ‘sensitive’ ?

    Answer

    1. The theme of the poem is to persuade the readers to think that it takes sustained effort to kill a tree.
    It is not easy to uproot a tree.

    W. The strength of the tree is exposed when the roots are entirely pulled out of the earth’s cave.

    3. ‘The source’ refers to the roots.

    4. delicate

    2. Then the matter

    Of scorching and choking

    In sun and air,

    Browning, hardening,

    Twisting, withering,
    And then it is done.

    Question 1: What remains to be done to kill a tree after its root has been pulled out?

    (a) The tree has to be chopped into pieces.

    (b) The tree has to be dried up after being uprooted.

    (c) The tree has to be carried away to a different place.

    (d) None of the above.

    Answer

    (b) The tree has to be dried up after being uprooted.

    Question 2: What dries up the tree?

    (a) The hot sun and the dry air dry up the tree.

    (b) A fire has to be made around it to dry it up.

    (c) It dries up on its own.

    (d) All of the above.

    Answer

    (a) The hot sun and the dry air dry up the tree.

    Question 3: What happens to the tree in the sun and the air?

    (a) It tries to regain its strong.

    (b) It is eaten away by the insects.

    (c) It turns brown, hardens, twists and withers.

    (d) None of the above.

    Answer

    (c) It turns brown, hardens, twists and withers.


    Question 4: "And then it is done." What does 'it' stand for?

    (a) 'It' stands for the tree.

    (b) 'It' stands for killing of the tree.

    (c) 'It' stands for cutting of the tree.

    (d) None of the above.

    Answer

    (b) 'It' stands for killing of the tree.

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