NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Poem Chapter 8 ON KILLING A TREE
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Poem Chapter 8 ON KILLING A TREE
ON KILLING
A TREE
Summary: It is a symbolic poem. It is a vague poem. In this poem, the tree is a symbol of evil which is very deep-reoted and can not be wiped off easily. He says that merely cutting a tree will not kill it because it has the ability to sprout again after some time.
He says that a tree can not be killed by a simple jab of knife. It has grown very slowly by feeding itself on the earth. It indicates that evil is also deep rooted in the surroundings and can not be uprooted so easily without changing the environment.
For
uprooting the tree, the poet says that we have to tie the rope to it and then
pull it out completely. Then it will come out of the cave and expose its white
roots to the sunlight. After that the roots will get dry and the sun and the
air will make the roots brown and hard. They will make it twist and wither
slowly. Then only the tree will be killed.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Poem Chapter 8 ON KILLING A TREE
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
& ANSWERS
THINKING ABOUT THE
POEM
I. 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. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.
Ans. The tree consumes the earth and rises out it feeding upon its crust. It absorbs years of sunlight, air and water.
3. 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.
4. The poet says "No" at the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
Ans. 'No' is used to emphasize the perspective that chopping or hacking will not be sufficient for killing a tree.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Poem Chapter 8 ON KILLING A TREE
5. 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.
6. What does he mean by "the strength of the tree exposed?
Ans. The stem/root is the strength of a tree. When the tries pulled out, its strenght is exposed.
7. What finally kills the tree ?
Ans. Pulling out the tree from the mother earth and scorching and choking it in the sun and air kill the tree. It becomes brown, dry and gets hard. Eventually it dies.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Poem Chapter 8 ON KILLING A TREE
ADDITIONAL
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q. 1. What does a tree absorb?
Ans. A tree absorbs sunlight, air and water.
Q. 2. What does it consume ?
Ans. It consumes the earth.
Q. 3. What is the meanings of ‘Jab’?
Ans. It means sudden rough blow.
Q. 4. What alone will not be sufficient to kill a tree?
Ans. Hacking and chopping alone will not be sufficient to kill a tree.
Q. 5. What will expand again?
Ans. The tree will expand again.
NCERT Solutions for Class-9 English Poem Chapter 8 ON KILLING A TREE
Q. 6. What does 'Boughs' Mean?
Ans. It means a branch of a tree.
Q. 7. What should be done to kill a tree?
Ans. Pulling the roots out can be done to kill a tree.
Q. 8. How does the earth protect the tree?
Ans. The earth protects the tree by giving it life and allowing its stem to spread underneath.
Q. 9. What is white and wet?
Ans. It killed after withering.
Q. 10. Name the poem and the poet.
Ans. The poem is 'On killing a tree' and the poet is Gieve Patel.
Q. 11. What happens to the tree after it is pulled out?
Ans. It is scorched and choked after it is pulled out.
Q. 12. What happens to the tree after withering?
Ans. The stem is white and wet.