HS 2020 ENGLISH SUGGESTION
"On Killing a Tree" By Gieve Patel
1) Justify the title of the poem " On Killing a Tree ".
Ans- The word " killing" means complete destruction of an object's existence from the earth. In this poem, the poet describes how man encourages deforestation, defying the eternal bond between the earth and the tree . When someone hacks and chops a tree, it does not die but bleed. This indicates that they are the living beings. But man ignores their usefulness and to fulfill their needs involve themselves in cutting down the trees, which according to the poet is, akin to murder. Thus the poet keeps his protest before us against this disgusting crime through a unique ironical criticism, wherein the murderers are more harsh and vigorous in their act of killing a tree. The title appropriately indicates the very essence of the poem and thus the title is appropriate.
2) " It takes much time to kill a tree"-- Why does it take much time to kill a tree? According to the poet how is the tree finally killed?
OR
How does a tree offer resistance to its destruction? How does its resistance fail?
Ans- To kill a tree, killer needs to follow some discreet process. No amount of "hacking and chopping" will be enough as a tree will heal its wound soon. Small twigs will sprout again and will grow slowly to regain its former structure thereby offering resistance to the destruction of a tree.
To stop this, the tree should be uprooted entirely. As the earth has been acting as its anchor for ages, it should be separated from the earth. A strong rope must be tied around it, and with its help it should be snapped out from the ground. Thus the strength of the tree— the root will be exposed, and then it must be left to die slowly in the scorching sun where it will gradually turn brown, hard, twisted and withered. This is how a tree's resistance will be failed and the entire killing process will be completed.
3) "And then it is done"—What does 'it' refer to? How it is done?
Ans- Here 'it' refers to the act of killing a tree.
A tree has life and man out of greed and selfishness wants to destroy it completely. Since the tree has grown for years slowly consuming the earth, therefore it can't be killed with a simple jab of the knife. The tree will overcome 'hacking and chopping' by growing small stems which will give the tree life again. So by creating a deep hole in earth man pulls out the root which is the strength of the tree. Then they scorch and choke the tree in the sun and air, then make it undergo the process of browning and hardening. At last, they triumphantly say that "it is done".
4) The poem ' On Killing a Tree' describes man's cruelty and violence to nature. — Discuss.
Ans- A tree is man's greatest friend as it helps the latter to sustain, by providing food and oxygen. But man treats it like a foe to fulfill their needs. Man doesn't think how much harm they cause to themselves. Act of killing the trees destroys the ecological balance. The poet builds up the irony by presenting the act of cutting down a tree in the form of an explicit account of killing the same. The mindless act of deforestation is no less than a heinous crime, committed by the greedy man. That is why the poet in this poem has made the tree itself receive punishment in the hands of its murderers. This is the irony behind the meticulous act of killing a tree as depicted in the poem.
To stop this, the tree should be uprooted entirely. As the earth has been acting as its anchor for ages, it should be separated from the earth. A strong rope must be tied around it, and with its help it should be snapped out from the ground. Thus the strength of the tree— the root will be exposed, and then it must be left to die slowly in the scorching sun where it will gradually turn brown, hard, twisted and withered. This is how a tree's resistance will be failed and the entire killing process will be completed.
3) "And then it is done"—What does 'it' refer to? How it is done?
Ans- Here 'it' refers to the act of killing a tree.
A tree has life and man out of greed and selfishness wants to destroy it completely. Since the tree has grown for years slowly consuming the earth, therefore it can't be killed with a simple jab of the knife. The tree will overcome 'hacking and chopping' by growing small stems which will give the tree life again. So by creating a deep hole in earth man pulls out the root which is the strength of the tree. Then they scorch and choke the tree in the sun and air, then make it undergo the process of browning and hardening. At last, they triumphantly say that "it is done".
4) The poem ' On Killing a Tree' describes man's cruelty and violence to nature. — Discuss.
Ans- A tree is man's greatest friend as it helps the latter to sustain, by providing food and oxygen. But man treats it like a foe to fulfill their needs. Man doesn't think how much harm they cause to themselves. Act of killing the trees destroys the ecological balance. The poet builds up the irony by presenting the act of cutting down a tree in the form of an explicit account of killing the same. The mindless act of deforestation is no less than a heinous crime, committed by the greedy man. That is why the poet in this poem has made the tree itself receive punishment in the hands of its murderers. This is the irony behind the meticulous act of killing a tree as depicted in the poem.
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