Extract I
What does he plant who
plants a tree…………to heaven anigh.
11. Who is the poet asking the questions in
the first line of the extract? List any two things, according to the extract,
that man will do by planting a tree.
The
poet poses the question to the readers. One who plants a tree plants a friend
of sun and sky. He plants a flag of free breeze which provides soothing, cool
breeze.
22. Give the meaning of the following lines:
He
plants a friend of sun and sky;
He
plants the flag of breezes free;
The shaft of beauty, towering high;
He
plants a home to heaven anigh;
The
tree is portrayed as a friend of sun and sky because the tree depends on the
sun to carry out the process of photosynthesis. Similarly, the tree is a friend
of the sky because it takes in carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen
in the air and thus purifies the air. Also transpiration from trees is
responsible for cloud formation in the sky before it rains. The tree grows like
beautiful tower and it appears that the tree has made a home closer to heaven.
33. In what way are the trees friends of sun
and sky? How can a man plant the flag of breezes free?
The
tree is depicted as a friend of sun and sky because the poet feels that one day
the tree will grow tall and make friendship with the sky and the sun. The tree
depends on the sun to carry out the process of photosynthesis. Similarly, the
tree is a friend of the sky because it takes in carbon dioxide from the air and
releases oxygen in the air and thus purifies the air. Also transpiration from
trees is responsible for cloud formation in the sky before it rains. The tree
is a flag of free breeze for the leaves just like flags that flutter freely in
the breeze flutter and provide soothing, cool breeze to us.
44. What is meant by ‘shaft of beauty’? What is compared to the
shaft?
Shaft
of beauty means beam of beauty. The tree which grows high with its long narrow
stem is compared to the shaft.
55. What is the impact of beginning the poem
with a question? What is the figure of speech used here?
The
impact of beginning a stanza with a question is done to create curiosity and
anxiety in the readers to know more about the poem. The poet has used it
purposely and cleverly before every stanza. The figure of speech used is Hypophora
or Antipophora it is a technique of raising a question and then immediately
providing an answer to that question.
Extract
II
For
song and mother-croon……..he plants who plants a tree.
1. What
is known as mother-croon of bird? Why is the song sung in a hushed voice?
Mother-croon is the soft song that
mother bird is singing to her young one. It is sung in a hushed voice because
it is sung during twilight when human activities are restricted and an
atmosphere of calmness and serenity prevails.
2. What
is twilight? Why is it a happy twilight?
Twilight is the faint light at the end of the day after the sun has gone
down. It is a happy twilight because the mother-croon sings to her young ones
happily, with soft and gentle voice. The bird’s high-pitched tone adds to the
pleasant harmony of nature.
3. What
is meant by treble, heaven’s harmony? What role does the treble play in
heaven’s harmony?
Treble is a high tone in music. Harmony
is the way in which different musical notes are
played or sung together and combine to make a pleasant sound. The treble
produced by the mother-croon sinks into the pleasant harmony of the universe.
4. Give
two examples of metonym. How is it used in the poem?
A friend of sun and sky. The poet feels
that when we plant a tree we plant a friend of sun and sky i.e., a tree.
Cool shade. The poet opines that when we
plant a tree we plant cool shade i.e., a tree.
5. Give
four functions which a tree performs on this earth.
A tree functions as a friend of sky and
sun. It is the flag of breezes free. When we plant a tree, we make a home near
to heaven. We provide a shelter to mother bird and the mother-croon is heard in
the twilight from the trees we plant.
Extract III
He plants cool shade
and ……..unborn eyes shall see.
11. Enumerate any three benefits of planting
trees as suggested by the poet in this extract. What do the plants do to
provide cool shade in a place?
The
trees will tall and provide shade to the people as well as the trees bless us
with tender rains. It will provide crops to the future generations. The plants
will grow tall and the human beings and animals will find comfort and solace under
the branches of trees when the Sun shines bright.
22. The water evaporates, condenses and
falls as rain. What role do the trees play in this process of producing rain?
The
transpiration from trees is responsible for cloud formation in the sky before
it rains.
33. How do the last two lines of the extract
explain the process of regeneration? How does the man plant the forest’s
heritage?
After
many years the old trees will wither
away and the seeds of the trees will grow into new trees and into dense forest.
This is symbolic of the process of birth, death and regeneration. In this way,
trees will make the plains beautiful. The forest will provide crops to the
future generations. Thus the upcoming generations will reap all the benefits of
the trees that are being planted now.
44. How do the trees provide for the harvest
of the following years?
Trees
not only beautify environment, but purify the air and provide us with wood, timber,
fruits and medicines. The one who plants a tree, plants the entire forest. This
forest is thus the harvest, the future generation can enjoy.
55. What do the expression, unborn eyes
indicate? What will they see? Why will they rejoice?
Unborn
eyes refers to the future generation. The unborn eyes shall see plants
providing cools shade, blessing us with tender rain, regeneration of trees, beautiful
plains filled with numerous trees, nature abundant with her numerous gifts like
fruits, timber, etc. They will rejoice because the trees will provide them
fresh and pure air, numerous gifts like fruits, timber, tender rain, etc. The plants provide us with all essential
nutrients for our body. They are main source of medicine and wood.
Extract
IV
He
plants, in sap and leaf………his heart who plants a tree.
1. The
poet says: “ He plants, in sap and leaf and wood.” Which figure of speech is
used here? Explain its usage with two other examples from the poem.
Metonymy is the figure of speech used
here. It is a figure of speech in which
a thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by a
metonym, that is, by the name of something associated in meaning with that
thing or concept. The whole poem runs on a series of metonymic associations of a tree with its qualities. According
to the poet, the one who plants a tree, plants ‘cool shade’ ‘tender rain’ ‘a
friend of sun and sky’ ‘the forest’s heritage’ ‘sap and leaf and wood’ , etc.
2. What
is meant by ‘far-cast thought of civic good’? In what way is the planter’s work
a blessing? State for whom it is a blessing.
Far-cast thought of civic good means foreseeing
the well-being of the city or its
citizens. Planter’s work is a blessing because the human beings can get food from the plant’s sap and leaves. Besides,
he can get wood for his use. It is also a blessing for the future generations.
Tree plantation is indeed a blessing on
the neighbourhood.
3. Give
the meaning of the following:
Who in the hollow of His hand
Holds all the growth of all our land
The man’s hand holds the future progress
of mankind. Our land will become barren without trees. The growth of the
universe is possible only by planting trees.
4. In
what way a nation’s growth depends on planting trees?
Wood is very important trade product and
thus its import and export within countries enriches the economy of a nation. Therefore,
the poet indirectly requests all human beings to plant trees for the well-being
of society and its citizens.
5. Comment
on the appropriateness of the title of the poem The heart of the tree.
The heart of the tree is an appropriate title. The heart is one of the most important
organs in the entire human body. The human heart pumps the blood, which carries all the vital
materials and nutrients. Only when the heart pumps the blood, it is able to
transport oxygen from one part of the body to another. Likewise, a tree has certain
qualities , which are as essential as human heart, for survival. Trees absorb
carbon dioxide and give out life-giving oxygen
for us to inhale; trees cause rainfall; trees are essential for the future
generation; trees like human heart provide us with ‘sap and leaf and wood’,
i.e., all the required minerals,
nutrients and material things. The heart here thus signifies the most important
quality of the tree. It can be concluded that the title is appropriate as the
poem is about trees and their importance to our survival.