On Killing a Tree
Gieve Patel
D.A.Q (Part – 02)
Q. Write the significance of the title of the poem On Killing a Tree.
Answer: The poem On Killing a Tree is a symbolic poem that can be read at two levels.
On the outset, it describes the painstaking effort that needs to be employed in felling a tree. But at a deeper level, it describes the brutal act of destroying the balance in environment by cutting down trees.
So, the poet vividly describes the act of killing a tree. He says that a simple strike cannot kill the tree completely. The tree grows up gradually absorbing years of sunlight, air, water. From its 'leprous hide' leaves sprout.
But, when cruel people uproot its source of strength, it loses all energy because its source, that is, the root is exposed. Finally, when it is kept in open air and scorching sunlight, the process of destroying the tree is completed because in this way the tree loses its vivacity. So the title is appropriate.
Q. "And then it's done" -Explain the expression. What is done and how?
Answer: Gieve Patel in his poem, On Killing a Tree, shows that it is not so easy to kill a tree completely. A simple jab of knife cannot kill it.
If the tree is hacked or chopped, not much pain will cause to it. The 'bleeding' bark gradually heals itself; green twigs and small branches will rise from close to the ground; the tree will again come to its former size.
So, the only way to destroy the tree is to uproot it out of its 'anchoring earth'. For doing so one is to rope, tie and pull out the tree out of the 'earth-cave'. As a result, the source of the strength of the tree is exposed. The source is nothing but the white, wet, hidden and the most sensitive root of the tree.
Finally the cruel desire of mankind of destroying the tree is come true completely. For this purpose the tree is scorched and choked in sun and air and then browned, hardened, twisted, withered. Thus the process of killing the tree is done.
Q. Critically analyze the poem On Killing a Tree.
Answer: The poem itself is modeled as a plant growing from the seed.
The first line states" It takes abundant time to kill a tree." Then the process of growth of the tree is described.
It is presumed that the tree has grown from its seed. The seed develops the root. The root works its manner through the rocks and stones of the soil. The tree grows slowly by feeding upon the layer gripping years of daylight, air and water.
There is a struggle during the development of the tree which is suggested in the poem. The survival of the tree, in spite of the efforts to kill it, is shown by the lines: "And from close to the ground".
Q. Write the substance of the literary composition On Killing a Tree.
Answer: The poet Gieve Patel has presented a very beautiful ironical poem On Killing a tree.
He starts the poem with an ironical statement-It takes much time and strength to kill a tree. Then he explains the process of a tree's growth-it grows slowly and rises out of the earth by absorbing years of sunlight air and water.
So, it is not easy to kill a tree with a single stroke of a knife. The tree has deep roots which pulls its sap from the world. It gives rise to tiny twigs and miniature boughs. We hack and chop to kill a tree. Then he very skillfully describes the process of killing a tree.
But hacking and chopping cannot destroy it completely as green twigs are sure to emerge from the bleeding bark. The miniature boughs (branches) will grow from close to the ground and grow back to its normal size.
The source of the tree is its roots which is white and wet. The secret of its strength is that it's hidden within the world for years along. It is fixed firmly in the earth.
Thus, to kill a tree it has to be uprooted, scorched and choked in the sun. After uprooting, the roots are to be exposed to the sunlight till they dry and become brown. Then it stops breathing. It becomes hardened, twisted and browned.
Q. “The bleeding bark will heal”-How will the bleeding bark heal?
Answer: In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ Gieve Patel says that a woodcutter may cut a tree with his repeated blow.
But this alone will not be able to kill a tree. The affected tree does not seem to express its pain because its bleeding bark will heal its pain all the time.
‘Curled green twigs’ of the tree closely attached to earth will grow from the miniature boughs. The strength of the tee lies in the roots. If these roots are not completely uprooted, they will expand and become a full grown tree again.
Q. "It takes much time to kill a tree. Not a simple job of the knife. Will do it...." Why does it take so much time to kill a tree?
Answer: It is not easy to kill a tree simply with a stroke of a knife. The tree has deep roots which give rise to tiny twigs and miniature boughs. The root has to be uprooted, and it has to be scorched and choked in sun and air. This process takes much time and it requires a lot of effort. Then only the tree is killed.
Q. Describe, once Gieve Patel, the growth of a tree very well.
OR
How does a tree grow?
Answer: The Poet, Gieve Patel sketches how a tree grows in the first stanza of his poem "On Killing a Tree".
To him, the tree grows slowly intense the planet firmly. It absorbs daylight, air and water from nature for years to make food with these nutrients.
But a tree heals its wounds by hacking and chopping to raise miniature boughs into full size itself again. Thus a tree grows slowly by interesting years of daylight, air and water.
Q. Contrast 'bleeding bark' with 'green twigs'. What does 'blood represent? What does 'green' show?
Answer: The poet has used the words and phrases very skillfully. 'Bleeding bark' is implicative deterioration whereas 'green twigs' recommend recent growth. 'Blood' represents death. Green shows the springing of life. 'Green' and 'blood' symbolize the change from death to life.
Q. Describe the process of uprooting a tree.
OR
How will the writer describe the uprooting of a tree?
Answer: "Neither a straightforward job of a knife nor hacking and chopping kill a tree. Hence the root of the tree should be pulled out of the earth.
It would, then, be roped, tied and snapped out. So, it ought to be force out entirely from the depth of the ground. Then it should be exposed to sunlight. This, in step with the writer, is that the complete method of uprooting a tree.
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