Short Answer Type Questions

(Tress)
Question 1. How does the changing forms of moon relate to the moving out of the trees?
Answer
The moon also changes its forms with the moving out of the trees. In a treeless forest it appears as a whole, closed body. But
with the trees moving out into the forest, the moon also appears as a broken mirror. Its pieces flash light on the tallest of trees.
Question 2. Justify the revolt of the trees and state two values which the man should possess to stop the revolt.
Answer
The trees inside the house get suffocated as they grow. They try to free themselves from the cracks of the veranda floor and the
leaves stretch out as if to move towards the glass. They are justified in their revolt. Men should learn the importance of trees.
Question 3. Why are the trees described in the first stanza not useful for birds or insects?
Answer
The trees described in the first stanza are either decorative plants kept inside a house, or they are shown only in a painting or
picture. Therefore, they are not useful for birds or insects. Birds cannot sit on their branches. Insects cannot hide in them.
Question 4. How do the trees rebel against their imprisonment at the hand of the man?
Answer
Man has imprisoned the trees of the forest in his houses in cities. The trees rebel against their imprisonment. The roots come
out of the floors by breaking them. The leaves come out of the windows by breaking the glasses. The long cramped branches
start expanding themselves. Thus, the trees move out into the forest.
Question 5. What is the central idea of the poem, ‘The Trees’?
Answer
The central idea of the poem is the conflict between man and nature. A plant is brought inside the house when it is a sapling. But
as it grows into a tree, it gets suffocated with the limited space available. So it departs to feel free. The tree is thus, moving out
to occupy the now empty forest, made so by man’s indiscriminate felling of trees. Humans must understand the negative impact
of their actions on nature and mend their ways before it is too late.
Question 6. Why does the poet use the metaphor of newly discharged patients?
Answer
A patient feels depressed in a hospital. As soon as he recovers, he is eager to leave the hospital. He rushes towards the clinic
doors. In the same way, the plants in the pots feel suffocated. They are deprived of adequate light. So they stretch themselves
towards the glass door, in the hope of finding the light.
Question 7. Why do the trees need to move out? Where have they been and why?
Answer
The trees in the forest have been cut and man has planted trees in his courtyard for his selfish decorative purposes. It makes the
trees feel suffocated and out of place. So they need to move out into the forest. They have been in the city houses as men have
imprisoned them there.
Question 8. What does the poetess compare the bough with and why?
Answer
The boughs are long and cramped. The poet compares the boughs with the patients who have been recently discharged and are
moving out of the clinic doors because the boughs also move out in the same semi-dazed state 9s if they are under a spell.

Question 9. Where are the trees at present? What do their roots, and leaves do?
Answer
At present, the trees are in the house. The roots try to free themselves from the cracks of the veranda floor, and the leaves make
efforts to move towards the glass, perhaps in search of light. The small branches become stiff as they try to pull themselves
towards the light.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question 1. Describe the symbolism in the poem “The Trees”.
Answer
The poet uses trees as a metaphor for human beings. The human beings feel suffocated and sad under the oppression and
dependence. They yearn for their freedom and independence. They rebel against the oppression, slavery and exploitation to be
free and be on their own. The trees also rebel against imprisonment to return to the forest. Thus, they are apt symbol for human
beings.

Question 2. Explain the phrase “the forest that was empty all these days”. After reading the poem, for whom do you think are
the forests needed? Imagine yourself like a tree in a forest.
Answer
In the poem, ‘The Trees’ poet Adrienne Rich subtly drives home the message about the importance of trees. Without trees, the
birds would not have a place to sit, insects will have no place to hide and the sun would not bury its feet in shadow. As saplings,
we enjoy the beauty of plants as they adorn the surroundings. But slowly, the tree spreads its roots, its branches and leaves, and
seems to yearn to go outside where it can live and grow without any restrictions. No more does the tree look attractive indoors.
The trees are however welcomed into nature by strong winds and the moon. The poet hereby emphasises that trees need to be
kept alive, but should not be ‘imprisoned’ inside the house as they look more beautiful, and tend to thrive outdoors that is
where trees belong.
Question 3. Conflict between human and nature is always there. Nature is also rebelling against civilization and becoming
destructive. Explain.
Answer
Man has been destroying nature due to personal and material pursuits. He is endlessly playing havoc with nature. He is trying to
harness wind, solar energy and flora. In this pursuit man has forgotten that excessive destruction can carry us to any situation.
Man is cutting trees and destroying the natural habitat. This is causing global warming with overall rise in temperature. If these
practices go unchecked, we might soon be drowned due to melting of ice from polar caps. Man should wake up and save the
planet earth from destructive forces of nature.

Question 4. (i) Find, in the first stanza, three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest.
(ii) What picture do these words create in your mind: … “sun bury its feet in shadow…”?
(ii) What could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet”?
Answer
(i) The three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest Eire the sitting of a bird on tree, the hiding of insects and the sun
burying its feet in the shadow of the forest.
(ii) The sun radiates heat and the given words create a picture of the hot, radiating sun cooling its feet in the cool shadow of the
forest. The sun’s feet refer to its rays that reach the earth.

Question 5. ‘Departure is painful’. So is the departure of the trees for the poet. What will happen after their departure?
Answer
Just like the departure of someone close to us is painful, so also is the departure of a tree. When they are planted as a sapling,
they look nice and enhance the beauty of our surroundings. But as they grow and spread out their branches, they look wild and
require more space for their growth. The roots create cracks in the floor and the leaves stretch out as if to move towards the
glass, perhaps in need of sunlight. The soft twigs become strong and stiff. So the trees need to be removed from the house. No
more do the leaves cover the sky, but the trees breathe and they are welcomed by the wind. The moon resembles a broken
mirror, reflecting off the leaves. The poet reveals that she will feel lonely after the tree’s departure.

Question 6. (i) How does the poet describe the moon:

(a) at the beginning of the third stanza, and
(b) at its end? What causes this change?
(ii) What happens to the house when the trees move out of it?
(iii) Why do you think the poet does not mention “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters?
Answer
(i) (a) In the beginning of the third stanza of the poem “The Trees”, the poet describes the moon at its perfection. She tells us
that full moon shines in an open sky.
(b) In the end of the third stanza, the poet describes that the moon is broken like a mirror. The cause of this change is that the
poet imagines that the forest or trees and plants are moving out from her home. When the forest was in her home the moon
seemed full to her. But when the trees are moving out of the house into the forest, the moon seems fragmented to her.
(ii) When the trees move out of the house, the poet feels that the glass is breaking and the trees are partially falling towards the
front in the night. Winds rush to meet and welcome the trees.
(iii) When the trees are moving out of the poet’s house, she is writing long letters. But in the letters the poet does not mention
about the departure of the forest from the house. I think the poet does not mention about moving out of the trees because
howsoever she may not want it, yet it happened so hastily and unexpectedly that she felt embarrassed. That is why she could
not mention about it in her letter.

Question 7. (i) Where are the trees in the poem? What do their roots, their leaves and their twigs do?
(ii) What does the poet compare their branches to?
Answer
(i) In the poem, the trees are in the poet’s house. Their roots work all night to disengage themselves from the cracks in the
veranda floor. The leaves make efforts to move towards the glass, while the small twigs get stiff with exertion.
(ii) The poet compares the ‘long-cramped’ branches that have been shuffling under the roof to newly discharged patients who
look half-dazed as they move towards the hospital doors after long illnesses and wait to get out of the hospital. The branches
also have cramped under the roof and want to get out into the open to spread themselves in fresh air.

Question 8. How does the poem ‘The Trees’ make a strong plea against deforestation?
Answer
The poem, ‘The Trees’ sends home a strong message against deforestation. It highlights the importance of trees when the poet
says that without trees there will be no shadow, no forest, no place for birds to sit, no place for insects to hide. As a sapling, the
plant adds to the beauty of the surroundings when it spreads its branches, leaves and roots around. It gets the suit house. Thus,
in the poem, the trees are welcomed by the strong winds and the moon. The poet does not want to mention the departure of
the forests as she feels guilty for merely looking silently at them as they depart. This way, she subtly points out the thanklessness
of man towards forests.