The Heart of the tree

The Heart of the tree

i.          Who is the poet asking the question in the first line of the extract? List any two things, according to the extract, that man will do by planting trees.

In the opening stanza the poet poses a general question to the readers. According to the poet that man who plants a tree, plants a friend of sun and sky, he plants a home close to heaven as well.

ii.        Give the meaning of the following lines:

The meaning of the given lines:

According to the poet the tree is compared to a friend. He says that the man who plants a tree, plants a friend of sun and sky. The tree is again compared to a flag of free breeze. The tree grows high with its long narrow stem and looks like a beautiful tower.

The tree becomes a home close to heaven as well.

iii.     In what way are the trees friends of sun and sky? How can a man plant the flag of breezes free?

The trees are friends of sun and sky. It takes in carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen in the air and thus purifies the air. The man who plants a tree plants the flag of breezes. Like a flag flutters freely in the breeze, the leaves of the tree flutter and provide soothing, cool breeze to us

iv.     What is meant by “the shaft of beauty”? what is compared to the shaft?

The beam of beauty is meant by the shaft of beauty. The growth of the trees is compared to the shaft of a tree. The tree grows high with its long narrow stem and looks like a beautiful tower.

v.        What is the impact of beginning the poem with a question? What is the figure of speech used here?

The general pattern followed in the poem is that of the raising a question and then immediately providing an answer to that question. Literally this technique is known as Hypophora or Antipophora. The poet begins each stanza of the poem with the question, “What does he plant who plants a tree?”

The answer given each time delineates the importance of trees in different spheres of human life.

2.

i. what is known as mother-croon of bird? Why is the song sung in a hushed voice?

The soft song that mother bird is singing to her young one is referred to mother-croon of bird. The mother bird who sings to her young ones happily, with a soft and gentle voice, with hushed tone adds to the pleasant harmony of the universe.

ii. what is twilight? Why is it a happy twilight?

Twilight is referred to the faint light at the end of the day after the sun has gone down. Since the mother bird sings happily, the tone adds to the pleasant harmony of the universe, it is a happy twilight.

iii. what is meant by (a) treble (b) heaven’s harmony? What role does the treble play in heaven’s harmony?

High tone of music is meant by treble.

The way in which different musical notes are played or sung together and combine to make a heavenly pleasant sound is meant by heaven’s harmony.

The high tone of music brings heaven’s harmony to the earth.

iv. in this lesson, under the heading, Style, the meaning of metonymy is given. Give two examples of metonymy from the extract. How is it used in the context?

Metonymy 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. As we can see, whole of the 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” and “tender rain”

v. give four functions which a tree performs on this earth.

Own

3.

i. enumerate any tree 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 poet knows the crucial importance of trees for our survival. They cool the atmosphere and cause gentle rain. Trees are the source of “breezes free”, the trees take in carbon dioxide and emit oxygen for human beings to inhale.

The plants provide us with all essential nutrients for our body. They are main source of medicine and wood.

ii. The water evaporates, condenses and falls as rain. What role do the trees play in this process of producing rain?

Own

iii. 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 these seeds will grow into new trees and into a dense forest. This is symbolic of the process of birth, death and regeneration. In this way, trees make the plains beautiful. The forest is inherited by the man who plants a tree.

iv. How do the trees provide for the harvest of the following years?

The poem brings forward the poet’s concern about the future of the Earth. The trees will provide crops to the future generations. Surely, the upcoming generations will reap all the benefits of the trees that are being planted now.

v. What do the expression, unborn eyes indicate? What will they see? Why will they rejoice?

The expression unborn eyes indicates a reference to the future generation, who is yet to be born. According to the poet, our survival is greatly dependent on forests. The one who plants a tree plants the entire forest. This forest is thus the “harvest”, the “coming age” can enjoy.

4.

i. 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 which has been used here. In the given sentence the plant is called not by its own name but rather by a metonym, that is, by the name of something associated in meaning with the plant.

According to the name of speech metonymy plant is called “sap and leaf and wood” and it is mentioned “a friend of sun and sky”.

ii. 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.

The poet concerned about the future of the Earth. The poet foresees the thought of civic good. The future of the society is meant by far-cast thought of civic good. The man who plants a tree showers his blessing on the neighbourhood. For the upcoming generation planting a tree is a blessing.

iii. Give the meaning of the following lines:

who in the hallow of His hand

Holds all the growth of all our land –

The man who plants a tree he holds all the growth of our Earth. The man who plants a tree his hand holds the future progress of mankind. Our land will become barren without trees. The poet becomes more anxious and could see that the growth of the universe is possible only by planting trees.

iv. In what way a nation’s growth depends on planting trees?

Without trees the world will become a deserted barren land. The entire animal race would face hunger. Thus, it is the tree which is responsible for the growth of mankind.

v. Comment on the appropriateness of the tile 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. 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. The Heart here thus signifies the most important quality of the tree.