CHAPTER

02
Wind by Subramania Bharati

Explanation of the Poem

Central ldea of Stanza 1
Wind, come softly.
the Poem
Don't break the shutters of the windows.
This poem is derived from the
poe's observation and Don't scatter the papers.
devotion. He sees the effects of Don't throw down the books on the shelf.
the wind in general and of
stormy weather. He also WORD MEANINGS
praises the wind god. We are shutters hinged panels used to close /open windows
able to appreciate the
Scatter
throw in different directions
keenness of the poer's vision,
ond his unique thought process softly slowly
abouf something as apparently
Simple as the wind. The poet
Explanation The poet makes request to the wind, asking it not to blow so stronglythat it breaks
down the shutters of the windoWs, as fhey separate man from the stormy environment outside.
Suggests every one to be
So he is asking the wind for profection. He also asks the wind not to scatter the papers in his
Sirong physically and mentally.
Wind here is the symbol of room, or to throw down the books from his bookshelves withits force.
iticulfties or obstacles humans
have to face for their survival. Stanza 2
People with strong physique There, look what you did - you threw them all down.
and good mental health will be
to You tore the pages of the books.
stand and face odds or
obstacles oflife. You brought rain again.
Explanation Here the poet accuses the wind of blowing too strongly and creating the mess in his
room with the books thrown down trom the shelves and their pages torn. He sees outside and
tells the wind that it has brought rain with it again.

Stanza 3
You're very clever at poking fun at weaklings.

Frail crumbling houses, crumbling doors, crumbling rafters,

crumbling wood, crumbling bodies, crumbling lives,
crumbling hearts
the wind god winnows and crushes them all.
 Allinone English Language and Literature Clnse e
306 ass 9th

wORD MEANINGS
poking.. at
Stanza 5
making.. Of The wind blows out weak fires.
weaklings weak bodies/persons
He makes strong fires roar and flourish.
frail weak

crumblin9 destroying, breaking His friendship is good..

rafters slopingbeams suppoting aroof We praise him everyday.
wind god (symbolicof) all kinds of wind WORD MEANINGS
separates weak from strong
winnows
blow out tostop a fire
Explanation Now the poet speaks in a subdued tone to the flourish grow healthy and vigorous
wind, saying that it makes mischief whenever it
encounters anyone who is too meek (humble) and mild Explanation Here the poet describes how the wind has both bad
to protest against its actions. It tears down doors, effects and good effects. The bad effect is that it can blow
rafters and even entire wooden houses altogether, out a
weak fire. However, if the fire is burning strongly, then the
leaving people without shelter from the harsh world wind
will make it burn fiercer, thus nurturing what is
outside. This is an idiom implying that the troubles we already strong.
The poet comes to the conclusion that if we are
face in life come as suddenly as the wind, and also strong, then the
wind is a good friend for us to have, as it will increase our
leave suddenly. As the poet says, the wind can tear
down weak bodies and fragile hearts. That is, difficulties strength. This is an idiom meaning that all froubles that we face
in life will strengthen us further if our characters are
in life can lead to a loss of hope, as well as a los of strong.
However, we will be seriously affected by troubles if our
life. Thus, it is all up to the wind god, says the
poet. characters are weak. He also says that we should
sing our
devotion to the wind god on a daily basis
Stanza 4 should happily face any troubles in our lives.
meaning that we

He won't do what you tell him.

So, come, let's build strong homes, Poetic Devices Used in the Poem
Let's join the doors firmly. Personification A figure of speech which is used for an inanimate object or
animals/birds look or feel human.
Practise to firm the body. The wind is
Make the heart steadfast. personified throughout the poem. Some instances
are
Lines 5 8 There, look what you did- you threw them all down. / You
Do this, and the wind will be friends with tore the pages of the books. / You
brought rain again. / You're very clever
us. atpoking fun at weaklings. (Here the poet is talking to the wind,
admonishing it, just like to a human gently
wORD MEANINGS Lines 12- 13 The wind god winnows
being.
(separates) and crushes them all. /
He won't do what you tell him. (Here the wind is
firm make strong personified as a God.
Line 18 Do this and the wind will be friends
with us. (Here the wind is
steadfast firm and determined personified as a friend.)
Line 20 Do this and the wind will be friends with us.
Explanation The poet now speaks to the readers, saying (Here the wind is
personitied as a friend.)
that the wind does not listen to Line 21 He makes strong fires roar and flourish.
anybody and its actions (Here the wind is
are governed by it alone. To escape its harmful effects, personified as a human.)
we should build our homes on a
strong foundation and Line 22 We praise him every day. (Here the wind is
ensure that their doors cannot be
easily penetrated lget
personified as a God.
acess to) by the wind. Also, we must train our bodies Metaphor A device which compares two things or qualities which are unlike.
Line 12 The wind god winnowS
and our hearts to combat and resist (face) the ill-effects . (Here winnows' is a metaphor tor
separating the weak from the strong.)
of the wind. If we are able to do this, then we
will no Anaphora This means repetition of the same word in successive lines. Ine
longer consider the wind an enemy. Instead the wind
will invite us to become its friend. This is an idiom instances are:
meaning that if we make our character strong, we will Lines 2, 3 and 4 Repetition of Don't
be able to combat any troubles easily. However, if our Lines 6, 7 and 8 Repetition of You'
character is weak, the troubles will create problems for Lines 9, 10 and 11 Repetition of 'crumbling'
US. Lines 14 and 15 Repetition of 'Le's'
NCERT FOLDER
Here we have covered questions given in the NCERT textbook along with their answers.)

Thinking about the Poem (Page 31) What do the last four lines of the poem mean
1 What are the things the wind does in the first to you?
stanza (Lines 5 - 7)? Ans. The last four lines convey the message that only

4ns. In lines 5-7, the wind blows so strongly that it strong people, both physically and mentally, are
able to withstand the troubles that come in their
throws down the books from the shelves and tears the
way in life; not only this, these make them
papers. It also brings rain. stronger. On the other hand, weak people are
2 Have you seen anybody winnow grain at homeor swept away and defeated.
in a paddy field? What is the word in your 6 How does the poet speak to the wind-in
language for winnowing? What do people use for anger or with humour? You must also have
winnowing? seen or heard of the wind "crumbling lives".
us. Yes, I have seen agricultural labour (usually women) What is your response to this? Is it like the
winnowing grain, i.e. separating the heavier grains poet's?
from the lighter chaff by letting it fall gently while a Ans. Initially, the poet speaks to the wind with anger,
strong wind is blown. The word for winnowing used
saying that it has thrown down his books from the
in our language Hindi is Barsana'" (responses will vary shelves and torn their pages. However, later the
in different languages). poet's tone changes and he speaks to the wind with
For winnowing, usually a cane container with grain humour, inviting it to attack him, as he intends to
and a fan to blow air are used. In Hindi the prepare himself as if waiting for a 'friend'.
the village
winnowing fan is called chhaaj' used by Yes, I have heard of the wind "crumbling lives".
My response is similar to the poet's. I will prepare
people.
myself by becoming stronger and ready for any
winnows?
What does the poet say the wind god attack.
(winnows) weak
Ihe poet says that the wind destroys weak hearts
houses, everything at home, weak bodies, II. Thinking about the Poem (Page 31)
and even takes lives of those that are
weak.
I The poem you have just read is originally in
the
What should we do to make friends with the Tamil. Do you know any such poems in
wind? your language?
should build Ans.
As the wind favours the strong, we
bodies and
Yes, there are many similar poems in my language.
make our
strong homes with sturdy doors, (Do it yourself)
friends with the wind.
nearts
strong to make
 Exam Practice
Extract Based Questions 4 Marks each]
Read the following extracts carefully and choose the correct option.

1 Wind, come softly. 3 The wind

god winnows and crushes them all.
Don't break the shutters of the windows, He won't do what you tell him.
Don't scatter the papers. So, come, let's build strong homes,
i) What does poet ask the wind? Let's joint the doors firmly.
(a) To blow gently and mildly ) How does the Wind God come?
(b) To blow fiercely
(c) To create a storm
(a) By crushing the weak
(d) To stop blowing (b) By making musical sound
i) What did the wind tear? (c) By dancing gracefully
(a) Curtains of the door (d) By flooding crops
(b) The pages of books (n) Why does the poet want to join doors firmly?
(c) Leaves of the tender plants (a) To stop wind (b) To avert damage
(d) Soft toys of the kids (c) To fight with wind (d) To control wind
(ii) What does the phrase 'come softly' in the (iii) What does the phrase 'winnows and crushes
passage mean? them all' mean?
(a) Walk gracefully (b) Move gallantly (a) Pick the strong
(c) Blow gently (d) Spurt violently (b) Select the weak
(iv) Which poetic device has been used in these (c) Separate the weak and destroy
lines? (d) Strengthen all
(a) Simile (b) Metaphor iv) Why does the poet propose to build strong
(c) Alliteration (d) Personification homes?
1S.
G) (a) To blow gently and mildly (a) To defeat the wind
i) (b) The pages of books (b) To empower oneself
(ii) (c) Blow gently c) To cut the wind
(iv) (d) Personification
2 (d) To escape from the harmful effects of wind
Don't throw down the books on the shelf. Ans. () (a) By crushing the weak
There, look what you did -
You threw them all down. (ii) (6) To avert damage
You tore the pages of the books. ii) (c) Separate the weak and destroy
You brought rain again. (iv) (d) To escape from the harmful effects of wind
i) Why is the poet disappointed?
4 He won't do what
(a) Wind has overthrown him you tell him.
(b) Wind does not listen to him So, come, let's build strong homes,
Let's joint the doors
(c) Wind has broken plants firmly.
(d) Wind has caused soil erosion Practise to firm the body.
(i) How is wind by nature? Make the heart steadfast.
a) Soft Do this, and the wind will be
(b) Caring friends with us.
(c) Destructive (d) Conserving i) Who won't do what is told to him?
(ii) What does 'you' stand for here? (a) The man
(a) The wind (b) The mountains
(b) The poet
(c) The trees (d) The books (c) The fire
(d) The wind
(iv) In what tone does the poet speak to wind?
ii) What does the poet ask the readers to do so
(a) Politely (b) Humorously that wind becomes their friend?
(c) Lovingly (d) Angrily (a) To love the wind
Ans. ) (b) Wind does not listen to him (b) To respect the wind
(i) (c) Destructive (c) To build strong homes
ii) (a) The wind (d) To invite wind
(iv) (d) Angrily
Wind(SectionC) 309

i i What does the poet advise us to do? (c) By being cold towards others
(a) Eat more (d) By making our heart steadfast
(b) Practise to firm the body Ans. (i) (a) Good relations with others
(c) Work more (i) (b) Poor relations with other people
(d) Fight more with wind
(ii) (c) Steadfast
(iv) Which word in the extract means the same as
'carry out or perform regularly'? (iv) (d) By making our heart steadfast
(a) Practise (b) Join fimly 6 The wind blows out weak fires
(c) Build (a) Steadfast He makes strong fires roar and flourish.
Ans. () (d) The wind His friendship is good.
We praise him every day.
(i) () To build strong homes
(ii) (b) Practise to firm the body (i) What does the wind do to fires?
(a) Supports fire
(v) (a) Practise
(b) Extinguishes fire
5 So, come, let's build strong homes, (c) Blows out weak fires while flames the strong

Let's joint the doors firmly. fire

Practise to firm the body. (d) Cools the fire
Make the heart steadfast. (i1) What is the advice of the poet?
Do this and the wind will be friends with us. (a) To make oneself physically and mentally

The wind blows out weak fires. strong

(b) To prevent the fire
i) What does the poet want us to do?
(c) To preserve the fire
(a) Good relations with others
(d) To fuel the fire
(b) Being indifferent
(ii) Which word in the extract means the same as
(c) Look for one's safety
grow or develop in a healthy way?
(d) Fight the wind
(a) Blows (b) Fires
by 'weak fires'?
(i) What does the poet mean
(c) Praise (d) Flourish
(a) Slow ignition (iv) Which poetic device is employed in the
(b) Poor relations with other people
stanza?
(c) Strong winds
(a) Alliteration (b) Simile
(d) Weak homes
(c) Metaphor (a) Personification
word from the extract which
means
(ii) Trace a
Ans. ) (c) Blows out weak fires while flames the
'strong'. strong fire
(a) Firm (b) Weak
(c) Steadfast (d) Blow (i) (a) To make oneself physically and mentally strong
(iv) How will the wind be our friend? (ii) (d) Flourish
(a) By mixing joyfully (iv) (d) Personitication
(b) By lighting 'weak fires'

(Short Answer (SA) Type Questions [2 Marks each]

be maintained. When the wind blows, it disturbs

TWho all are disturbed by the blowing of the everything and everyone in society. So the poet
wind and who are not?
s , All people who are physically weak and mentally not
pleads for the welfare of society.
the blowing of the 3 How does the wind cause rain?
determined are disturbed by
Self-confident and strong people do not get Ans. The wind blows violently, so that it
Wind. appears as if a
disturbed by the wind blowing. storm is
coming. It brings clouds from distant
come softlyY places. As a result it causes rain.
Why does the poet ask the wind to
in the beginning of the poem? 4 Why should we build
strong houses?
s , The poet asks the wind to come softly in the Ans. We should build houses
strong so that
get damaged by the blowing wind. In they
order and peace may do not
beginning of the poem so that
other words,
310 Allinone English Language and Literature Class 9th

we should build strong minds and bodies to 7 What does the wind symbolise?
withstand any kinds of violent challenges thrown Ans. The wind symbolises the trials and tribulations
in our paths
everybody faces in their lives.
5 How does the wind make fun of weaklings? Those who are strong in character succeed in
Ans. The poet tells the wind that it makes mischief overcoming them, while those who are weak are
whenever it comes face to face with weaklings, who destroyed.
are too meek and mild to protest against its
8 Give the central idea of the poem 'Wind'.
actions, by destroying their lives.
Aus. The central idea of the poem is that we should be
6 What does 'crumbling' suggest in the poem strong in mind and body.
Wind'?
The wind will be our friend when we are
strong.
Ans. Crumbling suggests destruction in this poem. Actually the wind represents the difficulties and
People who are weak will be crumbled by being challenges we face in life. We should encounter them
overwhelmed by the difficulties that they face
during their lives. boldly

Long Answer (LA)Type Questions [8 Marks each]

1 How is Wind' a symbolic

poem? By being strong, we will become friends with the
Compare it
with 'The Road Not Taken'. wind (i.e. we will be easily able to tackle
(handle)
Ans. Poems can be read just for the pleasure of their rhyme successfully the trials and tribulations (difficulties)
or for their literal we face in life), which will aid us in
meaning. However, poems can achieving
have a deeper meaning than the obvious one success and in tlourishing life.
they
show. Under an able teacher a student finds more
3 Man can not overpower the
pleasure in tracking down symbols and figurative fury of nature
like storms or floods. Discuss the destruction
meanings. caused by a natural element wind in this
In simple words, what
appears to be a simple poem context. How can we face the
of travelling forest road develops into a
on a fury of nature?
poem Ans. It is a well-known fact that nature knows how to
discussing the choices of life. Similarly, the wind can
be compared to the difficulties we face in life. maintain its balance even
Strong though the human race
people face difficulties bravely while weak people are continues to believe it can
overpower and destroy it.
broken or destroyed. Through this poem wind the poet has given stances
of how wind can be destructive. It can cause
2 What destructive events are used by the destructive events like breaking the shutters of
many
wind? How can we prevent these destructive windows, scattering papers and throwing books
events from happening? down from the shelves. It even crushes weak
bodies
Ans. The wind causes many destructive events like and breaks weakly constructed houses. We
can
breaking the shutters of windows, scattering papers prevent these destructive events from happening by
and throwing books down from the shelves. It even being firm, positive and a friend of nature. If we
crushes weak bodies, lives and hearts, breaks down maintain ecological balance, we can be
friends with
nature and there be
weakly built houses and walls, besides not listening
can a
harmony (balance)
to any entreaties. between human lives and natural elements.
We can prevent these destructive events from Moreover the poet suggests human
beings to be
happening by being firm, positive and strong, both strong physically and mentally in order to be friends
with nature (here Wind). Mentally strong here also
physically as well as mentally, besides making our
houses (i.e. our characters) stronger suggests trying to treat nature in a friendly manner
so that we do not have to face the
wrath or fury
(anger) of nature.
Selt Assessment
Extract Based Questions
Read the following extracts carefully and choose the correct option.
Don't throw down the books on the shelf.
There, look what you did - You threw them all down.
You tore the pages of the books.
You brought rain again.
(i) Why is the poet rebuking the wind?
(a) For tearing books (b) For breaking plants
(c) For tearing clothes (d) For putting off the fire
(i) What all has wind done?
(a) Disturbed peace (b) Torn books and caused rains
(c) Caused fire (d) Brought hailstones

(i) Which word in the extract means 'caused'?

(d) Done
(a) Thrown (b) Torn (c) Brought
(iv) Who does 'you' refer to?
(a) The poet (b) The books (c) The Rain (d) The wind

2 He won't do what you tell him.

So, come, let's build strong homesy
Let's joint the doors firmly.
Practise to firm the body.

(i) Who is the poet talking to here?

(a) The readers (b The fire (c) The wind (d) The rain
(ii) What does the poet mean by 'practise to firm the body'?
(a) Learn to extinguish fire (b) Prevent hailstorms
(c) Strengthen mind, soul and relations (d) Build strong houses
(ii) Which word in the extract meansfix'?
(a) Do (b) Joint (c) Build (d) Firm
(iv) Who is 'he' in the above-extract?
(a) The fire (b) The poet (c) The home (d) The wind

Short Answer (SA) Type Questions

3 What does the wind god winnow?

4 He won't do what you tell him'. Who is 'he' and why will he not do as told?
5 'Make the heart steadfast'. Why does the poet say this?
6 What is the significance of 'strong fires' near the end of the poem?
7 The wind blows out weak fires. What do 'weak fires' signify?
8 Why does the poet want us to praise the wind every day?

Long Answer (LA) Type Questions

9 The wind deals very cruelly all weak
with things. Justify this by
written at various places in the poem. mentioning what has been
10 What is the hidden or symbolic message of this poem?