The TREES

SESSION 2024-25
Class: X

NCERT Q/A

Q 1: (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…”? What
could the poet mean by the sun’s ‘feet’?
ANS: (i) The three things that cannot happen in a treeless forest are listed below:
the sitting of a bird on trees
the hiding of insects in the trees
the sun burying its feet in the shadow of the forest
(ii) The sun’s ‘feet’ refers to the heat and rays of the sun that fall on the ground. Since there are no
trees, there will be no shadow, the sun rays will fall on the ground directly. However, in a forest full
of trees, the shadow hides the sun rays and it appears that the sun is burying its feet in the shadow
of the trees in the forest.

Q 2: (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?
ANS: (i) In the poem, the trees are confined to the limits of the poet’s house. Their roots work all
night to separate themselves from the cracks on the veranda floor. The leaves make attempts to
move towards the glass and exert pressure to break it, while the small twigs get stiff and tight with
exertion.
(ii) The poet compares the ‘long-cramped’ branches shuffling under the roof to newly discharged
patients from a hospital who look half-disoriented and confused after suffering long illnesses as they
move towards the clinic doors. The large branches of the trees become cramped under the roof as
they want to be set free so that they are able to spread themselves fully in the open air outside.

Q 3: (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?
ANS: (i) At the beginning of the third stanza, the poet mentions that the full moon is shining in the
open sky in the fresh night. Towards the end of the stanza, she describes that the moon breaks into
many pieces just like a cracked mirror and shines on the heads of the tallest oak trees. As the trees
move outside from her home, they cover some moonlight and it can be seen only in small portions.
This justifies the poet’s statement that the moon has broken into pieces.
(ii) When the trees move out of the house, the glass breaks and the smell of leaves and lichen reach
the rooms of the house like a voice.
(iii) The poet scarcely mentions “the departure of the forest from the house” in her letters because
human beings generally don’t care for nature in the first place. Hence, she thinks that nobody would
be interested to know how hard the trees are trying to set themselves free. She also mentions that if
humans would really have cared for the trees, they would never think of destroying them.
Therefore, we can understand that the poet could feel the whole beauty of trees moving back to the
forest and she was immensely happy to realize it.
Q 4: Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean.
Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others?
(i) Does the poem present a conflict between man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the Zoo. Is
the poet suggesting that plants and trees, used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut
down, are ‘imprisoned’, and need to ‘break out’?
(ii) On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human beings;
this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you take its
trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning?
ANS: The poem may connote different meanings to different readers. The poet tries to explain two
different things using the same metaphors in the poem.
(i) Yes, the poem presents a conflict between man and nature. Humans have always had the
tendency to damage or harm nature without even realizing the usefulness and the benefits that
mankind derives from it. They do mass deforestation which disturbs the environmental balance and
results in destruction of natural scenic beauty. Man tries to contain plants and trees within limited
spaces that deny their natural freedom. Due to this reason, the branches of the trees want to spread
themselves and feel the fresh air outside. Similarly, in the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’, the poet shows
that animals which are kept in cages are unable to enjoy their freedom as even they want to be set
free and run around freely in the open space.
(ii) If trees have been used as a metaphor for human beings, then it could be said that just like trees,
humans would also like to break away from the shackles of their busy schedules and restricting
boundaries that life puts on them. Although men strive hard in their daily routines to earn a living,
they don’t always have the privilege to enjoy its benefits. Modern life brings in a lot of physical
comfort, but also has its equal share of drawbacks. Hence, even man wants to break free from all his
tasks and enjoy the peaceful nature out in the open just like the trees.

QUESTION BANK
COMPETENCY QUESTIONS

Q 1. What is the central idea of the poem ‘The Trees’

Answer: The poem ‘The Trees’ states that in the conflict between man and nature, man has
caused much harm to nature. Man has learnt to acquire a lot of material goods, but forgotten the
importance of nature and large forests have been cut down, animals have been killed and water
bodies have been destroyed. Man has judged nature wrongly to be weak, whereas nature is the
most powerful. Any natural disaster cannot be prevented, though we are moving in a
technologically advanced world. The destructive forms of nature for eg : flood, earthquake,
volcanoes, tornadoes etc. teach man that the real power lies with nature and it can do anything.

Q2- Now that you have read the poem in detail, we can begin to ask what the poem might mean.
Here are two suggestions. Can you think of others? Does the poem present a conflict between
man and nature? Compare it with A Tiger in the zoo. Is the poet suggesting that plants and trees,
used for ‘interior decoration’ in cities while forests are cut down, are ’imprisoned’ and need to
‘break out’?

Ans: Yes, the poem presents a conflict between man and nature. Man is causing deforestation by
cutting down the trees for his own use. On the other hand, he decorates his house with the trees.
We are damaging our environment without even thinking about the end results. By clearing up
the forests, we are endangering ourselves. So is with the animals too. We are ruining their
natural habitat and killing them for our fun or food but on the other hand, we are keeping them
in the cages on the pretext of safeguarding them by making sanctuaries and zoos. So, it is true
 that we are in a direct conflict with nature and making the other living beings prisoners, be it the
trees or animals.

Q3. On the other hand, Adrienne Rich has been known to use trees as a metaphor for human
beings; this is a recurrent image in her poetry. What new meanings emerge from the poem if you
take its trees to be symbolic of this particular meaning?

Ans: If trees are to be taken as a symbol for human beings, then the poem will define the efforts
of humans to free themselves from the clutches of the desire to achieve everything. All the
human beings are under a constant pressure of being at the top in every field. Either they are
forced by their own desire of doing so or there is a constant peer pressure on them. So, the
human beings will set themselves free from this race and try to live a happy and peaceful life.

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE

[Link] is the poetess head full of?
Ans- the poetess’ head is full of whispers
[Link] does the moon look like when the tree moves out of the house?
Ans- the moon looks like a broken Mirror
[Link] work is done by the roots all night?
Ans- all night roots work to free
[Link] from the cracks in the veranda floor .Mention the name of the poetess of “trees”?
Ans- Adrienne rich
5. Which part of plant tries to free itself from the cracks of the veranda floor?
Ans-the boughs of the plants try to free themselves from the cracks of the veranda floor

Summary
"The Trees" by Adrienne Rich. The poem explores the theme of nature’s freedom and human
intervention. It highlights the plight of trees confined indoors, yearning to break free and return to
their natural habitat.

The trees in the poem symbolize nature's resistance to human domination, as they begin to break
free from the boundaries of the house where they are confined. They gradually move outside,
reclaiming their rightful place in the wild. The speaker, though passive, observes the quiet escape of
the trees and reflects on the relationship between humans and nature.

The poem is a metaphor for the broader conflict between nature's need for freedom and the human
tendency to control and dominate the natural world. It emphasizes the importance of allowing
nature to thrive without restrictions, hinting at the consequences of keeping nature bound and
controlled.

MINDMAP