Indian author Gieve Patel wrote the poem “On Killing a Tree,” which depicts the cruelty of a tree cutter. Man is forgetting the contribution of Nature in the development of human civilization, which is explicitly shown in the poem “On Killing a Tree“. Some short Questions and answers are given below.
On Killing a Tree: Questions and Answers
1. Who is the author of the poem “On Killing a Tree”?
Gieve Patel is the author of the poem “On Killing a Tree”.
2. What kind of task is it to kill a tree?
To kill a tree is not an easy task, as it requires a significant amount of time and effort.
3. How much time does it take to kill a tree?
It takes a lot of time to kill a tree.
4. What does the ‘leprous hide’ in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ mean?
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, the phrase ‘leprous hide’ means that the bark of the tree looks like the faded skin of a man suffering from leprosy.
5. “But this alone won’t do it.” – What is ‘this’?
In the quoted line, ‘this’ refers to hacking and chopping of a tree. The quoted line, “But this alone won’t do it.”, means that only hacking and chopping can’t kill a tree.
6. What will happen after hacking and chopping of the tree?
After hacking and chopping of the tree, the bleeding bark of the tree will heal its wound and produce curled green twigs.
7. What will rise from close to the ground?
Curled green twigs will rise from close to the ground.
8. “The bleeding bark will heal.” – Why does the bark bleed?
The bark of the tree bleeds because of the ruthless hacking and chopping.
9. “Not so much pain will do it” – What task does the word ‘it’ refer to?
In the quoted portion, ‘it’ refers to the hard task of killing a tree.
10. Where will green twigs rise from?
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’, it is clearly mentioned that if a tree is hacked and chopped, green twigs will rise from close to the ground.
11. Where do the leaves sprout from?
The leaves sprout from the leprous hide.
12. What is to be done to kill a tree?
To kill a tree, the tree is to be uprooted completely.
13. Where will the root be pulled out of?
The root will be pulled out of the anchoring earth.
14. What lies hidden in earth’s cave?
The roots of a tree lie hidden in earth’s cave. Here, ‘earth’ refers to soil.
15. What, according to Gieve Patel, is the ‘most sensitive’ part of a tree?
According to Gieve Patel, the root is the ‘most sensitive’ part of a tree.
16. How does Gieve Patel describe the roots of the tree?
In “On Killing a Tree”, Gieve Patel describes the roots of the tree as ‘the strength of the tree’ and ‘the source, white and wet’.He also mentioned that the root is the most sensitive part of the tree, which is hidden for years inside the earth.
17. What is the final process of killing a tree?
The final process of killing a tree is uprooting the tree.
18. “And then it is done” – What act is referred to here?
The act of killing a tree completely is referred to here by the line “And then it is done”.
19. What does the tree absorb?
The tree absorbs sunlight, air, and water.
20. How is the bark of the tree described in the poem ?
The bark of the tree is described as the ‘leprous hide’.
21. “Which if unchecked will expand again” – What would expand again?
The curled green twigs would expand again.
22. What are the steps involved in uprooting a tree?
The steps involved in uprooting a tree are roping, tying, and pulling out entirely.
23. Where does the strength of a tree lie?
The strength of a tree lies in its roots, which keep it firmly fixed on the ground.
24. What does the tree symbolize?
In Gieve Patel’s poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’, the tree is a powerful symbol of life and struggles as well as of nature that nourishes human civilization.
25. What message does the poem “On Killing a Tree” convey?
Gieve Patel’s poem “On Killing a Tree” conveys the message that trees cannot be killed so easily and should not be killed. We have to keep in mind the value of a tree, and we should not be cruel to nature for the sake of ourselves.
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1. On Killing a Tree: Summary