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  1. Class 9
  2. Literature
  3. Beehive
  4. On Killing a Tree

On Killing a Tree - Beehive - Class 9 - CBSE English

On Killing a Tree, Beehive, Class 9, "Discover Gieve Patel's evocative poem 'On Killing a Tree.' Explore the themes of nature and the human condition in this powerful and concise piece."

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  • About the author
  • Summary
  • Themes
  • Symbols
  • Poetic Devices
  • Vocabulary
  • Questions & Answers
  • Line-by-line explanation in Hindi
  • Quiz

About the author - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

Gieve Patel is an Indian poet, playwright, and practicing doctor. He was born in Mumbai in 1940 and received his medical degree from Grant Medical College. Patel's poetry often deals with themes of nature, the human condition, and the relationship between the two. He is known for his concise and evocative use of language and imagery, as seen in his poem "On Killing a Tree." Patel has published several collections of poetry and his work has been translated into several languages. In addition to his writing, he has also been active in the theatre community as a playwright and director.

Summary - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

Gieve Patel's poem "On Killing a Tree" is a powerful meditation on the slow, consuming process of nature and the difficulty of destroying it. The poem begins with the assertion that a simple jab of a knife will not be enough to kill a tree. Instead, the tree has grown slowly over time, consuming the earth and absorbing years of sunlight, air, and water. From its leprous hide, leaves have sprouted, and its bleeding bark will eventually heal.

However, if one were to succeed in killing the tree, the process of its destruction would be a long and arduous one. Green twigs would rise from close to the ground, and the source of the tree's strength, hidden for years inside the earth, would be exposed. The matter of scorching and choking in sun and air would then cause the tree to brown, harden, twist, wither, and die.

The poem is a powerful metaphor for the resilience of nature and the difficulty of destroying it. It suggests that even the act of killing a single tree requires a significant amount of effort and time, and that nature always finds a way to continue on. The poem's vivid imagery and concise language make it a powerful meditation on the beauty and fragility of the natural world.

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Themes - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

Nature's Resilience

The poem highlights nature's ability to survive and endure despite efforts to destroy it. The tree is described as slowly consuming the earth and absorbing years of sunlight, air, and water. Even when it is cut down, the tree is shown to have hidden reserves of strength that allow it to sprout new growth. This theme suggests that nature is powerful and enduring, and that humans must be careful not to underestimate its resilience.

Human Impotence

The poem suggests that humans are unable ...............................

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Symbols - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

The Tree

The tree in the poem is a symbol of nature, representing its strength, resilience, and beauty. The tree is depicted as having absorbed years of sunlight, air, and water, and rising out of the earth through its crust. The tree is also shown as having a will and life of its own, despite human efforts to destroy it.

The Knife

The knife in the poem symbolizes.......................................

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Poetic Devices - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

Imagery

The poem makes use of vivid and evocative imagery throughout. Examples include the description of the tree as "slowly consuming the earth," "absorbing years of sunlight, air, water," and "sprouting leaves from its leprous hide." These images create a powerful impression of the tree's strength and resilience.

Metaphor

The poem makes use of metaphor to describe.........................

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Vocabulary - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

jab: sudden rough blow

leprous hide: discoloured bark

hack: cut roughly by striking heavy blows

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On Killing a Tree - Questions and Answers | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

  • Not a simple jab of the knife Will do it. It has grown Slowly consuming the earth, a. Name the poem and the poet. b. 'It has grown'. What does 'it' refer to here? c. How has it slowly consumed the earth? d. What quality of 'it' do these lines indirectly suggest? e. What is a simple jab of the knife not enough for?

    a. Name of the poem is ‘On Killing a Tree’ and the poet is Gieve Patel. b. It refers to a tree. c. It has slowly consumed the earth by taking in the water, the minerals, the vitamins which are available in the earth soil and has nurtured itself. d. It refers to its strength, its long existence and its quality to withstand the blows. e. A simple jab of a knife is not enough to cut a tree or to kill it. It is not enough because it has taken a long time to grow to its full height and its years of nurturing cannot be undone with just Jab of knife.

  • Rising out of it, feeding Upon its crust, absorbing Years of ' sun light, air, water, And out of its leprous hide Sprouting leaves. a. What does 'it' refer to here? What rises out of it? b. Explain the expression: 'leprous hide'. c. Who or what sprouts leaves? How? d. Quote words or expressions in the extract that convey the idea of nourishment and growth.

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  • The bleeding bark will heal And from close to the ground Will rise curled green twigs a. What or who causes the bark to bleed? b. How will the bark heal? c. What is the meaning of bleeding bark? d. What do these lines suggest about life in general?

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  • And the strength of the tree exposed The source, white and wet, The most sensitive, hidden For years inside the earth. a. What part of the tree has been called its 'strength'? Why? b. Why is it 'white and wet', and 'the most sensitive' part? c. What is it exposed to? d. What will happen because of this exposure?

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  • Then the matter Of scorching and choking In sun and air, Browning; hardening, Twisting, withering, And then it is done. a. Who or what suffers 'scorching and choking'? b. 'And then it is done.' What does 'it' refer to here? c. How are the sun and the air responsible for growth and decay? d. What do these lines indirectly suggest about human attitude to nature?

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  • What, according to the poem, is the surest way of killing a tree?

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  • Is Gieve Patel's poem a sure recipe for killing trees or a passionate appeal for saving them?

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  • What is the meaning of ‘anchoring earth’ and ‘earth cave’?

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  • What could the tree symbolize in the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’? Write a detailed answer.

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  • What do you learn about trees from this poem?

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  • Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

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  • How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and activity.

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  • What is the meaning of “bleeding bark”? What makes it bleed?

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  • The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?

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  • What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?

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  • What finally kills the tree?

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On Killing a Tree - Line by line explanation in Hindi | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

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Quiz - On Killing a Tree | Beehive | Class 9 Literature | CBSE English

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