On Killing A Tree

Gieve Patel
DESCRIPTIVE-TYPE QUESTION Marks-5
1. Give the substance of the poem “On Killing a Tree”.
Answer
“On Killing a Tree” is a sarcastic poem about man’s indiscriminate destruction
of trees . The poet, Gieve Patel , describes the cutting o f trees . The tree is
presented as an enemy to man. Man is presented as a professional killer . The
poem begins ironically , describing the crime committed by the tree . For
years , it has consumed the earth’s crust . Like a thief, it has observed sunlight ,
air and water. It has grown up like a giant . So the tree must be killed.
But it is not an easy task . It will take a lot of time and effort to kill a tree
that has grown over the years by absorbing the sunlight , air and water from
mother nature. A simple jab of knife will not do it .From close to the ground
it will rise up again . So the tree should be tied with a rope and pulled out
entirely . Its white bleeding root should be exposed . Then the tree is scorched
in sun choked and dried. it should be browned, hardened and withered. In this
way the complete process of killing of the tree is done.
2.Justify the title of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Answer
The title of Gieve patels’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ also holds a key to its
subject matter . The cutting of a tree is demonstrated in a symbolic way .A tree
has grown up in the earth by eating and drinking its sunlight , air and water .
But brutal nature of man does not allow it to grow up.He blows repeatedly
to destroy it . The poet describes two things . First , it speaks of the meticulous
task of killing a tree . Then it tells us about the perversity and tragedy of such
action, about man’s systematic destruction of the environment. The poet
invokes Nature’s resilience in the first two stanzas through the images of a
feeding tree and a healing tree . In the following two stanzas he creates a
sense of hunting in the methodical analysis of the execution of a tree . The use
of such words as ‘killing’ , `bleeding’ , `pain’ , `scorching’ and `choking’ becomes
the metaphor for human suffering . Thus the poem , from its beginning to the
end , describes in detail the process and consequences of killing a tree. Hence
both from thematic and symbolical point of view the title is significant and
justified.
3. Write down the central idea of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree’.
Answer
The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ written by Gieve patel is symbolic of the evils prevailing in the
society . In this poem the poet presents the tree as a parasite which consume the earth’s
nutrients by feeding upon the earth’s crust, which according to the poet is the destruction of
the earth’s fertility . leaves keep sprouting out of its leprous hide which is symbolical of the
smaller evils which keep issuing from the larger/bigger one’s (evil’s) . we can not kill a
tree by a simple of a knife which is again symbolic of the bigger evils which can not be get
rid of by simple blows . To kill a tree we need to find its very source (roots) , expose it and
let its scorch and choke in the sun . likewise , to get rid of an evil (kill an evil) , its source has
to be found and we need to drain its life in full and thereby leaving no chance of its
sprouting /rising again . The poet also uses the image of violence like cutting , jabbing
and bleeding. On the other hand , the poet shows that we human beings are so brutal ,
destructive and insensitive to the trees who help us selflessly to remain alive on this earth.

4: "And then it is done." -- What does 'it' refer to ? When it is done? How is it done?
Answer:
* Here 'it' refers to the killing of a tree in Gieve Patel's poem "On Killing a Tree".
* After pulling the roots out entirely from the earth-cave ; the tree is scorched , choked ,
browned , hardened , twisted and withered in sun and air for its death.
* Inspite of hacking and chopping its branches , the tree is not killed . But it heals itself from
its bleeding bark and sprouting new leaves . Then the tree is roped , tied and pulled out
entirely from the earth-cave . So the strength of the tree is lost.Then the white and wet
roots i.e. the most sensitive part of the tree is scorched and choked in sun and air . Finally ,
the roots is browned, hardened,twisted and withered for its tragic killing(death).

5:Describe, after Gieve Patel, the growth of a tree in detail.

OR
Desccribe in detail the growth of the tree in the first stanza ?
ANSWER:
The Poet ,Gieve Patel sketches how a tree grows in the first stanza of his poem "On Killing a
Tree" .To him ,the tree grows slowly consuming the earth firmly .It absorbs sunlight ,air and
water from nature for years to make food with these nutrients.
But a tree heals its wounds by hacking and chopping to rise miniature boughs into full size
itself again .Thus a tree grows slowly for years.

1.“The bleeding bark will heal” – How ?

OR
How does the tree heal itself ?
ANSWER
The healing up of a bleeding tree is beautifully described in
Gieve patel’s poem ‘On Killing a Tree’. The poet says that a woodcutter may cut
a tree with his repeated blow . But this alone will not be able to kill a tree . It
remains alive as its root are firmly attached to the earth which is a source of life
to the tree . The affected tree does not seem to express its pain because its
bleeding bark will heal its pain all the time . ‘Curled green twigs’ of the tree
closely attached to earth will grow from the miniature boughs. The strength of
the tee lies in the roots . If these roots are not completely uprooted, they will
expand and become a full grown tree again . Slowly they will get back to the
former size of the tree .

2. Describe the process of uprooting a tree ?

OR
How does the poet describe the uprooting of a tree?
ANSWER
Neither a simple jab of a knife nor hacking and chopping kill
a tree. Hence the root of the tree should be pulled out of the earth . It whould ,
then, be roped, tied and snapped out. So it should be pulled out entirely from the
earth cover. Then it should be exposed to sunlight .This , according to the poet,
is the complete process of uprooting a tree.

COMPOSED BY
UJJWAL SAHEB ( B.A ENG HONS)
 MOB-9614751600

1.SUBSTANCE
2.THEME/SUBJECT MATTER
3.GROWTH OF TREE
4.HOW THE BLEEDING BARK WILL HEAL ?
5.HOW DOES THE TREE GET ITS FORMER SIZE ?
6.HOW TO PULLED OUT THE ROOTS ?
7.HOW IS THE TREE KILLED FINNALY ?
In the poem, “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel, the poet wants to say something about the
cutting of trees. According to him, it will take too much time to kill a tree. A simple jab of
knife will not do it. The tree has grown slowly consuming the earth and absorbing air, water
and years of sunlight.
If one hacks and chops it and leaves . The tree does not seem to feel any kind of pain
because the bleeding bark seemed to heal all the time.To heal itself the tree gets help from
mother nature . Curled green twigs will sprout from its base close to the ground. They will
expand again and grow to their former sizes.
To kill a tree , it is to be rope-tied and pulled out: snapped out.Or it should be pulled out
entirely from the earth cave.
Finally, the strength of the tree will be exposed.the tree has hidden its source,its most
sensitive, white and wet part for many years inside the cave of the earth. Then the tree is
scorched and choked in the sun. In the end, the tree will go through a process of browning,
hardening, twisting and withering. Then ultimately, the tree gets killed.
2. Justify the title of the poem 'On Killing a Tree'.
'On Killing a Tree' by Gieve Patel describes two things. First, it speaks of the meticulous task
of killing a tree. Then it tells us about the perversity and tragedy of such action, about man's
systematic destruction of the environment. The poet invokes Nature's resilience in the first
two stanzas through the images of a feeding tree and a healing tree.
In the following two stanzas he creates a sense of hunting in the methodical analysis of the
execution of a tree. Thus the poem, from its beginning to the end, describes in detail the
process and consequences of killing a tree. Hence the title is appropriate and it drives the
poet's point home in a superb way.
 SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTION MARK-1
1. Who composed the poem On Killing a tree?
Ans: The poem On Killing a tree is composed by Gieve Patel.
2. How much time does it take to kill a tree?
Ans: It takes much time to kill a tree.
3. What can't kill a tree?
Ans: A simple jab of a knife can't kill a tree.
4. Which part of a tree is most sensitive?
Ans: The most sensitive part of a tree is it's white wet root which lay buried into the earth.
5. What is to be done to kill a tree completely?
Ans: To kill a tree completely it has to be uprooted and chopped. Then it is to be kept into
the scorching sunlight.
6."The sources, white and wet, The most sensitive, hidden for years inside the earth". What
is the source of the the tree? How is it?
Ans: The source of the tree is its root. It is white and wet.
7. What is the secret of its strength?
Ans: The secret of its strength is that it is hidden inside the earth for years together. It clings
firmly to the layers of the earth.
8."And the strength of the tree exposed the source, white and wet, the most sensitive...."
Where does the strength of the tree lie?
Ans: The strength of the tree lies in its roots.
9. Why is it referred to as 'the source'?
Ans: The roots give strength to the tree. So they are the source of the strength.
10. Why is the source most sensitive one?
Ans: It is the most sensitive because it has been hidden for years inside the earth.
11. What finally kills the tree?
Ans: The tree is finally killed by the uprooting of its roots. When the roots, which had
anchored it lying hidden in the earth for years, were dug out, the tree’s strength was
exposed and this led to the death of the tree. It dried up after it had been uprooted.
12: How does a tree become strong ?
Ans: A tree grows on earth, feeds on its crust, absorbs years of sunlight, air and water. It
makes them strong.
13: What does ‘hack and chop’ do to a tree? Does it kill it?
Ans: ‘Hack and chop’ does not kill a tree. It does not cause much pain to it. It wounds the
barks and makes them bleed. No, it does not kill it.
14: What happens if the miniature boughs are left unchecked ?
Ans: If the miniature boughs are left unchecked, they expand and become a huge tree. The
chopped tree comes back to its former size.
15: Can a ‘simple jab of the knife’ kill a tree? Why not?
Ans: No, a simple jab of the knife cannot kill a tree. It is firmly held by the earth and its
roots are safe. The tree is too strong to be killed by a simple jab of the knife.
16: The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza. What does he mean by this?
Ans: The poet says “No” in the beginning of the third stanza suggesting that a simple jab
of knife will not kill a tree. It has to be uprooted. A tree is so strong that it cannot be killed
unless it is uprooted.
17: What does he mean by “the strength of the tree exposed”?
Ans: “Roots” are the strength of the tree. So long as the roots are safe, the tree is safe.
It cannot be killed. Once the roots are pulled out and exposed to the sun and the air, they
wither and the tree is finally killed.
18. What is the meaning of ‘bleeding bark’? What makes it bleed?
Ans: ‘Bleeding bark’ here points to the mark of cutting on the bark with heavy and
unbearable blows of axe. The continuous and rough blows of an axe make the tree bleed.
19. What is the meaning of ‘anchoring earth’ and ‘earth cave’?
Ans: ‘Anchoring earth’ here refers that the roots of the tree that held it firmly in the earth.
They hold it properly. ‘Earth cave’ means that after uprooting a tree an opening is formed
which is usually deep. It is called ‘earth cave’.
20. How do the roots look like when they are pulled out?
Ans: When the roots are pulled out, they are white and wet. The roots are the most
sensitive part of the tree. The real strength of the tree lies in its roots.
21.Why it takes much time to kill a tree ?
Ans: It had grown slowly consuming the earth , so it takes much time to kill the tree .
22.What does the ‘leprous hide’ in the poem means ?
Ans: Rough marks on the bark of the tree means the ‘leprous hide’ .
23.`If unchecked will expand again’-what does it refers to ?
Ans: The new twigs which will develop from the bleeding bark has been referred to here .
24.`And then it is done’-what is done ?
Ans: Accomplishment of having killed the tree is finally done .
25.How has the tree grown up ?
Ans: The tree has grown up slowly getting nourishment from the earth .
26.``Not so much pain will do it “-What task does the word `it’ refers to ?
Ans: `It’ here refers to the task of killing a tree .
27.Where will green twigs rise from ?
Ans: The green twigs will rise from the stem close to the ground .
28.What kind of a task is to kill a tree ?
Ans: To kill a tree is a time-consuming and difficult task .
29.What type of a poem is `on killing a tree’
Ans: `On Killing a Tree’ is an ironical poem on an environmental issue.
30.`But this alone won’t do it’-what is meant by ‘it’ ?what can’t be done by this ?
Ans: ‘It’ means the killing of a tree which can’t be done by hacking and chopping it and
causing much pain .
31.How should the tree be pulled out ?
Ans: The tree should be roped , tied and then it is to be pulled out entirely from the earth .
32.what is the significance of the word ‘green twig’ ?
Ans: The word green twig suggests the life and growth .

COMPOSED BY
UJJWAL SAHEB
MOB-9614751600