The Dust of Snow PDF
The Dust of Snow PDF
By Robert Frost
message-
The poem “Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost is a simple and short poem, yet with a
deeper and larger meaning. The poet explains how an act as petty as
experiencing snow on one’s body can brighten one’s day up. The message of the
poem is put into words by Robert Frost:
“Always, always a larger significance...
A little thing touches a larger thing.”
For reasons unknown, the author was having a terrible day. But the falling of the
snow on his head lifted his mood instantly. He had already spent his day in a bad
mood but the rest of it was saved by the crow and the hemlock tree. Generally,
hemlock tree and crow are used for negative references but the poet used them
beautifully to portray that inauspicious things can bring joy and happiness too.
One must not take things for granted and should be open and accept whichever
way the nature chooses to bless us.
Dust of Snow Literary Devices
i.Rhyme Scheme- abab cdcd
ii. Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of
adjacent or closely connected words.
Q 2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions
may help you to think of an answer.
(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a
crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when
you think of a crow?
A. Birds like sparrow, nightingale and peacock are more than often named in
poems. Unlike these birds, crows are often seen as the indicators of doom and
fear. They are often used for negative references.
(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a
more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
A. Trees are also seen as mighty creatures imparting wisdom as they’re too old.
They give out oxygen and absorb the carbon dioxide which is connected with
absorbing all the negative energy. But there are trees that are poisonous too, like
a hemlock tree. The poet does not mention a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as maple,
oak or pine because he wants to indicate a sad scene. Being poisonous, a
hemlock tree is considered bad and so, he refers to it.
(iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent — joy or sorrow? What
does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?
A. Both crow and the hemlock tree represent sorrow. Frost has used both the
negative creatures (crow and the hemlock tree) as the carriers of
positivism and strength that transformed his day for the better. By not
using birds like sparrow and nightingale and trees like maple, oak or a
pine, the poet has tried to break down all the preconceived notions we
have about certain agents of nature. He has tried to make us understand
that we see the world not as how it is, but as how we want
to see it. Thus, the crow sitting and a hemlock tree together made his day
better. The dust of snow stands for joy.
MCQ
Q1- Who is the poet of the poem "Dust of Snow"?
A) Leslie Norris
B) Robert Frost
C) Carolyn Wells
D) Robin Klein
B) abab cdcd
C) abab cddc
D) abba cdcd
Q6- Name the poetic device used in the line "Has given my heart"
A) alliteration
B) metaphor
C) oxymoron
D) similie
Q7- Name the poetic device used in the line "And saved some part"
A) alliteration
B) metaphor
C) oxymoron
D) similie
Q9- What are the two negative creatures that Frost used as carriers of
positivity?
A) snow, dust
B) hemlock tree, snow
C) snow, crow
D) hemlock tree, crow
ANSWER KEY
1 B
2 A
3 B
4 A
5 B
6 A
7 A
8 A
9 D
10 A