CBSE CLASS 9-📘 ON KILLING A TREE-Q/A

📘 ON KILLING A TREE

By Gieve Patel (Class 9 English – Beehive)

✅ 1–40: Short Question Answers (2–3 lines each with colorful bullets)

1. 🔵 What is the poem “On Killing a Tree” about?
   The poem describes how difficult it is to kill a tree and the cruelty of man in destroying nature.
2. 🟢 Why can’t a tree be killed easily?
   Because it takes years to grow and has deep roots that resist destruction.
3. 🟡 What does the tree symbolise in the poem?
   The tree symbolises life, resilience, and nature.
4. 🔴 Why does the poet say it is not easy to kill a tree?
   Because merely cutting it or hacking it will not kill it—it will regrow.
5. 🔵 What is the first step in killing a tree?
   The tree must be hacked and chopped with a knife or axe.
6. 🟣 What happens after the tree is hacked?
   The bark heals, and new twigs emerge.
7. 🟢 Why is the root important in the poem?
   Because the root is the source of the tree’s strength and life.
8. 🟡 How can a tree be permanently killed?
   By uprooting it completely and exposing the root to sun and air.
9. 🔴 What role does time play in the poem?
   Time allows the tree to grow strong and also helps it recover from injuries.
10. 🔵 What is the tone of the poem?
    The tone is ironic and serious, highlighting the brutality of cutting trees.
11. 🟣 What message does the poet convey?
    He warns against human cruelty and the slow destruction of nature.
12. 🟢 Why does the tree not die when it is just cut?
    Because its roots are still alive underground.
13. 🟡 What happens when the root is pulled out?
    The tree is exposed to external elements and gradually dies.
14. 🔴 What does the phrase “bleeding bark” mean?
    It refers to the sap that oozes from the tree when it is injured.
15. 🔵 How does the tree resist destruction?
    It grows new twigs and leaves from the roots and bark.
16. 🟣 What kind of language is used in the poem?
    Simple but powerful, with strong imagery and metaphors.
17. 🟢 Why does the poet use the word ‘killing’?
    To emphasise that destroying a tree is like taking a life.
18. 🟡 What does ‘anchoring earth’ refer to?
    The earth where the tree’s roots are firmly held.
19. 🔴 What are the natural elements that destroy the root?
    Sunlight and air, once the root is exposed.
20. 🔵 What does the poet compare the killing of a tree to?
    To the cruel and violent act of murder.
21. 🟣 What happens after the root is exposed?
    The tree slowly withers and dies.
22. 🟢 Why is the act of killing described in steps?
    To show how deliberate and cruel the process is.
23. 🟡 What literary device is used in “bleeding bark”?
    Personification – giving human qualities to the tree.
24. 🔴 What is meant by ‘leprous hide’?
    It refers to the rough, diseased-looking bark of the tree.
25. 🔵 Why does the poet not directly preach conservation?
    He uses irony and vivid imagery to provoke thought instead.
26. 🟣 What does the poem criticise?
    The human tendency to destroy nature without remorse.
27. 🟢 What is the effect of exposing the root?
    The tree loses its life force and dies.
28. 🟡 What theme does the poem explore?
    Environmental destruction and man’s insensitivity.
29. 🔴 Is the poem emotional or factual?
    It is factual but presented emotionally and artistically.
30. 🔵 Why does the tree ‘rise again’ when cut?
    Because its roots remain alive and keep nourishing it.
31. 🟣 What makes the tree strong?
    Its deep roots and years of nourishment from the earth.
32. 🟢 What emotion does the poem evoke?
    A mix of guilt, awareness, and sadness about harming nature.
33. 🟡 What kind of poem is this?
    A modern poem with a social and environmental message.
34. 🔴 How does the poem end?
    It ends with the image of a tree completely destroyed, lifeless.
35. 🔵 What does the word ‘scorching’ imply?
    Intense heat that damages the uprooted tree.
36. 🟣 Why does the poet focus on the root?
    Because it is the heart of the tree’s life system.
37. 🟢 What is the mood of the poem?
    Serious, reflective, and ironic.
38. 🟡 How does the tree fight back?
    By growing new branches and leaves from wounds.
39. 🔴 Why is the poem still relevant today?
    Because deforestation is a global concern even now.
40. 🔵 What literary devices are used in the poem?
    Imagery, personification, irony, and repetition.

✅ 41–45: Long Question-Answers (100–120 words)

41. What is the central idea of the poem “On Killing a Tree”? 🟦
The poem conveys the cruelty involved in destroying trees. The poet compares tree cutting to murder, highlighting how trees resist destruction due to their deep roots. He emphasises that trees do not die easily and require a harsh and deliberate act to be fully killed—like uprooting the root. The poem metaphorically comments on mankind’s brutal treatment of nature and calls for environmental consciousness. It teaches that nature is powerful and deserves respect.

42. How does the poet describe the process of killing a tree? 🟩
The poet outlines a step-by-step method of killing a tree to show the violence of the act. First, the tree is hacked and chopped, but it still survives. Then, to truly kill it, the root must be pulled out entirely from the earth. Once the root is exposed to sunlight and air, the tree withers and dies. Through this vivid imagery, the poet criticises mankind’s indifference to nature and the slow murder of trees. His sarcastic tone underlines how unnatural and brutal it is to destroy something so full of life.

43. How is the tree personified in the poem? 🟥
The poet uses personification by giving the tree human-like qualities. He talks about the tree’s ‘bleeding bark’ and ‘leprous hide’, suggesting pain and disease. The tree ‘rises again’ after being cut, showing resilience like a living being. By using these expressions, the poet makes the reader empathise with the tree. The personification helps us understand that trees are not lifeless—they feel, heal, and resist. This technique adds emotional depth to the poem and strengthens the environmental message.

44. What message does the poet give through this poem? 🟨
The poem conveys a powerful message against deforestation and environmental destruction. The poet criticises human actions that harm nature and encourages us to rethink how we treat trees and the environment. By illustrating the difficulty of killing a tree, he praises nature’s strength and resilience. However, he also warns us that with enough cruelty, even the strongest trees can be destroyed. The message is clear—respect nature and avoid senseless destruction.

45. Describe the role of irony in the poem. 🟧
The poem is filled with irony. Although it gives a literal description of how to kill a tree, its actual message is to discourage such an act. The detailed, almost instructional tone ironically highlights the horror of tree-killing. The poet pretends to guide the reader in killing a tree, but the underlying tone is critical and condemns the act. This clever use of irony makes the poem thought-provoking and impactful.

✅ 46–50: Value-Based Questions

46. What value does the poem promote? 🟦
The poem promotes environmental awareness, sensitivity, and responsibility.

47. What does the poem teach about nature? 🟩
That nature is resilient, sacred, and must be respected.

48. Why should we not cut down trees? 🟥
Because trees support life and destroying them is like killing a living being.

49. What human weakness is shown in the poem? 🟨
Greed and insensitivity towards the environment.

50. How can this poem influence young minds? 🟧
It can develop a love for nature, empathy, and environmental responsibility.