FOG
INTRODUCTION—
Carl Sandburg compares the fog to a cat. The fog approaches noiselessly and stealthily, just like a cat.Just as the cat sits on its haunches, the fog too seems to be sitting quietly, watching the harbour and the city and then quietly moves onwards.
SUMMARY—
In this poem, the poet has beautifully shown how the fog comes stealing forward just like a cat does. The poet Carl Sandburg gives a wonderful comparison between the fog and a kitten. When it arrives, it is so slow that you hardly notice it until you see or feel it. The same happens with the fog. Nobody can predict about the arrival of fog. Fog arrives quietly and engulfs the entire place and stay on for some time. It creates troubles for everyone but stays there. It is not aware of what is happening around it. Fog causes many hurdles and incidents but it does not stay at one place for a long time. As problems are over in due course of time, in the same manner fog also disappears and it becomes clear all around.
Explanation of the Poem
1. The fog comes
on little cat feet
It sits looking
over harbour and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Explanation: The approach of the fog is silent and noiseless, stealthily advancing on its silent, “paws”. From a distance it seems like a cat on its haunches, cautiously analysing its surroundings before it engulfs the entire city and the harbour in its folds.
Extract Based Questions
Read the lines given below and answer the questions that follow :
1. The fog comes
on little cat feet
It sits looking
over harbour and city
on silent haunches
and then moves on.
Question. How does fog comes on ?
(i) little dog feet
(ii) little rat feet
(iii) little birds feet
(iv) little cat feet
Answer.(iv) little cat feet
Question. Who is ‘It’ in the above lines ?
(i) cut
(ii) fog
(iii) city
(iv) harbour
Answer. (ii) fog
Question. Name the poem.
(i) Daffodils
(ii) The snow
(iii) The cat
(iv) Fog
Answer.(iv) Fog
Question. Where does the fog sit on ?
(i) harbour and city
(ii) top of the mountains
(iii) top of the tall trees
(iv) top of buildings
Answer.(i) harbour and city
OR
Question. The figure of speech used in these lines is ?
(i) personification
(ii) analogy
(iii) personification/analogy
(iv) none of them
Answer.(iii) personification/analogy
Question. The fog is compared to what ?
(i) mouse
(ii) cat
(iii) dog
(iv) ant
Answer.(ii) cat
Question. Name the poet.
(i) Robert Frost
(ii) Robin Klein
(iii) John Berryman
(iv) Carl Sandburg
Answer.(iv) Carl Sandburg
Question. How does the cat sits ?
(i) on its paws
(ii) on its back
(iii) on its haunches
(iv) on its stomach
Answer.(iii) on its haunches
Short Answer Type Questions
Question. According to the poet, in what respect is the fog similar to a cat ? Do you think the comparison made is appropriate ?
Answer. The poet Carl Sandburg observes the analogy between the fog and the behaviour of a cat. The approach of the fog is silent and noiseless, stealthily advancing on its silent, ‘paws’. From a distance, it seems like a cat moving on its haunches cautiously, analysing its surroundings before being taken into notice.
Question. What does Sandburg think the fog is like ?
OR
What does the poet compare the fog to ?
Answer. Carl Sandburg compares the fog to a cat. The metaphorical expression ‘on little cat feet’ implies that the fog approaches noiselessly and stealthily, just like a cat.
Question. What is the rhyme scheme in the poem ?
Answer. The poem does not have a rhyme scheme. This style of poetry is called free verse.
Long Answer Type Question
Question. What does the poet want to convey through the poem ‘Fog’ ?
Answer. The poet ‘Carl Sandburg” takes pleasure in nature. He states, when difficulties are faced by people, they become hopeless and shattered. It takes a lot of courage to overcome any problem and to solve it. The poet has compared difficulties to fog, he states that as fog comes and goes; in the same manner difficulties come and go. One should not loose hope and should be brave enough to face problems; rather find solutions as difficulties will soon disappear. Fog causes many hurdles and problems but it does not stay at one place for a long time. Hence, both the fog and difficulties are temporary, so one should face them bravely without losing hope. It is also regarding uncaring attitude of nature towards mankind. It is obvious from the poem that the fog and people exist within the same space, but it’s also clear that the fog (nature) has a sort of aloof attitutde at the intrusion of mankind in its space. A cat is a perfect animal to further illustrate that since cats tend to be fiercely independent and quite aloof toward just about everything. We people are a part of nature, but nature isn’t about supposed to bend to the will and desires of people. It is uncaring and will do what it pleases.
