CBSE Class 10 English Dust of Snow Assignment Set 03

Short Answer Type Questions
 

Question. Justify the role of the crow in the poem “Dust of Snow” in changing the poet’s mood.
Answer: I think, the way snow dust was shaken off changed his mood. Perhaps it gave the poet inspiration/idea to behave in the same manner-shake off his depressive thoughts and revive his cheerful mood.

Question. Why does the poet use such poetically uncommon bird and tree ? What does it reflect ?
Answer: The poet seems to be in a depressive and sorrowful mood. In such a mood, one cannot think of sweet and beautiful side of nature. The harsh, bitter and poisonous images come to his mind. That is why he uses an uncommon, harsh, ugly crow and poisonous tree like hemlock.

Question. How was the poet’s mood before the dust of snow fell down on him ?
Answer: The poet was in a pensive and regretful mood. He considered that his day was ruined. It is because he felt bad about something that had happened that day. Perhaps, he was not able to achieve what he wanted to achieve on that day.

Question. What is a hemlock tree ? Why does the poet write about this tree ?
Answer: A hemlock tree is a poisonous tree with white flowers. The poet writes about the hemlock tree to make us understand how upset, sad and depressed he was. In such a mood, the harsh, bitter and poisonous images come to his mind. So, he used them in his poem. It is a known fact that Socrates died by drinking a cup of poison hemlock. The hemlock tree represents sorrow and depression.

Question. Do you think that the poet presents a very bright or cheerful side of nature in the poem? Give a reasoned answer.
Answer: No, Robert Frost has presented nature in its elemental and raw form. It is quite a dull and depressive wintry day. But the fall of fine dust of snow does bring a sudden change in the mood of the poet. It refreshes his spirits and brings cheerfulness to his depressed spirits and mood.

Question. Where was the poet and what happened to him ?
Answer: There was snow everywhere. The poet was under a hemlock tree. The tree was covered with snow. Suddenly, a crow shook the tree. The dust of snow fell on the poet. It changed his mood.

Question. What aspect of nature do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent?
Answer: ‘Crow’ is a black, harsh-voiced bird and ‘hemlock’ is a tree with poisonous bitter fruit. Both are ugly and not beautiful. They represent the dark, depressive, sorrowful and bitter side of nature.

Question. What does the poet’s selection of such poetically uncommon bird and tree reflect?
Answer: The poet seems to be in a depressive and sorrowful mood. In such a mood, one cannot think of the sweet and beautiful side of the nature. The harsh, bitter and poisonous images come to his mind. That is why he uses an uncommon, harsh, ugly crow and a poisonous tree like hemlock.

Question. What emotions and feelings of the poet are projected in the poem?
Answer: A sorrowful and depressive mood of the poet is reflected in the beginning of the poem. Mentioning of the bird ‘crow’, which is ugly and harsh, and hemlock tree, which is a poisonous plant, reflect the poet’s sad mood which finally transformed into a happy mood.

Question. What unusual beings of nature does Robert Frost talk about in his poem?
                                        Or
What do ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent, joy or sorrow.
Answer: Robert Frost talks about a crow, a bird that is generally not mentioned in poems. He then talks about a hemlock tree, which is a poisonous plant and not about a beautiful tree.

Question. How does Frost present nature in this poem?
Answer: The poet Robert Frost presents nature in a depressed and gloomy manner. It portrays sorrow.

Question. What does the dust of snow that the crow shake off a hemlock tree stand for?
Answer: ‘The dust of snow’ stands for hope and joy in the midst of sorrow.
 

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Simple moment proves to be very significant and saves rest of the day of the poet from being wasted. Explain on the basis of the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Answer: The poet is in a depressive and sorrowful mood. Something sad and regretful has happened in his life. He is unable to overcome his negative thoughts.
A moment that seems quite simple, proves to have a larger significance in the poem-Frost makes us understand that little things have a big impact.
A crow on a hemlock tree is irrelevant. It does not offer an enchanting picture. Both the crow and the hemlock tree are dark symbols associated with death and negative thoughts. The crow shakes off the dust of snow on the poet. The crow’s action is unintentional. But this small deed has a deep significant impact on the poet.
A moment that seems quite simple, proves to have a larger significance in the poem-Frost makes us understand that little things have a big impact.
The dust of snow is like a shower of blessings from the heaven above. The poet is delighted by the sudden shower. The dust of snow acts as a catalyst and changes his mood. The negative thoughts disappear and the poet is overjoyed that the dust of snow has saved some part of the day that he had rued.

Question. In the poem ‘Dust of Snow’ the poet describes nature in different forms. Explain how he presents nature.
Answer: The poem ‘Dust of Snow’ by Robert Frost presents nature as a combination of joy and sorrow. In his poem of two verses, the poet describes the transition of his personality from a depressed person to a happy person. The nature plays a significant role in changing his mood.
In the poem, the poet is sad and depressed and is under a hemlock tree. A hemlock free is a poisonous tree with small white flowers. It represents grief as its leaves can kill a person. The crow that alights the tree is also a symbol of sorrow. These two appear to heighten the sorrow of the poet. Snow is almost opposite to the crow. The snow represents purity and joy.
So, when the crow shakes off the dust of snow on the poet, the mere touch with pure and joyful nature transforms the personality of the poet. It changes his mood and inspires him to live happily. Hence, the poet is overjoyed that some part of the day or his life that he had rued was saved.

Question. There are times when we feel depressed and hopeless. We think that things will never change. Suddenly, a change comes in our mood when cheerfulness replaces the sense of regret. Justify the above statement in the context of the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Answer: Change is the law of nature. Man’s mood and spirits change like the change of the weather. In the poem, the poet is in a depressed and hopeless mood. He feels that the whole day has been wasted. But fortunately, this is not so. The falling of the fine dust of snow on him brings a sudden change in his mood. He realizes that all is not lost and that there is still hope for redemption. No doubt, a large part of the day has already been lost as it has been rather a bad day so far. But no more now. Now, a part of the day has been redeemed. The change of landscape has changed his mood. Cheerfulness has replaced the feeling of regret. His spirits are no more depressed. The sudden change outside also cheers his heart and mood.

Question. Our attitude towards a situation evokes both negative and positive response. Analyze this with reference to the poem, ‘Dust of Snow’ to bring out the fact that life is unpredictable and uncertain.
Answer: Whatever situation life throws at us, it evokes both positive and negative responses. The poet, in the poem ‘Dust of Snow,’ was in a sorrowful mood initially. However, when a crow shook down the ‘dust of snow’ on him, his bitter mood changed into a more optimistic one. Now, being in a sorrowful or bad mood already, the poet could have got angry at the crow also. However, the dust of snow becomes a positive medium of change for him. It made him cheerful to some extent and helped him forget his sadness, at least for a few moments. Thus, we see that instead of seeing the negative aspect of a happening, one should focus on the positive aspect and as a result one’s response may greatly affect the outcome of the incidents.

Question. How has the poet succeeded in commenting on the philosophical aspect of life in a light-hearted manner? Highlight its importance in the present day life.
Answer: Truly, Frost has used simple language to drive home a very significant message, that little thing sometimes, have a big impact. An easy, uncomplicated language, coupled with unusual visual imagery and brevity of words in the poem created the desired effect. The poet’s bitterness had found reflection even in the environment around him. The noisy, dark crow, the poisonous hemlock and the icy snow around-all are depressing images. However, despite the negativity, when the crow shakes down the dust of snow onto the poet, it also shakes off some of the author’s regretful thoughts. Today, when all of us live in a stressful atmosphere, the poem teaches us to gain happiness from little things. In gloomy time, one must be patient and positive to wait for good things to happen. In modern times, faith in the general goodness of the world and its people can hold great importance in making their situation more positive.
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Extract Based Questions

1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows :
“The way a crow
shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree.”

Question. In what way does the language used in this poem challenge traditional ideas of what poetry should be?
Answer: Frost uses everyday symbols and language in free verse to expose his disheartened heart to the reader. It resembles more of simple prose but the imagery and the choice of vocabulary more than make up for the missing rhyme.

Question. What is the significance of an uncommon bird like a crow and a poisonous tree in the poem? What do they reflect about the poet and his overall mood and tone of the poem? Answer in about 40 words.
Answer: The poet seems to be in a sorrowful mood so, he cannot either see or appreciate the beautiful and sweet side of nature. Only bitter and harsh images crop up in his mind. That’s why, he uses an uncommon bird like a crow and poisonous hemlock in the poem.

Question. Complete the sentence with the appropriate option.
Of the many symbols the Hemlock tree represents, the one that Frost drew upon in all likelihood, for this poem is _____.
(a) longevity
(b) togetherness
(c) healing
(d) protection
Answer: (c) healing

Question. Identify how has Frost used contrast in the given lines of the poem.
Answer: Frost has used the contrast between the fortitude displayed by the crow and the poet’s own spell of indulging in self-pity to show that life moves forward and survives on hope.

2. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follows
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

Question. Fill the blank with one word.
_____ Figure of speech is used in the phrase ‘dust of snow’.
Answer: Metaphor.

Question. What does the poet want to convey through the poem?
Answer: Robert Frost wishes to convey that sometimes ordinary moments or simple actions have a larger significance. They have the power to change the mood and sometimes perspective of a person. The shaking off the snowflakes by a crow inspires the poet to shed his bitterness and do something useful.

Question. Which of the following best describes the use of synecdoche by the poet?
(a) A gun is only use
(b) Has given my heart, A change of mood
(c) And saved some part, Of a day I had rued
(d) A crow, Shook down on me
Answer: (b) Has given my heart, A change of mood

Question. Comment on the poet’s use of symbolism in these lines.
Answer: The poet has used the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock tree’ as symbols to show emotions like dejection, gloom, and depression because he was bitter about life. Although these are ordinarily considered inauspicious, they change the poet’s mood and uplift his spirits.