Fire and Ice (poem)
Thinking about the Poem
(Page 15)
Question 1.
There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the world
will end some day? Have you ever thought what would happen if the Sun gets
so hot that it ‘bursts’ or grows colder and colder?
Answer:
There are definitely many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. I do believe that
the world will end some day as anything that has a beginning will have an end.
This stands true for the world also, if the Sun got so hot that it burst, the whole
of the Earth would perish immediately as no part of the Earth can bear the heat
of that intensity. But if the Sun grew colder and colder, everything will come to
an end as without sunlight, life will end.
Question 2.
For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for? Here are some ideas
Answer:
‘Fire’ stands for greed, avarice, lust, conflict and fury. ‘Ice’ stands for cruelty,
intolerance, rigidity, insensitivity, coldness, indifference and hatred.
Question 3.
What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the
contrasting ideas in the poem?
Answer:
The rhyme scheme of the poem is- a b a a b c b c b
This rhyme scheme helps in bringing out the contrasting ideas of ‘fire’ and ‘ice’
presented in the poem. The poet mentions that both fire and ice are probable
ends of this world. He talks about how fire represents desire and can therefore
be a cause of the end of the world. Frost also mentions ice in between to
symbolise that the coldness and indifference towards one another will be
enough to end the world. In the second stanza, he says that he knows of
enough hate in the world to be sure that even destruction through ice . would
be sufficient to bring about the end of the world.
Dust of Snow
Thinking about the Poem
(Page 14)
Question 1.
What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood?
How has the poet’s mood changed?
Answer:
The ‘dust of snow’ means the fine particles or flakes of snow. The sudden
shower in the form of the dust of snow changed the poet’s mood. The
poet’s mood changed from sad to happy. He felt refreshed and wanted to
enjoy the rest of the day.
Question 2.
How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions
may help you to think of an answer.
1. What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think
crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind
when you think of a crow?
2. Again, what is ‘a hemlock tree’? Why doesn’t the poet write about
more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
3. 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?
Answer:
Frost presents nature in a very different manner in the poem,
1. Generally, poets take the birds and trees which are known for their
beauty and good qualities like peacock, parrot, cuckoo, mynah and
trees full of beautiful flowers and fruits, etc. But here Frost has taken
a totally different approach. He chose a crow, which is not often used
in poems. Crow is black in colour with very harsh voice and is believed
to be a symbol of bad omen. Thinking of a crow brings very
depressing and sorrowful pictures to our mind.
2. A hemlock tree is poisonous plant with small white flowers. The poet,
Robert Frost, didn’t choose to use an oak, maple or pine tree. Instead,
he chose the hemlock tree and left all the beautiful trees present in
the world. Actually he did so to present his mood and feelings.
3. The crow and hemlock tree represent sorrow and depression felt by
the poet in this materialistic world. The dust of snow is the symbol of
natural joy and energy. The dust of snow that the crow shakes off a
hemlock tree means passing through the sad and depressing
moments the pdet is entering into the time full of joy and optimism.
Question 3.
Have there been tilnes when you felt depressed or hopeless? Have you
experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?
Answer:
There have been innumerable times when I too have felt depressed and
hopeless. Sometimes, such moments were aroused by other people’s
behaviour and attitude and sometimes due to my own conduct. On one
occasion when I was very upset. I went out for a walk. While walking in
the park, I saw a girl playing with a puppy, embracing and feeding him.
This little joy that they shared changed my mood and I felt very happy for
the rest of the day. I also joined the two and played with them.
