A ROADSIDE STAND

- ROBERT FROST
Theme
The poem A Roadside Stand is the poet’s request for thought for the helplessly low
individuals who work tirelessly yet their lives indicate no advancement. He communicates
his torment at their pity and distress and looks for help and alleviation for them. He trusts
that somebody would work unselfishly for their restoration and not misuse them. He draws
out the complete dissimilarity between the wealthy and the poor with hardhearted
clearness and humankind and implies that the monetary prosperity of a nation relies upon
a fair advancement of towns and urban communities.

LITERARY DEVICES USED

TRANSFERRED EPITHET:
Polished traffic
Selfish cars
PERSONIFICATION:
À roadside stand that too pathetically
METAPHOR:
Trusting Sorrow
OXYMORON & ALLITERATION:
'Greedy good-doers' and 'beneficent beasts' of prey

Reference to context:
The little old house was out with a little new shed
In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped, A roadside stand that too
pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread, But for some of the money, the cash, whose
flow
supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.
1. Where was the new shed put up? What was its purpose?
2. Why does the poet use the word 'pathetic'?
3. Explain: 'too pathetically pled'
4. Who are referred to as 'the flower of cities"?
Answer:
1. A little house at one side of the road was extended and a shed was added to it to put up
a road stand. It was set up to attract passersby to buy things from them so that they could
earn some money.
2. By using the word 'pathetic' the poet emphasizes on the fact that the condition of
the shed was most humble and that it presented a rather pitiable sight.
3. It was as if by putting up the shed the owner was desperately pleading to the rich
city folks to stop by at his roadside stand and buy things from there so that they
could earn some extra money.
4. 'The flower of the cities' here refers to the rich and wealthy city-dwellers who can
afford the best things.

The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead, Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the artless paint Of signs that with N turned wrong
and S turned wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts,
1. What does the poet mean by 'with a mind ahead?
2. What are N and S signs?
3. Why have these sings turned wrong?

Answer:
1. The phrase 'with a mind ahead' suggests that the people who pass the roadside
stand in their polished cars conveniently overlook the roadside stand as their mind
is focussed only on their destination.
 2. The N and S signs stand for the North and the South direction.
3. These signs have turned wrong because they have been painted in the wrong way
and so these signboards are wrongly presented.

Answer the following question.

Why do the people who run the roadside stand wait for the squeal of brakes so eagerly?
Ans. The "squealing of brakes" means that a car has stopped at their roadside stand. It
raises their hopes that the city-folk have stopped there to buy something from their
roadside stand and some city money will come into their hands.

Explain: "soothe them out of them wits with reference to the poem ‘The Roadside Stand'.
Answer
The powerful men approach the country folk with false promises of providing them with
better living conditions and a better life. These innocent and simple rustics repose blind
faith in their false claims and feel soothed and satisfied . They fail to see through their
crookedness and selfishness.

What news in the poem ' A Roadside Stand' is making its round in the village?
ANSWER
The news making its round is about the resettlement of the poor, rural people who will be
resettled in the villages. next to the theatre and the store. They would be close to the
cities and will not have to worry about themselves anymore.

Which Words and Phrases in the Poem A Roadside Stand Tell Us about the Double
Standards of Government and Social Services?
The writer censures the twofold norms of the administration and other social assistance
organizations, which guarantee to improve the way of life of the helpless ranchers and
show them the ruddy side of life. However, when the opportunity arrives to convey their
guarantee, they either overlook them or seek to satisfy their advantages. The artist calls
them "greedy good-doers" and “beneficent beasts of prey" who "swarm over their lives".
The artist says that these avaricious individuals make determined and well thoroughly
considered smart moves, to which the honest, uninformed ranchers fall prey. These humble
and straightforward ranchers are ransacked of their significant serenity by these cunning
individuals.

How does the Poet Express his Helplessness towards the individuals who set Up a
Roadside Stand?
The helpless town individuals had small wins. They have not seen a lot of cash. They lead
to an existence of neediness. It is known that some great practitioners intend to eliminate
their neediness.
They planned to purchase their property on the roadside to manufacture theatres and
stores. They intend to move the locals into the town crouched together. They wished to
teach them the manners in which that could change their great and sound propensities.
They even expected to show them to sleep during the day time.
The 'eager great practitioners' and 'beneficent monsters of prey' wanted to compel the
helpless town individuals and befool them. The artist feels very hopeless at the pitiable
sufferings of the helpless town people. He even had a childish desire for all poor people to
be discarded at one stroke to end their torment. In any case, he realized that it is childish
and vain. In this way, he wants somebody to soothe him of his torment by executing him.

Why were the sellers hoping to get money?

Sellers in the roadside sheds are underprivileged people who are deprived of a livelihood.
They display their products on the roadside and expect the city dwellers to buy from them,
so they can get money to support themselves. However, the sellers do not get money,
instead, they have to hear the complaints by the city dwellers or answer them when they
ask about the route to a particular place. This makes them sad as they live a life filled with
struggle and hardships whereas the people of the city live comfortably.
The poet uses the term 'childish longing' and says that it is in vain. Explain.
Frost describes a tireless or childish longing of the roadside shed sellers who wait for a car
to stop by which can give them the opportunity to earn money and help them. He says that
this longing is in vain as the cars most of the time do not stop by and when they stop, it is
not to buy from the sellers. The people stop only to ask the route or directions to a
particular place. Thus, the poet says the hope and longing of the sellers are rather childish
and in vain.

What attitudes do the city dwellers or the people who stop by have about the roadside
seller?
The city dwellers are quite insensitive to the countryside sellers and do not understand the
hardships of these people. Whenever they stop near the stalls, it is either to whine about
something or to ask for directions to a place they are driving to. The city dwellers get
irritated and tell the sellers how they are ruining the landscape with their wrong
signboards. Furthermore, they also try to exploit the sellers for their own selfish gains by
offering them a fake charity.