Chapter 9 On Killing a Tree

(Extra Questions)
Short Answer Type Questions

1. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?

Answer: simple jab of a knife can certainly not kill a tree. It can merely injure it and cause
its sap to ooze out like blood. The real-life of a tree comes from the roots that provide it
nourishment and firmly hold it.

2. How has the tree grown to its full size? List words suggestive of its life and
activity.

Answer: The tree has grown to its full size gradually. It has grown by slowly consuming
the earth. It has risen out of the earth and has fed upon its crust. It has also absorbed
light, air and water for years. Leaves have sprouted out of its discoloured bark.

3. In the phrase ‘consuming the earth’, who consumes the earth and how?

Answer: It is the tree that consumes the earth by drawing its nourishment from the soil
through its root. The diet required by the tree lies deep inside the earth and the root
sucks and absorbs nutrients and nourishes the tree.

4. What is meant by ‘years of sunlight, air, and water’?

Answer: Years of sunlight, air, and water means that the tree takes years together to
grow up fully. In this course of time, it draws energy from sunlight, air and water.

5. Why has the tree’s ‘hide’ been called leprous?

Answer: The bark of the tree is uneven in texture and colour. Leprosy also robs the skin
of the leper of its colour and evenness. Hence, the poet has drawn a metaphorical
comparison between the discoloured bark of a tree and diseased skin.

6. What is the role of hacking and chopping in killing a tree?

Answer: Hacking and chopping wound the body of a tree causing it great pain. They
peel the bark of the tree and it appears to be bleeding when the sap oozes out. However,
this pain or bleeding does not manage to kill the tree.

7. What is the meaning of ‘bleeding bark’? What makes it bleed?

Answer: The ‘bleeding bark stands for the sap oozing out of the tree trunk when it is
attacked with a knife or an axe. The word ‘bleeding’ is metaphorically used to compare
the sap to the blood from a wound of a human being. It signifies the pain of the tree.

8. What will rise from ‘close to the ground’? Why?

Answer: Curled green twigs and miniature boughs will rise from the stump of the tree
that is close to the ground. They will rise because the tree rejuvenates and revives itself
as long as its root is intact.

9. ’What will happen if the miniature boughs are left ‘unchecked’?

Answer: Unchecked’ here means left free to grow without any harm or danger. If left
‘unchecked’, the new, green, delicate branches from the stump of a tree will expand and
regain their original size.

10. “No, The root is to be pulled out.” Why has the poet started this stanza with
“No”? Or The poet says “No” at the beginning of the third stanza. What does he
mean by this?

Answer: The poet uses ‘No’ to emphasize the fact that merely hacking and chopping are
not sufficient for killing a tree. They can injure it, make it bleed, and cause pain. But
killing a tree requires more ruthlessness and much more effort.

11. What is the meaning of “anchoring earth” and “earth cave”?

Answer: “Anchoring earth” means the earth which gives a firm grip to the tree and keeps
it from falling. Just as a ship anchored in the sea stays in its place securely and steadily,
similarly the tree stands secure and stable with the support of the earth. “Earth cave”
refers to the depth under the earth where the root of a tree remains sheltered safely for
years. It is firmly attached to this point and a cave-like hollow is created when the root is
pulled out.

12. How is the root of the tree to be pulled out? What is the result of this pulling?

Answer: The root of the tree is to be tied to a rope and pulled out with a great force.
This pulling results in creating a cave-like hollow in the earth and exposes the root to the
vagaries of weather that eventually cause the death of the tree.

13. What does the poet mean by The strength of the tree exposed”?

Answer: The expression ‘the strength of the tree exposed’ means the root of the tree is
pulled out of the earth and thrown open at the mercy of harsh weather.Root is the
source of the tree’s power. Once exposed to the scorching and choking sun and air, it
withers away and the tree finally dies.
14. What is ‘the most sensitive’ part of the tree? What is it sensitive to and why?
Answer: The root of the tree is its most sensitive part. It is sensitive to the heat and
vagaries of weather on the open surface of the earth. It is so because it remains hidden
safely under the earth.

15. How is the exposed root affected by the sun and air?
Answer: Sun and air start drawing life out of the exposed root. It becomes discoloured,
dry and hard. It starts withering and becomes gnarled and twisted. Devoid of all its
moisture, it gradually becomes lifeless and the process of killing the tree is completed.

16. What finally kills the tree?

Answer: The withering of the pulled out root finally kills the tree. The root of a tree is the
source of its strength. Once it is pulled out, it can no longer nurture the tree. The root is
sensitive to sunlight and air. Once exposed, it gets dehydrated, brown and twisted.
Ultimately it dries up and the tree yields to death.

17. What message is conveyed by this poem?

Answer: The poem conveys the message that human beings have destructive
temperament towards nature, but Mother nature has regenerative powers and cannot be
destroyed easily. It has the ability to resurrect itself. Also, the tree teaches us that mere
physical assaults cannot ruin us. As long as our root, our soul, is intact we can rise again.

18. Can a “simple jab of the knife” kill a tree? Why not?
Answer: No, a simple jab of the knife does not have the ability to kill the tree. It has to
go through various processes. If its root is not removed from the earth, it will sprout
again.

19. What finally kills the tree?

Answer: Pulling out the tree from the mother earth and scorching and choking it in the
sun and air kills the tree. It becomes brown, dry and gets hard. Eventually, it dies.

20. How has the tree grown to its full size? List the words suggestive of its life and
activity.

Answer: The tree has grown to its full size by consuming the earth, feeding Upon its
crust, absorbing Years of light, air, and water. Consuming, rising, feeding and absorbing
are the words suggestive of its life and activity.

21. What are the two important stages for killing a tree?
Answer: There are two stages of killing a tree. First, the tree should be pulled out
entirely. Its roots are to be exposed to the sun and the air. Secondly, the roots are to be
scorched in the sun. When the roots are scorched, these turn brown, hard and withered.
The tree finally dies.

22. Write the meanings of ‘anchoring earth’ and ‘earth cave’.

Answer: ‘Anchoring earth’ implies that the trees are held secure with the help of the
roots in the earth. So long as the roots are firmly held by the earth, the tree is safe and
cannot be killed by a simple jab of a knife.

23. How will the bleeding bark of trees heal?

Answer: When the blow of knives or axes does not kill trees, its bleeding bark will
gradually heal its pain all the time and the green leaves will grow from the boughs.
Actually, the strength of trees lies in its roots. When they are not uprooted, they will
expand and grow into a complete tree.

24. How is the problem of deforestation raised in the poem?

Answer: Deforestation can be said the important theme of the poem. In our time’s
deforestation has become a major issue. Forests are being cleared off to make doors,
windows, furniture, and fuel. This act has adversely affected our ecosystem. The poet
seems to be an environmentalist and his urge to save trees is felt in the whole poem.

25. What is the central idea of this poem?

Answer: The central idea of this poem is that the uprooting of trees is not easy. Actually,
his act is quite painful. In the same way, the human soul never dies. The poem beautifully
expresses that before killing trees, we have to cause injury to them. The human soul is
also difficult to be killed but external vagaries can mutually damage it. Like human souls,
trees can also feel pain and suffering.

Long Answer Type Questions

1. How does a tree grow up?

Answer: A tree takes years together to grow to its full size. After sprouting out from the
surface of the earth from a seed it grows gradually. Its root nurtures it by drawing
nutrients from deep under the earth. Sunlight, air, and water further nourish it. Out of its
bark, tender green branches shoot out and leaves grow all over them. After a long span
of time, the tree stands so strong and sturdy that it can survive even the wounds inflicted
with a knife. In fact, chopping and hacking are not sufficient to kill it as the wounds get
healed. Branches appear again even from the stump and in due course attain their
original size. As long as the root of the tree remains intact under the earth, the tree
keeps growing.

2. What relationship does the tree have with the earth?

Answer: A tree has a deep relationship with the earth. It owes its very existence to the
earth. The seed germinates in the womb of the earth and the baby plant sprouts out over
the surface of the earth. The tree draws nutrients for it from the soil. It is the earth that
gives it support to stand erect and protects it from falling. Giving a firm grip to its roots,
the earth gives it ground to grow and assume a massive size. The earth keeps the roots
of the tree concealed, protecting it from exposure to sunlight and air which can prove to
be very injurious for its existence. Thus, the earth helps a tree right from its birth to its
survival. Even a chopped tree grows again out of the stump and gains the original, big
size because the earth supports it.

3. What does the root of the tree look like when it is pulled out of the earth-cave?
What happens to it when it is left exposed?

Answer: The root of the tree is moist anti-white when it is pulled out of its hiding, the
earth-cave. It is very tender and delicate as it has remained concealed for years together,
away from sunlight and air. The root cannot tolerate the light and heat of the sun and
the open air. When it is left exposed, it feels scorched and choked in the sun and the air.
Initially, it starts changing its colour and becomes somewhat brown. Then it starts losing
its tenderness. It becomes hard and its suppleness declines. Gradually, it withers away
and becomes gnarled and twisted. Ultimately, life is completely drained out of it and it
leads to the death of the whole tree. This is how exposure robs first the root and then the
entire tree of its life.

4. What would happen if the tree is hacked and chopped?

Answer: If the tree is hacked and chopped and left as such with the root of the tree
neither dugout nor injured, the root will continue to provide nourishment to the stump
of the tree. This stump will then be covered with tender twigs that will sprout out of its
surface. If these twigs are not pruned or hacked or chopped, they will keep on growing
and eventually, with the passage of time, the tree will grow to its original size. The
wounded bark of the tree will get healed and the tree will be as big as it was earlier. The
threat to its life will be overcome and hacking or chopping will fail to kill the tree. The
safe root will rescue and resuscitate the tree and help it to regain its lost glory.

5. Suppose you are a tree. Write a diary entry in about 150 words describing how
you were hacked and chopped and your root was pulled out and how you are
inching towards your end.
Answer: (Time)
(Day and Date)
Dear Diary Today my heart is crying and I suffer due to the pain inflicted upon me by
cruel men. Two days ago, I was enjoying the fresh air and warm sunlight when suddenly I
felt a blow of an axe on my trunk. I noticed that a man was hitting me hard, giving one
blow after another. My bark was wounded, the sap was oozing and my leaves and
branches were falling off lifelessly. I could feel a sharp pain that I found hard to tolerate.
When the man got tired, he left me for the night. I was relieved that he had not harmed
my root. I was certain that my wound would heal and new branches would grow after
some time. But the next day there came five people. The first chopped off big chunks
from my trunk and then tied a rope firmly around me. They applied force to pull my root
out of the earth. Now my strength gave way and my white, wet and sensitive root was
hauled. My root has been left exposed to the sunlight and air. Its white colour is turning
brown and it has started hardening and twisting. Slowly, it will wither away and I will die.
I wish these ignorant people had realized that I was serving them selflessly with fresh
oxygen and dense shade. Sadly, I have to say goodbye to this beautiful world because of
the insensitivity of some people. Banyan

6. Trees are our lifeline. So they must not be killed. Write your suggestions on how
trees can be protected.

Answer: Trees have great importance in our life. They teach us that life is made for
others. They bear fruit for others and provide shelter to them. All creatures are equal in
their eyes. Besides, trees take several years to become fully grown up. When they are full-
grown, they enhance the beauty of nature. But we are recklessly cutting down trees for
our selfish needs. We have to check this useless cutting of trees. We have to make strict
rules and protect them. The government should also come forward in this regard. The
forest should be declared protected areas and people must be encouraged to plant more
trees. They should be made aware of how trees are valuable for human beings. On the
other hand, we should organise ourselves in some groups or associations and prohibit
people from cutting down trees. Moreover, everybody should develop a love for trees.

7. Write why people cut trees. Are there other alternatives to trees for them?

Answer: People have several requirements which can be fulfilled by trees. They get wood
for fire and furniture from trees. They get various kinds of medicine and fruits. The tribal
people are completely dependent on trees, but they never cut them. But the common
people cut trees as they have no alternatives. But they should not cut down trees and
spoil the beauty of nature. Moreover, they should discover other sources to fulfill their
needs. They should be encouraged to use steel sheets in their doors and windows. The
tribal people should be given every support to decrease their dependence on trees. They
should be made responsible to protect trees in their areas and plant more trees. Besides,
people should be made aware of the environmental problems which are created after
cutting down trees. We have to protect trees at any cost.

8. Describe the growth of a tree in detail with reference to the poem.

Answer: The poet, Gieve Patel describes how a tree grows in the first stanza of his poem
“On Killing a Tree”. According to him, the tree grows slowly consuming the earth firmly. It
absorbs sunlight, air and water from nature for years to make food with these nutrients.
But a tree heals its wounds by hacking and chopping to rise miniature boughs into full
size itself again. Thus, a tree grows slowly by absorbing years of sunlight, air and water.