Class 9 English II

The Heart of the Tree

Extract I
What does he plant who plants a tree.......................to heaven anigh.

1. To whom is the poet asking the question in the first line of the extract?
Mention any two things, according to the extract, that man will do by
planting trees.

2. Give the meaning of the following lines:

He plants a friend of sun and sky; He

plants the flag of breezes free; The
shaft of beauty, towering high; He
plants a home to heaven anigh;

The tree is portrayed as a friend of sun and sky because the tree depends on the
sun to carry out the process of photosynthesis. Similarly, the tree is a friend of
the sky because it takes in carbon dioxide from the air and releases oxygen in
the air and thus purifies the air. Also transpiration from trees is responsible for
cloud formation in the sky before it rains. The tree grows like beautiful tower
and it appears that the tree has made a home closer to heaven.

3. In what way are the trees friends of sun and sky? How can a man plant
the flag of breezes free?

The tree is depicted as a friend of sun and sky because the poet feels that one
day the tree will grow tall and make friendship with the sky and the sun. The
tree depends on the sun to carry out the process of photosynthesis. Similarly, the
tree is a friend of the sky because it takes in carbon dioxide from the air and
releases oxygen in the air and thus
purifies the air. Also transpiration from trees is responsible for cloud formation
in the sky before it rains. The tree is a flag of free breeze for the leaves just like
flags that flutter freely in the breeze flutter and provide soothing, cool breeze to
us.

4. What is meant by ‘shaft of beauty’? What is compared to the shaft?

Shaft of beauty means beam of beauty. The tree which grows high with its long
narrow stem is compared to the shaft.

5. What is the impact of beginning the poem with a question? What is the
figure of speech used here?

The impact of beginning a stanza with a question is done to create curiosity and
anxiety in the readers to know more about the poem. The poet has used it
purposely and cleverly before every stanza. The figure of speech used is
Hypophora or Antipophora it is a technique of raising a question and then
immediately providing an answer to that question.
Extract II
For song and mother-croon… he plants who plants a tree.

1. What is known as mother-croon of bird? Why is the song sung in a

hushed voice?

Mother-croon is the soft song that mother bird is singing to her young one. It is
sung in a hushed voice because it is sung during twilight when human activities
are restricted and an atmosphere of calmness and serenity prevails.

2. What is twilight? Why is it a happy twilight?

Twilight is the faint light at the end of the day after the sun has gone down. It is
a happy twilight because the mother-croon sings to her young ones happily,
with soft and gentle voice. The bird’s high-pitched tone adds to the pleasant
harmony of nature.
3. What is meant by treble, heaven’s harmony? What role does the treble
play in heaven’s harmony?

Treble is a high tone in music. Harmony is the way in which different musical
notes are played or sung together and combine to make a pleasant sound. The
treble produced by the mother-croon sinks into the pleasant harmony of the
universe.

4. Give two examples of metonym. How is it used in the poem?

A friend of sun and sky. The poet feels that when we plant a tree we plant a
friend of sun and sky i.e., a tree.

Cool shade. The poet opines that when we plant a tree we plant cool shade i.e., a
tree.

5. Give four functions which a tree performs on this earth.

A tree functions as a friend of sky and sun. It is the flag of breezes free. When
we plant a tree, we make a home near to heaven. We provide a shelter to mother
bird and the mother-croon is heard in the twilight from the trees we plant.

Extract III
He plants cool shade and ……..unborn eyes shall see.

1. Enumerate any three benefits of planting trees as suggested by the poet in

this extract. What do the plants do to provide cool shade in a place?

The trees will tall and provide shade to the people as well as the trees bless us
with tender rains. It will provide crops to the future generations. The plants will
grow tall and the human beings and animals will find comfort and solace under
the branches of trees when the Sun shines bright.
2. The water evaporates, condenses and falls as rain. What role do the trees
play in this process of producing rain?

The transpiration from trees is responsible for cloud formation in the sky before
it rains.

3. How do the last two lines of the extract explain the process of
regeneration? How does the man plant the forest’s heritage?

After many years the old trees will wither away and the seeds of the trees will
grow into new trees and into dense forest. This is symbolic of the process of
birth, death and regeneration. In this way, trees will make the plains beautiful.
The forest will provide crops to the future generations. Thus the upcoming
generations will reap all the benefits of the trees that are being planted now.

4. How do the trees provide for the harvest of the following years?

Trees not only beautify environment, but purify the air and provide us with
wood, timber, fruits and medicines. The one who plants a tree, plants the entire
forest. This forest is thus the harvest, the future generation can enjoy.

5. What does the expression, unborn eyes indicate? What will they see?
Why will they rejoice?

Unborn eyes refers to the future generation. The unborn eyes shall see plants
providing cools shade, blessing us with tender rain, regeneration of trees,
beautiful plains filled with numerous trees, nature abundant with her numerous
gifts like fruits, timber, etc. They will rejoice because the trees will provide
them fresh and pure air, numerous gifts like fruits, timber, tender rain, etc. The
plants provide us with all essential nutrients for our body. They are main source
of medicine and wood.

Extract IV
He plants, in sap and leaf………his heart who plants a tree.
1. The poet says: “ He plants, in sap and leaf and wood.” Which figure of
speech is used here? Explain its usage with two other examples from the poem.

Metonymy is the figure of speech used here. It is a figure of speech in which a

thing or concept is called not by its own name but rather by a metonym, that is,
by the name of something associated in meaning with that thing or concept. The
whole poem runs on a series of metonymic associations of a tree with its
qualities. According to the poet, the one who plants a tree, plants ‘cool shade’
‘tender rain’ ‘a friend of sun and sky’ ‘the forest’s heritage’ ‘sap and leaf and
wood’ , etc.

2. What is meant by ‘far-cast thought of civic good’? In what way is the

planter’s work a blessing? State for whom it is a blessing.

Far-cast thought of civic good means foreseeing the well-being of the city or its
citizens. Planter’s work is a blessing because the human beings can get food
from the plant’s sap and leaves. Besides, he can get wood for his use. It is
also a blessing for the future generations.

Tree plantation is indeed a blessing on the neighbourhood.

3. Give the meaning of the following:

Who in the hollow of His hand Holds

all the growth of all our land

The man’s hand holds the future progress of mankind. Our land will become
barren without trees. The growth of the universe is possible only by planting
trees.

4. In what way a nation’s growth depends on planting trees?

Wood is very important trade product and thus its import and export within
countries enriches the economy of a nation. Therefore, the poet
indirectly requests all human beings to plant trees for the well-being of society
and its citizens.

5. Comment on the appropriateness of the title of the poem The heart of the
tree.

The heart of the tree is an appropriate title. The heart is one of the most
important organs in the entire human body. The human heart pumps the blood,
which carries all the vital materials and nutrients. Only when the heart pumps
the blood, it is able to transport oxygen from one part of the body to another.
Likewise, a tree has certain qualities , which are as essential as human heart, for
survival. Trees absorb carbon dioxide and give out life-giving oxygen for us to
inhale; trees cause rainfall; trees are essential for the future generation; trees
like human heart provide us with ‘sap and leaf and wood’, i.e., all the
required minerals, nutrients and material things. The heart here thus signifies
the most important quality of the tree. It can be concluded that the title is
appropriate as the poem is about trees and their importance to our survival.