ON KILLING A TREE - GIEVE PATEL

ON KILLING A TREE - GIEVE PATEL

Q1. How does a tree heal itself as described in the poem 'On killing a tree'​  

Ans : In the poem Gieve patel describes that a tree has tremendous healing power. A tree grows consuming years of sunlight, air and water,and only hacking and chipping can not kill it. The secretion from the bark heals and many small twigs come out from the remaining part of it. These twigs, if not cut again, start to grow up and again transformed into a big tree. Thus a tree shows its magnificent healing power against any wound or blow. In this whole process of healing, its root is the main agent which helps it to heal itself. 

Q2. "And then it is done." - what is done? how is it done? 

Or, How is tree finally killed after being uprooted? 

Ans: In​ his poem Gieve Patel​ quite ironically describes how a tree can be killed. According to him only hacking and chopping can not do the task. But the root of the tree has to be pulled out to kill a tree completely. Then it is to be placed in the sun for scorching. In the sun water of the root is dried. It is like 'choking' as described in the poem. Then the root generally becomes hard and brown in colour. It gets withered and twisted in the heat of sunlight. Thus the most sensitive power of a tree, the main cause to heal against any blow is killed and "It is done" finally. 

Q3. How does the poet describes the root of a tree. 

Ans: In his poem 'On killing a tree' Gieve Patel gives us an ironic description of killing a tree. Here he describes how the source of tree lies in the earth cave, providing the tree all its strength to grow and live. The root is the strength of a tree. It is white and wet for it remains hidden in the earth cave for years. It absorbs water and required minerals for the tree to thrive. Thus the poet tried to say that the main part of a tree is its root. 

Q4. Justify the title of the poem on killing a tree.​  

Ans: The poem 'on killing a tree' is an attack upon the human deed of reckless cutting down of trees. To the poet it is a violent ritual. It shows how a tree grows consuming years of sunlight, air, and water. It also has a tremendous healing power. So to kill it, its root, the source, has to be pulled out of the earth and placed in the sun to die completely. Thus the poet casts a pathetic glance at the tree and its growth. The poem is thus about the process of killing a tree, which reflects the merciless mood of the cutter. And the poet does not really want a single tree to be killed in this way. So the title reflects ironic statement of the poet.

From that point of view, the title is appropriate. 

        ●       Irony ​ এর উ র এর জন িনেচর অংশ  যাগ করেব।এবং শষ লাইন  বাদ দেব। 

He tries to say that this ceremonial act is filthy. The words like choking, withering, scorching somehow reflects to our condition without trees. The word 'No' stresses that we should not cut the tree. Thus the whole poem presents what the poet does not want to be done by humankind. In this way the poem is filled with irony. 

Q5. How can a tree be killed? 

 ​or," This alone won't do it"-what would not do what? 

Ans: In this line from the poem "On Killing a Tree" Gieve Patel tries to say that only hacking and chopping can not kill a tree. A tree grows consuming years of sunlight, air and water. It also has a tremendous healing power. So to kill it, its root, the source, has to be pulled out. Then it is to be placed in the sun for scorching. In the sun water of the root is dried. It is like 'choking' as described in the poem. Then the root generally becomes hard and brown in colour. It gets withered and twisted in the heat of sunlight. Thus the most sensitive power of a tree, the main cause to heal against any blow is killed and "It is done" finally.This tree can be killed. But the poet does not really want a tree to be killed by anyone.