About the Author
Give Patel is not only a poet but also a painter and an environmentalist. He was born in a well-educated family. His father is a dentist and he is a general practitioner having completed his medical degree from Great Medical College, Mumbai. He has various poetical work and has conducted poetic workshops in the different educational institution
His poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ speaks about deep concerns about nature and man’s evil habits of cutting trees for selfish motives.
Theme
The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ is like an instruction manual for killing a tree. It tells the reader that trees are living beings. They are not cut but killed properly by uprooting the roots that are inserted deeply in the soil. Through the poem, the poet teaches us many lessons. Firstly, the poem illustrates the courage and strength of trees, through which it teaches us to be strong and determined. Then, it points out that evils are just like roots. They are deeply rooted within us and even if we feel we have vanquished them, it suddenly appears. Therefore, to kill an evil we must put in our best efforts and uproot it. Thirdly, it teaches us that we must bring all our work to a proper end. Lastly, it requests us not to cut trees that sustain our lives.
Summary of English Poem on Killing a Tree Class 9
The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ describes the process of cutting a tree completely. Ironically, through the description of the process, the poet presents a severe criticism of human cruelty and insensitive nature in chopping down trees for material benefit. The poet appeals to its readers not to cut trees that give us the necessities of life and sustain them. Therefore one must not cut trees but plant more and more trees. Apart from this, the poet gives readers several lessons. Through the poem, the poet tells us about the sturdiness and resilience of trees such that they take all kinds of admonitions but refuse to die. Similarly, we too must be strong and determined to face any challenges in life. Next, the trees in the poem symbolize the evil patterns that are deeply inherited within us. We may think that we have gotten rid of it but they may suddenly appear until and unless we put in our best efforts. Lastly, the poem states that we must complete our work efficiently and wholeheartedly.
Explanation by Stanzas
Stanza 1
It takes much time to kill a tree, ……. Sprouting leaves.
The poem starts by pointing out that it takes a lot of time to cut a tree. The simple act of stabbing it with a knife is not enough to kill a tree. It is not an easy job to kill a tree, as it has grown strong by absorbing many elements for many years. It has taken nutrients from the soil and absorbed sunlight, air and water for a long time such that many leaves had grown on it.
Stanza 2
So hack and chop….. To former size
In this stanza, the poet states that we need to do a lot of effort to kill a tree. According to him a simple stab and chop won’t kill the tree completely. It would only injure the tree, which would suffer the pain with its strength. The fighting spirit of the tree shall soon receive its full strength and with time, the injured bark will heal and the tree will grow again. Green twigs and small branches will grow again on the tree. Consequently, the tree will grow its full size again as it was before being cut or killed. Therefore, it is not easy to kill a tree with these measures.
Stanza 3
No, The root is to be pulled out -- ……. For years inside the earth.
In this stanza, the poet points out the exact manner through which a tree can be killed. He states that to kill a tree completely, its roots need to be taken out of the deep soil where it is hiding inside the Earth. The root is the strength of the tree. It gives support to the tree and its most vulnerable as well as the sensitive part. It needs to be snapped out entirely from deep inside the Earth.
Stanza 4
Then the matter…. And then it is done.
In this stanza, the poet says that once the roots are uprooted, they will get exposed to the sun and the air. As a result, the roots start dying due to the heat. The roots become brown and the soft surface becomes hard and dry. After some time, it loses its shape and starts twisting. Finally, the tree will die.
Understand the Poem Summary of “On Killing a Tree” by Vedantu
“On Killing a Tree” is a poetic work of Gieve Patel. He has beautifully described the effort to kill a tree and what it signifies to the whole world. A four stanza poem is easy to understand and its summary will help students to understand the true meaning of the poem.
Vedantu has perfectly captured the true meaning of the poem. The poem is explained in a very concise manner. There are a total of four stanzas in this poem. Detailed explanations of these stanzas are provided here on Vedantu. This will make sure that students will understand the true meaning of each stanza and how they all are trying to explain the view of the author. Students are advised to read every line carefully.
How will Vedantu help me Learn and Answer Questions on “On Killing a Tree” by Gieve Patel
Vedantu not only helps students to understand a particular concept or subject, but also it helps the students to answer any questions related to that particular concept. Vedantu advises students to read the poem very carefully at first and come up with their summary explaining the meaning of each line or each stanza of the poem. This will make sure that students will develop their insight into the poem. This is crucial for the learning phase. Then students are advised to go through the summary given on Vedantu. Since the summary on Vedantu is simple to understand and well written by the experts, students can understand the summary and then compare it to the summary which they have developed in early reading. This will help students to catch any points which they had missed earlier, correct their mistakes and develop a better understanding of the poem. By following these steps advised by Vedantu, students will have complete knowledge of the poem and its summary and they will be able to answer any questions related to the poem. Students are also advised to read the poem regularly or have a periodic revision so that they will always be in touch with the concept. The revision will be very helpful during examinations. Students can revisit the summary of the poem “On killing a tree” on Vedantu before the examination. Students can read this summary quickly during their revision and appear for the exams. This will ensure students score maximum marks and answer any questions related to this topic. Students should visit Vedantu for more concepts, topics and chapters.
FAQs on Summary of On Killing a Tree: A Poem by Gieve Patel
1. The Poet has used Irony in the Poem to give a Message. Elaborate.
In the poem ‘On Killing a Tree,’ the poet describes a method that will most effectively kill a tree. By stating the method, the poem conveys a message that Mother Nature has regenerative powers and cannot be destroyed easily. Further, trees sustain our lives and hence must be preserved. You can find more on the irony while reading “Killing a Tree”. Vedantu has provided a concise summary of this and students are advised to read it for their better understanding.
2. How can the Tree get Back to its Former Size?
In this poem, the author explains that it is not easy to kill a tree. It takes a lot of effort to do so as a tree will regain its former size as well. After the tree’s bleeding bark is healed, small branches and bushes will rise from the stump of the tree, which is close to the ground. With time, these tiny delicate branches of the trees will expand and grow to their original size. Students should visit the summary of each stanza of the poem to understand more about this. A concise summary is available here on Vedantu.
3. What is the meaning of ‘Anchoring Earth’ and ‘Earth Cave’?
‘Anchoring earth’ refers to the soil in which the roots of the tree are kept hidden. The soil and the roots of the trees form a very tight grip, like an anchor and keep it rooted. As a result, the tree stands firmly and deeply at a place. ‘Earth cave’ refers to a small region inside the ground where the roots are generally fixed. After the roots are pulled out, the area looks like a cave. These words enhance the poem.
4. What is the Important Message that the Poet has conveyed through the Poem, ‘On Killing a Tree’?
The theme of the poem is how to complete a job. A half-done job is as bad as not done at all. If we want to finish a tree, we must uproot it. Cutting the limbs alone will not do. The lesson is that a great task needs a great deal of hard work. One must be prepared for it. For example, if we want to understand a book, the simple reading of a few pages will not do. We have to read it completely, underline the important passages and try to understand what the author means to say. It is not enough to grasp a great book by reading it once. We may have to read it, again and again, to grasp it fully.
5. What will be the condition of the tree after its roots are uprooted?
As per the author of “Killing a Tree”, one should uproot the tree completely off the ground. This will cause the roots of the tree to dry up and it will not be able to nourish itself. The roots are the most sensitive part of the tree as stated by the author. If this part is exposed after being uprooted from the Earth cave where it has been rooted for many years, it will take the life out of the tree and it will dry. Hence, the author says killing a tree is like a crime. Students can understand the poem “On Killing a Tree” from Gieve Patel on Vedantu. The summary given on the Vedantu is concise and has captured the complete essence of the poem. This will help students to explain the complete poem and they will also be able to solve any questions related to this poem.
