CBSE Class 10 English Chapter 19 The Trees NCERT Solutions

Solution:

1. In a forest completely devoid of trees, the following three things cannot occur: birds cannot find branches to sit upon, insects have no place to hide, and the sun cannot cast shadows for its 'feet' to rest in.
2. The phrase ".... sun bury its feet in shadow....." creates an image of the sun's rays gently sinking into the cool, dark shade cast by trees. The poet uses the sun's 'feet' metaphorically to refer to its rays. In a treeless area, the sun's rays fall directly and intensely on the ground. However, in a forest, the dense canopy of leaves creates shadows, and when the sun's rays penetrate these shadows, it appears as if the sun is resting or 'burying its feet' within them.

Solution:

1. In this poem, the trees are depicted as being confined within the poet's house. Their roots are described as working tirelessly throughout the night to free themselves from the cracks in the veranda floor. The leaves strain towards the glass, exerting pressure in an attempt to break it. Meanwhile, the small twigs become rigid and stiff due to the exertion of their efforts to move.
2. The poet compares the large branches of the trees to newly discharged patients leaving a hospital. These branches, cramped by the low roof of the house, rush out into the open air once they are free, appearing somewhat dazed and unsteady, much like patients who have been confined for a long time.

Solution:

1. At the beginning of the third stanza, the poet describes the moon as shining clearly in the open sky on a fresh night. However, by the end of the stanza, the moon is described as breaking into pieces, like a shattered mirror, and its light falls on the heads of the tallest oak trees. This change occurs because, as the trees move out of the house, their large forms begin to obstruct the view of the moon. The moonlight is no longer a continuous glow but appears fragmented as it filters through the leaves and branches.
2. When the trees finally move out of the house, the glass panes are broken, and the whispering sounds associated with the trees' presence vanish, leaving the house in silence.
3. The poet likely does not mention the 'departure of the forest from the house' in her letters because it is an event that highlights humanity's neglect and destruction of nature. Perhaps she feels that people would not be interested in or would not understand the significance of the trees' struggle for freedom. It's possible she believes such profound natural events, especially those that reclaim their space from human imposition, are best experienced and understood by the poet herself, rather than being communicated through mundane letters that might not convey the emotional weight or ecological message. This silence could stem from a sense of embarrassment or a feeling that the event is too extraordinary for ordinary communication.

Solution:

A poem can indeed evoke multiple interpretations, and both suggestions offered can be valid within the context of 'The Trees'.

1. Yes, the poem strongly suggests a conflict between man and nature. Humans often exploit nature for their own needs, cutting down forests for resources and using trees for 'interior decoration' without considering their natural habitat or freedom. By confining trees within houses, humanity denies them their natural environment and liberty, prompting the trees' desire to 'break out'. This mirrors the theme in 'A Tiger in the Zoo', where the caged tiger longs for its natural freedom, highlighting the suffering caused by confinement and the destruction of natural habitats by humans.
2. If the trees are taken as a metaphor for human beings, the poem gains a deeper layer of meaning. It suggests that humans, like trees, also yearn to escape the boundaries and constraints imposed by modern life. Despite physical comforts, human lives can become restrictive, filled with selfishness and greed. The poem then speaks to the universal human desire to break free from these limitations, to reconnect with nature, and to experience true freedom and beauty in the open, much like the trees seeking their natural environment.