NCERT SOLUTIONS FOR CLASS 10 - ENGLISH NOTES - DUST OF SNOW - ROBERT FROST - QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS - CBSE

 

DUST OF SNOW

ROBERT FROST

 

THINKING ABOUT THE POEM

This poem presents a moment that seems simple, but has a larger significance.

[Compare this other quotation from Robert Frost: “Always, always a larger significance... A little thing touches a larger thing.”)

 

1) What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
Ans: The “dust of snow” means the fine particles or flakes of snow. The sudden shower as the form of snow changed the poet's mood. The poet's mind-set changed from grief to cheerful. He felt refreshed and sought to get pleasure from the rest of the day.

 

2) How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to think of an answer.

i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?

ii) Again, what is ‘a hemlock tree’? Why doesn’t the poet write about more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?

iii) What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent-joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

 

Ans: Robert Frost presents nature in a very unusual manner in the poem.

i) For the most part, poets take the birds and trees which are known for their magnificence and great qualities like peacock, parrot, cuckoo, mynah and trees loaded with delightful and beautiful flowers and natural products, and so on. Yet, here Frost has adopted an entirely unexpected strategy. He picked a crow, which isn't regularly utilized in poems. Crow is dark in shading with exceptionally brutal voice and is accepted to be an image of bad omen. Thinking about a crow carries exceptionally discouraging and troubled pictures to our brain.

 

ii) A hemlock tree is poisonous with small white flowers. Robert Frost didn't decide to utilize an oak, maple or pine tree. All things being equal, he picked the hemlock tree and left all the beautiful trees present on the planet. In reality he did as such to introduce his temperament and sentiments.

 

iii) The crow and hemlock tree address distress and sadness felt by the poet in this materialistic world. The dust of snow is the image of normal happiness and energy. The dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree implies going through the pitiful and discouraging minutes the poet is going into the time overflowing with happiness and hopefulness.

 

3) Have there been tilnes when you felt depressed or hopeless? Have you experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?
Ans: There have been countless occasions when I also have felt discouraged and miserable. Now and again, such minutes were excited by others' conduct and disposition. On one event when I was exceptionally bored. I went out for a walk. While walking on the pavement, I saw a young lady helping an old woman to carry her basket, that particular act of taking care of her. This little act had filled my heart with joy that they shared changed my disposition and I felt exceptionally glad for the rest of the day.