The Proposal by Anton Chekov

The Proposal

                                By Anton Chekhov

Analysis :

·       ‘The Proposal’ is a one act play written by Anton P. Chekhov, a renowned Russian playwright and short story writer.  It is a farce, a humorous play involving three characters – Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov.

·       The play, earlier titled as ‘A Marriage Proposal’, describes peculiar behaviour the neighbours tend to do. Lomov who comes to propose Natalya who lives next door, but before he could propose, they started quarreling badly and it ended up into ugly argument and exchange of abuses between the two dragging their families into it.

·       The play is about the tendency of wealthy families to seek ties with other wealthy families, to increase their estates through marriage ties.

·       The dialogues are interesting and clever and they say it all about the characters. The captivating scene, catchy dialogues and the life like characters are highlights of the play. 

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   SUMMARY / SYNOPSIS : 

§  The play opens in Chubukov’s libing room. Lomov enters, dressed in the

evening dress. Chubukov thinks that he has come to borrow money and says that he won’t give any money.   He asks Lomov about the reason of being dressed like that. Lomov has weak nerves so after talking much he could tell that he has come to seek Natalya’s hand in marriage. Chubukov is very excited and happy to hear it as he has been worried about his daughter’s marriage. Lomov asks if Natalya would be ready for the marriage. Chubukov says that Natalya also is in love with him and goes away to call her.

§  Lomov talks to himself that if he looks for an ideal girl or real love, he would never get married. However, he feels that Natalya is a good housekeeper, beautiful and well educated. He is already 35 of age and suffering from palpitations. He can’t sleep properly and jumps up like a mad person in the middle of sleep.

§  Meanwhile, Natalya enters and, to begin the conversation starts talking about the harvest. She also asks him why he is dressed as if he is going for a ball. Lomov tries to tell her the purpose, but he beats about the bush due to his nervousness. They started talking about the work happening on farms. Lomov tells how he inherited his ‘Oxen meadows’ from his aunt.

§  Hearing this Natalya gets offended and tells him that Oxen Meadows are not

Lomov’s but hers. Lomov clarifies that earlier  there was dispute over the land but now, everyone knows that the land belongs to them. His aunt’s grandmother gave the free use of Oxen Meadows to Natalya’s father’s grandfather for free and in return they baked bricks for his aunt’s grandmother. The peasants used the land for forty years for free thus, they started considering it as their own.

§  Natalya expressing her claim over the land says that both grandfather and great grandfather reckoned that their land extended from Birchwoods to Burnt Marsh and since Oxen Meadows lie between the two, it belongs to Lomov.

§  Lomov says that he can produce the documents. But Natalya says that they are using the land as theirs for nearly three hundred years. She can’t accept unfairness though the Meadows are not worth more than 300 roubles. Lomov says he can present his land to Natalya who also offers to make a present of them to him.

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§  Natalya starts accusing Lomov saying that they lent him their threshing machine delaying their work. Natalya calls him a land grabber. They start fighting and shouting at each other.

§  Hearing the loud voices Chubukov enters and clarifies that Oxen meadows belongs to them. He accuses Lomov of speaking disrespectfully saying that he is twice his age. Lomov calls Chubukov a landgrabber. Lomov says that his grandfather was tried in court for fraud and threatens to take Chubukov to the court. Chubukov says Lomov’s family is full of mad people, his grandfather was a drunkard, father a gambler and his younger aunt, Nastasya ran away with an architect. Lomov says Chubukov’s mother was hump backed and wants to say something more but, he gets cold and starts having palpitations.

§  They started abusing calling Lomov ‘a rascal’, ‘Villain’ and ‘the scarecrow’. Chubukov calls him a monster who has the courage to propose. Hearing the word ‘propose’ Natalya asks about it. Chubukov tells her that Lomov came to propose to her for marriage. Hearing this she starts weeping loudly and asks Chubukov to bring him back at once. Chubukov thinks that it is a huge burden to be a father of a grown up daughter and calls him back.

§  Lomov enters again. Natalya begs pardon and tells him that the Meadows belong to him. In order to avoid argument they start talking about shooting and the talk now shifts on dogs. Lomov tells Natalya that his dog ‘Guess’ the best dog has gone lame and that it cost him 125 roubles. Natalya says 125 roubles is too much for his dog as her father gave 85 roubles for her dog ‘Squeezer’ saying that ‘Squeezer’ is better than his dog ‘Guess’. Lomov stresses that his ‘Guess’ is better telling that Squeezer is overshot as his lower jaw is shorter than the upper. Natalya defends saying that their Squeezer is young and of the finest pedigree.

§  Both Lomov and Natalya start fighting over their dogs. Lomov’s heart again starts palpitating fiercely. Chubukov adds that Guess is old and short in muzzle. Lomov cites some facts for his dog’s superiority that his dog races neck to neck with the Count’s dog and in that race Squeezer was left behind saying that their Squeezer ran after a sheep. Lomov speaks about his palpitating heart and cold hands. Natalya says that he should go to the kitchen and hunt beetles and not go after foxes. Chubukov adds that Lomov should sit at home. Chubukov also abuses him calling ‘intriguer’, ‘pup’, ‘rat’, etc. Lomov tells that Chubukov’s late wife beat him and Chubukov says that he is under his house keeper’s slipper. He falls down in the armchair. Natalya thinks he is dead. Chubukov starts cursing himself and wants to kill himself because he fears that his daughter will remain unmarried. Then, he sees Lomov reviving. Lomov says he sees stars and asks where he is. Chubukov asks him to get up and get married as he doesn’t want to lose this opportunity again due to quarrels. Natalya is also willing to marry him. Chubukov asks them to kiss each other to finalise their relation. He feels that a weight has come off his shoulders. 

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    Important Question Answers

Q1.  Which issues related to wedding are highlighted in the play ‘The Proposal’?

Ans. The play 'The Proposal' written by Russian playwright Anton Chekhov highlights various issues related to the wedding. First of all, it depicts the purpose behind weddings in the rich families which is to seek ties with other wealthy families and increase their estate. The wedding is usually fixed and intended for money and social status.

The second issue is that the weddings are not appropriate or suitable for both the parties. In the play, neither Natalya Stepanovna nor Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov loved each other nor they had respect, but agreed to the marriage because of estate and their need of getting married. Such unequal and wrong matches result in quarrels among the spouses. The quarrelsome nature of both Natalya and Lomov highlighted that the most husbands and wives spend their married life in quarrelling on petty issues and do not show maturity to solve the matters.

Q2.  What is a farce? How is the play ‘The Proposal’ a farce?

Ans.  A farce is a humorous play through and through. Mostly, such plays don't make much sense in terms of the storyline and dialogues. However, such plays may make sense in terms of message or learning. 

The play 'The Proposal' written by Russian playwright, Anton Chekhov can be perfectly called a farce as it involves three characters – Lomov, Natalya and Chubukov, and all of them are quarrelsome, immature and insincere in their language and conduct. Whatever they say doesn't make much sense. When they start quarrelling, they forget all the limits of decency and cross all the boundaries of civilisation. In this play, neither Natalya Stepanovna nor Ivan Vassilevitch Lomov loved each other nor they had respect, but agreed to the marriage just because of estate and their need of getting married. 

The play began with Lomov's wish to propose Natalya and entire play was nothing but an ugly and furious quarrel among the three. The proposal was hurriedly accepted at the end by Natalya's father otherwise due to the quarrel it would have been forgotten. Both Natalya and Lomov are quarrelsome and may be spending their married life in quarrelling on petty issues without showing maturity to solve the matters. We can't learn anything out of their words, behaviour or character, but certainly we can learn what all we shouldn't be doing or saying.

Q3. Describe both the subjects briefly on which Natalya and Lomov fight?

Ans. When Lomov unconsciously calls Oxen Meadows his land, Natalya starts quarrelling that Oxen meadows are hers. At this Lomov clarifies that earlier, there was dispute over the land but now, everyone knows that the land belongs to them. He adds that his aunt’s grandmother gave the free use of Oxen Meadows to Natalya’s father’s grandfather for free. The peasants used the land for forty years for free and, thus they regarded it as their own. Natalya expressing her claim over the land says that both grandfather and great grandfather reckoned that their land extended from Birchwoods to Burnt Marsh and since Oxen Meadows lie between the two, they belong to Natalya, and not Lomov.

Next time they start fighting over their dogs. Lomov tells Natalya that his dog ‘Guess’ is the best dog and cost him 125 roubles. Natalya says 125 roubles is too much for his dog as her father gave 85 roubles for her dog ‘Squeezer’ who is better than his dog ‘Guess’. Lomov tells that her Squeezer is overshot and bad hunter as his lower jaw is shorter than the upper. Natalya defends saying that their Squeezer is young and of the finest pedigree.

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Madam Rides the Bus

      

 Madam Rides the Bus

                                           By Vallikkannan

Analysis :

T   The story ‘Madam Rides the Bus’ written by Vallikkannan in Tamil is translated into English by K. S. Sundaram. The caricatures used in story are created by the most illustrated cartoonist of India, R. K. Laxman

·        It is an anecdote from the life of Valliammai, an eight years old girl who was fond of standing in the doorway of her house and observing curiously what all was happening in the street outside.

·        Valli wisely planned, enquired, managed carefully and executed her plans. She took a bus ride alone to the nearby town and then back to her village.

·        Valli is curious, inquisitive, wise and courageous girl who knows how to fulfil her desire safely and wisely. She possesses a sense of maturity and self respect. She is mature enough to take care of herself.

·        The chapter conveys that this world is full of surprises, secrets and uncertainty. Each day we learn something new and many times we fail to understand the reason behind the things happening in this world.

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Summary / Synopsis :

The protagonist of the chapter is an eight years old girl named Valliammai. She was a very wise, inquisitive and self respecting girl. She loved to explore things. She used to stand in the door way of her house and observe what was happening outside. She had no playmates as watching outside gave her more joy.

The most fascinating thing for Valli was to see a bus travelling between her village and the nearest town. She soon developed a desire to ride on that bus.

Valli listened to the talks of her neighbours and the people travelling in the bus. By this she learnt small details about bus journey that the town was six miles away, the fare was thirty paise one way and the time of the ride was forty five minutes one way. She planned that she would use the afternoon hours, for bus ride, when her mother takes her daily nap.

One day when she was able to save sixty paise after killing her desires to buy things, Valli took the bus. The conductor was jolly by nature and fond of joking. He got an insight about Valli when she refused to take his hand for help and spoke with pride. He offered Valli a front seat and told other passengers to make way calling her ‘madam’. There were few passengers in the bus due to slack hours.

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Valli observed everything minutely about the bus, its seat, clock, overhead bars and paint. She had to stand up on the seat to see outside because of the window curtains and she was short in height. As the bus moved, she could see palm trees, mountains and the blue sky as well as green fields on the other side.

Suddenly, an elderly person asked Valli to sit addressing her ‘child’. She replied proudly that she was not a ‘child’ as she had paid fare just as others had done. The conductor in light humour asked Valli to sit comfortably as she had paid for the ticket.

At the next stand an elderly woman got into bus and sat beside Valli. She was wearing ugly earrings and chewing betel leaves, and betel juice was coming out of her mouth. The woman told Valli that she should not travel alone. Valli replied that she should not bother about her.

Suddenly, a cow with raised tail came in front of the bus. The driver sounded the horn again and again. But the cow continued jumping in front of the bus. Valli clapped and laughed.

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Then, by the side of a railway crossing and Valli saw the speck of a train growing bigger and bigger as bus moved near. At last the bus reached the town. The conductor asked Valli to get down. But she told that she would go back on the same bus and gave him the money for the back journey. The conductor suggested that she should come down and have a cold drink. Valli declined saying that she did not have money. The conductor offered her the drink for free but Valli refused preserving her pride.

The bus started its journey back to her village. There were the same wonderful sights still Valli enjoyed them with same excitement. Suddenly she saw the young cow lying dead by the roadside. It had been struck by some fast moving vehicle. It was the same cow that they had seen while going to town. That’s what the conductor told after enquiring. Valli was too sad. The cow had looked earlier lovable and beautiful but now, it looked horrible, stained with blood. She no longer wanted to look outside. The bus reached the village and Valli got down. The conductor asked Valli to join them whenever she felt like having a bus ride. But, she must bring fare with her.

Valli reached home. She found her aunt talking with her mother. She was a real chatterbox. Valli heard her mother saying that so many things happen in this world without our knowledge. Even if one has knowledge about things happening, he/she can’t understand them. Valli replied in affirmative.

Valli’s aunt felt strange at her reaction and told that she took interest in things that didn’t concern her. Valli smiled to herself. She didn’t want them to understand her smile and know about her bus ride during which she came to know many new things. 

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Important Question Answers :

Q1. How did Valli plan for bus journey?

Ans. Valli was a meticulous planner and a strong willed girl. She collected information by overhearing her neighbours and the people who used to travel frequently. She collected the details such as the town was six miles away, the fare was thirty paise one way and the time of the ride was forty five minutes one way. She fixed safe time for journey in the afternoon hours when her mother takes daily nap. She saved her pocket money, resisting her temptations, not buying things of her interests, not going on merry go round and collected 60 paise for her return journey. She planned and replanned, calculated and recalculated and most importantly executed her plan wisely and bravely.

Q2. What things can you learn from Valli? 

Ans. We can learn lot many things from Valli. We need to be inquisitive, wise, courageous, self respecting like Valii who knows how to fulfil her desires wisely and safely. Valli wisely planned, enquired, managed carefully and executed her plans meticulously. She was wise and smart enough to take the bus ride alone to the nearby town and then back to her village. The spirit of learning in Valli is really commendable. She was fond of standing in the doorway of her house and observing curiously what all was happening outside as she was curious to learn new things. Apart from that she was mature and brave enough to take ride alone, take care of herself and keep her pride intact during the journey. She only spent the money that she could save and declined the offer of the conductor to enjoy the cold drink. It's so astonishing that a girl of 8 years is wiser, smarter, more courageous and self respecting than many older people.

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Q3. How did Valli grow mature in her experience and learning during her bus journey?

Ans. The spirit of learning in Valli is really commendable. Valli being inquisitive asked questions from passengers and neighbours about all the necessary details on how to travel in bus. During her journey she kept trying to capture/observe every little detail about bus, surroundings, landscapes on the way. She learnt a lot about human behavior through her conversation with the conductor and passengers. Most important learning experience she got when she saw the young cow on the road, especially her sad experience after the fatal accident of cow which gave her a different perspective of life and death. The mystery of life and death unfolded to her during journey when she saw the young cow lying dead on the street and she lost all the interest in watching the landscapes. At the end she was able to understand that there are more mysterious truths in the life and we are not able to comprehend these mysteries.

Q4. Why did Valli agree with her mother’s statement, “There happen many things in the world beyond our knowledge and even if we know, we may not understand”? What does she mean by that?

Ans. Valli agreed with her mother’s statement, “There happen many things in the world beyond our knowledge and even if we know, we may not understand” because the secrets of life and death unfolded to her during her bus ride. She learnt many new things on the way about passengers, bus and surroundings. She explored secrets of life and death after the accident of young beautiful cow that made her sad. She also wanted to keep the secret about her journey from her mother with a secretive smile telling herself that there was also something which her mother didn’t know about, and that was her bus journey.

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Bholi Class 10

Bholi

                                By  K. A. Abbas

Analysis of the Chapter

·        The short story ‘Bholi’ is written by K. A. Abbas, the Indian film director, novelist and journalist in Urdu, Hindi and English languages.

·        It is a dramatic story of a girl, Bholi who went through complete transformation in her character, attitude and personality and a revolutionary change in the course of her life.

·        The story depicts how education casts strong impact upon a simple and fearful girl and brought big transformation in her personality and life. Education has enabled her to take the most important decision of her life.

·        The story highlights that a teacher can play an important role in shaping a child’s personality, moulding his/her career and bringing a positive change in our society.

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·        This story is about the transformation of a simpleton, Bholi into Sulekha who was a completely confident and self respecting girl after education, that’s why she broke her marriage with Bishambhar Nath and told her parents that she would serve them in their old age. 

The story highlights some social issues such girl education, early marriage, gender bias, stereotypes and dowry.

Setting of the story is typical Indian village quite possible in Northern India as the names Bishambhar, Ramlal and Bholi suggest.

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Summary  / Synopsis

·       The story is about Sulekha who is nicknamed as ‘Bholi’ as she is a simple and innocent girl. When Bholi was ten months old, she fell from her bed and damaged some part of her brain. Due to that she remained backward in mental ability and she stammered, too. She suffered from smallpox when she was two years old, and it left deep pock marks over her body. 

·        Ramlal had seven children—three sons and four daughters. Bholi was the youngest. His sons went to cities for education. Two of his daughters were married. Ramlal was only worried about Bholi who was neither beautiful nor intelligent. All used to laugh at her.

·        When a primary school was opened in the village by the Tehsildar, he asked Ramlal to send his daughters to schools setting an example for the villagers. At first Randal’s wife objected but Ramlal felt that it would be difficult to get Bholi married so she should at least get little education.

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·        Bholi was given some decent clothes to wear on the first day to school. New clothes had never been made for her. she used to wear the old dresses of her elder sisters. Bholi has never been out and she was scared to think that her cow, Lakshmi once went out of house and was sold. Bholi was scared in the school, too but, she was delighted to look at the pictures in her class.

·        The teacher asked Bholi her name. She stammered and could not tell her name properly. The teacher neither got angry nor laughed. She encouraged Bholi and patted her with love. No one had ever spoken to her in that manner. She also told her that she would speak rightly one day and then she would not be afraid of any body. The teacher gave Bholi a book and told her that soon she would be able to read more books and bigger books. She would then be more educated than anyone else in the village, no one would laugh at her and every one would respect her. Bholi felt as if the bells in the village temple were ringing. Her heart was beating with new hope and new life. 

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     After some time the village became a small town and the primary school became the high school. Ramlal received a marriage proposal for Bholi by Bishamber Nath who was the owner of a big shop and had a house of his own. He was about fifty years old. He limped also. He had the children from his first wife.

·        On wedding day Bishambhar came dressed as bridegroom with a big party and a great pomp and show. Everyone got jealous of Bholi's luck. At the time of garland ceremony, women slipped back Bholi’s veil. Bishamber looked at her face full of pock marks, so he asked for a dowry of five thousand rupees else, he would go back without marrying. Ramlal put his turban at Bishamber’s feet and requested to accept two thousand rupees but Bishambhar didn’t budge. At last he put five thousand rupees at Bishamber’s feet.

·        Then, Bishamber asked for the garland. But, now Bholi looked straight at Bishamber. As he raised the garland to put it round Bholi’s neck, she threw it into the fire. She told her father that she won’t marry Bishamber and asked him to take the money back. She told that she could marry the lame old man, but not a greedy person who can’t respect her parents.

·        All the women wondered how Bholi, a dumb cow had become so violent. Ramlal was down with shame and grief. He asked Bholi what she would do if no one marries her. Bholi told him that she would serve her parents in their old age and teach in the same school where she had got education. Her teacher was glowing with satisfaction and pride. She felt proud like a great artist does on the creation of his masterpiece.

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Message

K. A. Abbas through ‘Bholi’ has brought out the message very clearly that ‘Education is that which liberates’. A dumb cow and a simpleton Like Bholi after getting education goes through a complete transformation. She is no more Bholi but she met with Sulekha, her real identity. Now, she could identify between what is right and what is wrong. She is no more fearful but a confident and courageous young lady who could take the most important decision of her life that she would not marry a greedy and disrespecting man. Education enabled her to decide that she would take care of her old parents and teach in the school where she got her education. 

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Important Question Answers

Q1. How does the story 'Bholi' highlight social evils prevalent in Indian Society?

Ans. The story 'Bholi' highlights many social evils prevalent in Indian society such as stereotypes related to having a girl child, her marriage being a burden, money and property involved in marriage, and compromise with the objectives of love, perfect match and happiness for the prospects of estate and social status. Due to such stereotypes many social evils take birth in the society, naming a few gender bias, girl education, early marriage, dowry, etc.

Bholi’s father sent his sons to schools and colleges for education but not his daughters, an educated girl is difficult to get married, Bholi’s marriage was the greatest concern as if a girl without marriage is unacceptable by society, a girl’s physical and facial beauty being a major concern without that a girl is worthless and such girl's father has to pay the price by giving dowry.

Q2. “Education is that which liberates.” How did right education make a big difference in the life of Bholi enable her to take decisions for herself?

Ans. Right education imbibes the children with values and awareness towards their rights and the teacher of Bholi has done a great job. with the help of her teacher Bholi is educated in right sense who knows her duties towards her parents and her school and is happily ready to undertake them. After education she got to know her rights that nobody can force her to accept a wrong match and has courage to go against it. Bholi has been presented as a real example that "education is that which liberates".

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On Killing a Tree

On Killing a Tree

                               By Gieve Patel

 

Analysis of the poem

§  The poem ‘On Killing a Tree’ is composed by Gieve Patel, an Indian playwright, poet and a doctor.

§  The tone of the poem is sarcastic and didactic as the poet teaches us to be kind, loving and sympathetic to nature.

§  The poet wants to sensitise the readers against cruel and unsympathetic treatment towards nature and indiscriminate felling of trees.

§  It is composed in blank verse and doesn’t follow any rhyming scheme. The poem is divided in four stanzas but the stanza division and line length is irregular.

§  The theme is that the trees and plants are alive just like all of us.

§  A very significant message is conveyed through the poem that we should not cut trees and trees have life, they take birth, feel pain and die. 

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Summary / Synopsis

·       The poem opens with a beautiful but sarcastic statement by the poet about ‘Killing’ a tree. He says that a tree can’t be killed so easily and so simply. Actually, he wants to convey something different. He taunts how trees are cut or ‘killed’ so mercilessly all over the world as man keeps cutting them, taking much time and much pain, but the trees shouldn’t be killed.

·       He further says that it is difficult to kill a tree with the knife or axe. It takes much time and much effort to cut a tree completely. The tree takes years to grow on the earth. It consumes the nutrients of soil, sunlight, air and water.

·       The poet says that simple cutting and chopping is not sufficient to kill a tree. After sometime its bleeding bark will heal and new leaves will come out from the bark, the leaves will grow into small branches and then the tree will grow to its earlier size.

·       Now, the poet tells how to ‘kill’ a tree. He says, its roots must be pulled out entirely from the soil which acts as the anchor to the tree. First. The tree must be tied with a root and pulled out using lot of efforts and strength. When it is pulled out of earth completely, its strength is exposed. The strength of a tree lies in its roots which are white and full of moisture as they keep hidden inside the earth for years. The roots are the most sensitive part of a tree as well as the source of its strength.

·       After the tree is pulled out with its roots, the roots get exposed, they lie in hot dry sun and the air sucks out its moisture. Thus, the roots become dry, brown and hard. They become twisted and lifeless. And finally it is killed as it can’t grow again.

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Message of the Poem

This poem conveys the message that the trees are our lifeline. So, they must not be killed. He gives the message that trees are alive just like human beings. We should not cut trees because trees have life. They take birth, feed upon earth, air, light and water, feel pain, bleed and die. They are precious and significant so they must not be cut.

 

Theme of the Poem

The poet considers the tree as a living organism. But the man is killing it with utmost cruelty and callousness. It implies that a person shall be a murderer if he ‘kills’ a tree this way.

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Rhyme Scheme

The poet is composed in blank verse as the lines of the poem don’t rhyme.

 

Poetic Devices

It takes much time to kill a tree – Alliteration, sarcasm

Slowly consuming the earth – personification,

Rising out of it, feeding – personification, enjambment

Years of sunlight, air, water – consonance,

And out of its leprous hide – metaphor

The bleeding bark will heal – personification

Which if unchecked will expand again – assonance, consonance

Out of the anchoring earth – metaphor

It is to be roped, tied – assonance, consonance, asyndeton

And pulled out — snapped out – repetition, consonance

Out from the earth-cave – metaphor

Of scorching and choking – consonance, assonance

Browning, hardening – assonance, consonance, enjambment, asyndeton

Twisting, withering – assonance, consonance, enjambment, asyndeton

And then it is done – assonance

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Questions – Answers

RTC 

It takes much time to kill a tree,

Not a simple jab of the knife

Will do it. It has grown

Slowly consuming the earth,

Rising out of it, feeding

Upon its crust, absorbing

Years of sunlight, air, water,

(a) What kind of task is it to kill a tree?

(b) Why can a “simple jab of the knife” not kill a tree?

(c) How is the task of cutting a tree represented in the poem?

(d) What happens if the branches of a tree are cut off?

(e) How does the tree grow?

(f) Which poetic device is used in last four lines?

Answers:

a) The task of killing a tree is tedious and time taking hence, not at all a simple job.

b) A simple jab of knife is not sufficient enough to kill a tree as after cutting it with a knife it regrow into a tree.

c) The task of cutting a tree is represented as a murder of a living being in the poem. The poet wants to convey that the tree is living and its murder is a cruel act.

d) If the branches of a tree are cut off, they will grow again into fresh branches.

e) The tree grows slowly consuming the nutrients from the soil as if it is feeding upon its crust for all the years. It absorbs sunlight, breathes air, lives upon daily watering. In short, it eats, breathes and drinks water just like all of us.

f) Personification and Consonance