5.4. The Trees - Class 10 - First Flight

Chapter Title : The Trees

Author -Adrienne Rich

Textbook Name and Genre: First Flight (CBSE Class X), Poem

📜 Summary :

"The Trees" by Adrienne Rich is a metaphorical poem that explores the silent rebellion of nature against its confinement. It begins with a surreal image: trees, once trapped inside a house, are now breaking free to return to the forest. The poet uses this movement to comment on human interference with nature and possibly, symbolically, the suppressed lives of individuals seeking liberation. The trees, roots, and branches work throughout the night to disengage from the cracks in the veranda floor and push toward freedom. Meanwhile, the poet remains detached, writing letters and observing quietly. The poem concludes with the glass breaking and the trees stumbling forward into the night, symbolizing a powerful and inevitable return to nature. The moon shattering like a mirror signifies transformation. The poem can also be read as a metaphor for human beings reclaiming their freedom and identity.

👨‍🎓 Character Sketch (Metaphorical):

• The Trees: Symbolize nature or suppressed individuals, quiet yet determined to reclaim freedom.

  
  

• The Speaker: Observant, introspective, and subtly complicit in the silence about change.

  
  

📚 Themes:

🌟 Literary Devices / Poetic Devices:

📖 Title Justification:

The title "The Trees" is justified as the central metaphor of the poem revolves around the trees that symbolize both nature and human beings breaking free from confinement. It captures the essence of resistance, transformation, and silent assertion of identity.

✅ One-Mark Questions:

1. Where are the trees in the beginning of the poem?

   — In the beginning of the poem, the trees are described as being inside the poet’s house.

   
   

2. What does the moon symbolize in the poem?

   — The moon symbolizes change, transformation, and the quiet presence of nature as the trees struggle for freedom.

   
   

3. What do the roots of the trees do at night?

   — At night, the roots of the trees work silently to free themselves from the cracks in the floor.

   
   

4. What sound indicates the trees are breaking free?

   — The sound of breaking glass indicates that the trees are forcing their way out of the house.

   
   

5. Who is the author of the poem?

   — The author of the poem "The Trees" is Adrienne Rich.

   
   

✅ Three-Mark Questions:

1. How does the poet describe the movement of the trees at night? - The poet describes the trees as slowly and silently moving out of the house during the night. Their roots are disengaging from the cracks in the floor, and their leaves are straining toward the glass. The branches, described as stiff like patients, seem to walk toward freedom, showing a deep longing for the natural world outside. This imagery creates a sense of struggle, release, and determination.

   
   

2. What is the poet doing while the trees move out? - While the trees move out of the house, the poet is writing long letters. Interestingly, she does not mention the departure of the trees in her writing. This suggests a symbolic detachment or quiet acknowledgment of the larger change happening around her. It reflects how people may often overlook natural or societal transformations while being absorbed in personal tasks.
   

3. How is the moon described in the poem and why does its image change? - In the beginning, the moon is described as whole and shining through the glass roof, casting light on the trees. By the end of the poem, it appears to be broken into pieces, like a mirror shattered by the escaping branches. This transformation of the moon’s image symbolizes the disruption caused by the trees breaking free. It represents the breaking of old constraints and the emergence of a new, freer world.
   

🧠 Value-Based Question: What does the poem teach us about change and freedom? The poem teaches us that even silent forces like nature or suppressed individuals eventually seek freedom. Change may go unnoticed at first but is powerful and inevitable. It reminds us to be more aware and respectful of natural and personal liberation.

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