NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English
Flamingo
The Roadside Stand (Robert Frost)
CONTENTS
Ø Theme
Ø Summary
Ø Stanza
Ø Question Answers
Ø Word Meaning
THEME
Robert Frost's poem "The
Roadside Stand" paints a poignant picture of the current dire state of
impoverished villagers involved in agriculture, selling their goods at
makeshift stalls by the roadside. These villagers invest their entire day in these
small stalls, hopeful that travelers passing by will make purchases.
Unfortunately, most travelers disregard them, showing no interest in the fresh
products and wild berries they offer. To add insult to injury, urban dwellers
often mock and insult these struggling villagers.
The poet conveys a sense of profound
disappointment and calls for the betterment of the villagers' living
conditions. However, the situation worsens as many bureaucrats and politicians
exploit the plight of the villagers, making empty promises for their own gain.
The vulnerable villagers become victims of deception, manipulated for the
benefit and personal agendas of these officials. Despite the availability of
quality produce, only a few passersby take notice, stopping merely to ask for
directions or fuel.
The poet experiences deep sadness
and entertains thoughts of ending the villagers' suffering through a decisive
action. However, he quickly returns to reality, realizing the impracticality of
such a solution. Even the poet himself cannot escape the pain, acknowledging
the harsh truth of the situation.
SUMMARY
The occupants
of a small, aged dwelling have expanded the front shed, now abutting the road
traversed by traffic. It seems as though the shack's proprietors are appealing
to those passing by, hoping for purchases. These disadvantaged individuals
possess a strong desire for currency. Unfortunately, the passing traffic
largely ignores the shack, and even when it does pause, it brings a sense of
disappointment. The poorly crafted signboards only add to their distress. At
this location, a wooden quart of wild berries is offered for sale, providing a
tranquil natural retreat for those who can afford it. The poet expresses
frustration at the dismissive attitude of the 'polished traffic' and implores
them to move ahead.
The poet
demonstrates more concern for the sorrow of the shack owners than for the
eyesore on the landscape. He believes that these people yearn to handle some
city money, hoping it could alleviate their suffering, akin to what is
portrayed in movies. The blame for depriving them of a happy life falls on the
political party in power.
The poet
references news about the relocation of poor villagers near shops and theaters,
accompanied by promises of good care. However, these promises go unfulfilled,
leading the poet to brand the government authorities as "greedy
good-doers" and "beasts of prey" exploiting the impoverished
villagers. The villagers pay a heavy price, losing their land, and the civic
authorities successfully deceive them.
The poet
highlights a reversal of the norm, where villagers are unable to sleep at
night. The shack owners' endless wait for buyers is expressed with a sense of
distress, creating an atmosphere of sadness. The poet laments the scarcity of
money in the countryside, recognizing its power to uplift spirits. The
villagers often bemoan the lack of money in their lives, eliciting deep
emotions in the poet. Despite a desire to transform their lives, he
acknowledges the futility of such a single-handed effort.
In conclusion,
the summary of "A Roadside Stand" underscores the stark contrast
between the comfortable lives of city dwellers and the hardships faced by
impoverished rural individuals.
STANZA
Stanza 1.
The little old house was out with a
little new shed
In front at the edge of the road
where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too
pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a
dole of bread,
But for some of the money, the cash,
whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking
and withering faint.
Questions :
1.
Identify the poem and poet.
2.
Where was the new shed located?
3.
What was the house owner's goal in
erecting the shed?
4.
What can flowers be compared to?
5.
Find words from the stanza which
mean the same as :
(a) Verge
(b) Pitiably
Answers:
1.
.The poem is titled "A Roadside
Stand" and was written by Robert Frost.
2.
The new shed was located on the roadside.
3.
The house owner intended to sell the fruits to
make ends meet.
4.
By comparing flowers to money, city
residents can better manage their daily life.
5.
roadside
pled
Stanza 2.
The polished traffic passed with a
mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out
of sorts
Having the landscape marred with the
artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong
and S turned wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in
wooden quarts,
Or crook-necked golden squash with
silver warts,
Questions:
1)
What is the poet's name, and what is
the poem?
2)
Who is driving the polished
vehicles?
3)
Who is there on the stand?
4)
What are the farmers selling?
5)
Find words in the verse that mean
the same as bright and harsh.
Answers:
1)
. The
poet's name is Robert Frost, and the poem is titled "A Roadside
Stand."
2)
The city's wealthy inhabitants drive
glossy automobiles.
3)
A farmer is selling fruits from the
stall.
4)
They're selling wild berries and
yellow squash.
5)
polished and artless paint.
Stanza 3.
So much as the trusting sorrow of
what is unsaid:
Here far from the city, we make our
roadside stand
And ask for some city money to feel
in the hand
To try if it will not make our
expanding,
And give us the life of the moving
pictures’ promise
That the party in power is said to
be keeping from us.
Questions:
1)
What is the unspoken sorrow that is
discussed?
2)
Is there a roadside stand near the
city?
3)
What does the stand's owner desire
from city residents?
4)
What promises have the ruling party
made?
5)
What words are related in this
stanza: agony and commitment?
Answers:
1)
The apathy of farmers is addressed.
2)
No, the roadside stand is outside
the city.
3)
He wants the city's residents to buy
something from his stand.
4)
The ruling party promised the stall
owner stores in a developed region.
5)
Pain: sorrow; commitment: promise.
Stanza 4.
It is in the news that all these
pitiful kin
Are to be bought out and mercifully
gathered in
To live in villages, next to the
theatre and the store,
Where they won’t have to think for
themselves anymore,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent
beasts of prey,
Swarm over their lives enforcing
benefits
That is calculated to soothe them
out of their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep
they sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the
ancient way.
Questions
1)
What's in the newspaper?
2)
Where will the stand owner receive
merchandise?
3)
Why are city dwellers termed
"greedy good-doers"?
4)
Who are the benevolent prey animals?
5)
Write the antonyms for the following
words: beast and greedy.
6)
Explain the phrase 'Destroy their
slumber at night the ancient way'.
Answers:
1)
According to the newspaper, stand
holders would be assigned to stores near the theatre.
2)
The stand owners will have shops in
a developed area.
3)
They are termed greedy because they
never care about the poor. They promised that underprivileged people live
a nice life and get enough sleep. But this never happens.
4)
City dwellers are referred to as
"beasts of prey" because they make false promises to rural residents
in order to obtain benefits.
5)
Beast: pet; greedy; truthful.
6)
A man can easily fall asleep at
night after a long day's work. Unfortunately, some cannot sleep at night
because they do not work hard. People used to sleep at night, but this has
changed because people no longer work during the day. So they are unable to
sleep at night.
Stanza 5.
Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly
bear
The thought of so much childish
longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open
window there,
That waits all day in almost open
prayer
For the squeal of brakes, the sound
of a stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars
that pass,
Just one to inquire what a farmer’s
prices are.
Questions:
1)
What was painful to the poet?
2)
What was the poet's childhood
longing?
3)
Why was there sadness on the stand?
4)
What did the farmer pray for?
5)
Why are individuals in vehicles
labeled selfish?
6)
What were the people asking about?
7)
Which word has the same meaning as
“longing, futile”?
Answers:
1)
The poet found the farmer's apathy
insufferable.
2)
The poet wanted people to come and
buy fruits from the stall.
3)
There was grief in the stand since
no one came to buy the fruits from the farmer.
4)
The farmer prayed for a sale of his
products.
5)
People in cars are labeled selfish
because they are unconcerned with the farmer's disinterest.
6)
People were only asking about the
prices of the things.
7)
Longing: Wish; futile: vain.
Stanza 6.
The requisite lift of spirit has
never been found,
Or so the voice of the country seems
to complain,
I can’t help owning the great relief
it would be
To put these people at one stroke
out of their pain.
And then the next day as I come back
into the sane,
I wonder how I should like you to
come to me
And offer to put me gently out of my
pain.
Questions:
1)
What is the "requisite lift of
spirit" that the poet refers to?
2)
What was the farmer's complaint?
3)
What does the poet say to the
farmers?
4)
What is the name of the poem and who
wrote it?
5)
Write synonyms for words like
“requisite” and “pain.”
Answers:
1)
The courage to solve a farmer's
difficulties.
2)
The farmer laments about people's
apathetic attitude towards them.
3)
The poet wished that the farmers'
quarrel could be resolved in a single stroke.
4)
The poem is titled "A Roadside
Stand," and it was written by Robert Frost.
5)
The synonyms for these words are
“requirement” and “problem.”
QUESTION ANSWERS
Question 1: The urban travelers passing
through the rural landscape scarcely acknowledged the roadside stand or its
operators. If they did take notice, it was typically to express
dissatisfaction. Which verses convey this sentiment, and what specifically were
their grievances?
Answer: The lines that convey this sentiment
are as follows -
The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,
Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the
artless paint
Their complaint revolved around the roadside
stands, which they believed detracted from the beauty of the landscape.
Question 2: What was the appeal of the
individuals who had established the roadside stand?
Answer: They called for a flow of currency from
urbanites' pockets into their own hands so that they may put the money to good
use. Their objective was to literally hold the money in their hands.
Question 3: What does the poet mean by the
'childish longing' and why is it considered 'vain'?
AnswerThe 'childish longing' refers to the
shed owner's expectation that cars will stop by to make purchases or inquire
about the cost of the farmer's produce. It is considered 'vain' because,
despite waiting with open windows and praying all day, no automobiles stop by,
rendering their efforts ineffective.
Question 4: Which lines convey the unbearable
anguish the poet experiences when contemplating the plight of the rural poor?
Answer: The lines expressing the poet's sentiment
are:
I can't help owning the great relief it would
be
To put these people at one stroke out of their
pain.
WORD MEANING
Beast of
Prey: an animal
killing other animal
Beneficent: generous or doing good
Crossly: in an annoyed or angry way
Dole of
Bread: a tiny
portion of bread
In vain: without success or a result
Kin: One’s family and relations
Lurk: to wait somewhere secretly
Marred: Spoilt
Out of
their wits: their
perplexed or terrified state
Pathetically: in a way that arouses pity, especially by
displaying sadness
Plow: move in a fast and uncontrolled manner
Requisite: required/needed
Sane: sensible/realistic
Squash: here fruit
Warts: A small growth on the outer surface
