Question

Read the given extracts and answer the questions.

My head is full of whispers Which tomorrow will be silent. Listen. The glass is breaking. The trees are stumbling forward into the night. Winds rush to meet them. The moon is broken like a mirror, its pieces flash now in the crown of the tallest Oak. (The trees)

1. The metaphorical expression used by the poet to describe the movement of the trees is ______.     [1]
2. Based on the tone, discuss how Adreinne Rich presents the conflict between man and nature.    [2]
3. What is the mood or atmosphere conveyed by the imagery in the passage?    [1]
   1. Calm and tranquil
   2. Eerie and foreboding
   3. Joyful and celebratory
   4. Melancholic and traumatic
4. Why would the whispers be silent tomorrow?     [1]

Answer 1

1. The metaphorical expression used by the poet to describe the movement of the trees is the trees are stumbling forward into the night.
2. Adrienne Rich highlights the struggle of nature against human confinement. The trees symbolize nature's resilience, breaking free from human-imposed limitations. The imagery of shattered glass and stumbling trees portrays nature’s silent rebellion against human destruction, emphasising the ongoing conflict between the two.
3. Eerie and foreboding
4. The whispers represent nature’s quiet suffering. Tomorrow, they will be silent because the trees will have finally broken free, signifying liberation from human oppression and the end of their struggle.