Samacheer Kalvi solutions for English Class 9 TN Board chapter 2.2 - A Poison Tree [Latest edition]

You overhear a friend talking badly about you. How angry does that make you feel?

Your friend persuades you to take help to prepare for the Maths board examination, from a close friend. That person does not turn up at all, as agreed. How angry does that make you feel?

You have agreed to pick up some friends at the train station. They are coming to stay with you for a few days. You’ve arranged with your elder brother/ sister to drive the car for the day. You are about to leave the house when you realize the car is outside but your brother/ sister has gone to work, taking the keys!. How angry does that make you feel?

During a get-together, your friend makes fun of your singing in front of your friends. You thought your singing was fine, but your friend thinks you really need to practice much more. How angry does that make you feel?

Do you argue often with your classmates? 

How long does your anger last?

Do you forgive them or choose to remain enemies forever?

I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

Whom does ‘I’ refer to?

I was angry with my friend
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.

How did the anger of the poet come to an end?

And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears;

What does ‘it’ refer to?

And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears;

How is ‘it’ watered?

In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree

How did the poet feel in the morning?

In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree

Who is the ‘foe’ referred to here?

In the morning glad I see
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.

Why was the ‘foe’ found lying outstretched beneath the tree?

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.

What does ‘it’ refer to?

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.

What does ‘apple’ signify?

And it grew both day and night,
Till it bore an apple bright.

What grew both day and night?

Complete the summary by filling in the given spaces with suitable words.

Once the poet was angry with his friend. He expressed his (i) ____________ and it ended. They became friends. But when he grew angry with his foe, he (ii) ___________ it and allowed his anger to grow. Day and night he watered it with his tears and allowed it to grow. He (iii) _________ his foe with false smiles and cunning tricks. The tree kept growing and yielded a bright apple which (iv) __________ his foe to eat it stealthily during the night. The next morning the poet was happy to see his foe lying (v) _________ under the tree.

How did the poet’s anger with his friend end?

Describe how his anger kept growing.

Describe the effect of the poisonous fruit on the ‘enemy’.

Figures of Speech

Read the following lines from the poem and answer the question that follow.

I was angry with my friend.
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe.
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Pick out the rhyming words.

Read the following lines from the poem and answer the question that follow.

I was angry with my friend.
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my friend.
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe.
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

What is the rhyme scheme of the stanza?

Read the following lines from the poem and answer the question that follow.

I was angry with my friend.
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe.
I told it not, my wrath did grow.

Identify the figure of speech in the title of the poem.

Read the following lines from the poem and answer the question that follow.

And I watered it in fears
Night and morning with my tears;

What figure of speech is used in ‘watered it in fears’?

Listen to the passage on 'anger management' and match the sentence parts by drawing a line. The recording can be played more than once if needed.

Recall a recent situation when you became angry. What were the consequences of your anger? After listening to the guidelines on anger management, find out how well you could have handled the situation. Write your findings.

What might have caused the conflict which led to the poet becoming angry with his enemy? Think of one such situation that you have experienced. Describe how you felt and how the enmity grew and things became worse.

Identify five to six qualities which make an ordinary person, loved and respected by all. Work in groups of five or six. Each group has to take up one quality and discuss the methods for imbibing that quality and identify the challenges that need to be faced.

Adolescents are often distracted by feelings like anger, disappointment, and general helplessness when they face challenges at school or at home. Suggest a way to turn such feelings into positive ones.