Question

How does the poet bring out the pain of the tree?

Answer 1

Title: On killing a tree
Poet/Author: Dr. Gieve Patel
Character: Tree, the woodcutter
Theme: “Thou shall not kill” (even a tree)

The poet compares the killing of a tree with the killing of a man. As humans feel the pain, the poet imagines the feeling of the pain by the tree. A tree has a life so it must have sensitivity. Every poke or thrust with a sharp knife must give some severe pain to the tree. It is hard to cut the crust of the tree. It is like leprous hide. The bark of the tree bleeds when the cut is deep. The tree endures pain but still, it has life.

It is not killed until its root of a tree is cut off and taken away from the earth. The root of the tree is like the heart of man. A man dies only when the heart is damaged. Likewise, a tree struggles to hold its life until it is uprooted. The root has anchored in the earth and stands straight and firm on the earth. The tree undergoes all unspeakable pain’ when it is felled. Though it does not cry but mankind my try to feel and be kind to it.
“killing a tree is like killing a man”

Answer 2

“On killing a tree” speaks about the felling of a tree. A woodcutter cuts a tree with his sharp tool. It takes’ a lot of time to cut a tree. As the tree has life, it will definitely have a sense of feeling. So doubtlessly a tree must feel the pain at every poke or thrust with a sharp tool or knife. Though the pain is severe, the tree is unable to make its cry audible. We are unable to hear though we stand near the tree.

Slowly the parts of the tree start losing its life. But it is killed completely only when its root is brought out of the earth. The root is dried in the sun and air. Thus it undergoes all the pain as it is murdered by the man. The killing of a tree may be compared to the killing of a man. A man dies when his heart is attacked. In the same way, a tree is killed when the root is detached from the earth.
“Save trees to pave the way to life”