Question

Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:

When great trees fall in forests, small things recoil into silence, their senses eroded beyond fear.

1. What effect does the falling of ‘great trees’ have on distant hills and animals in the jungle? (Recall)
2. Explain in your own words the line, ‘small things ... eroded by fear’. (Understanding)
3. How is one’s memory affected by the death of a great soul? (Recall)
4. What analogy does Angelou use to describe the death of a great soul? Give two reasons to show that this analogy is appropriate. (Analysis and Evaluate)
5. Trace the stages of grief and coming to terms with the loss of a loved one that Maya Angelou describes in her poem When Great Trees Fall. (Analysis)

Answer 1

1. The falling of great trees makes the rocks on distant hills shudder, while the lions hide in the tall grasses and the elephants move towards safety. It creates fear and disturbance throughout nature.
2. The line means that the small creatures are so shocked and frightened by the fall of the great trees that they become silent and numb. Their fear is so intense that it leaves them unable to react normally.
3. The death of a great soul sharpens our memory. We begin to recall the kind words, noble deeds, and precious moments we shared with that person.
4. Angelou compares the death of a great soul to the falling of great trees.
   • Just as the fall of a huge tree shakes the entire forest, the death of a great person deeply affects everyone around them.
   • The fall of a great tree disturbs nature, just as the loss of a great soul creates grief, emptiness, and emotional disturbance in people’s lives.
5. The poem begins with shock, fear, and silence after the death of a great soul. This is followed by deep grief, as memories of the departed become vivid and people feel a painful sense of loss. Gradually, the grief lessens, and people accept the loss, drawing strength from the noble qualities and lasting influence of the departed. The poem ends with a message of hope, encouraging us to become better because of their example.