A Sea of Foliage Questions
Q1: Read the line and answer the questions:
A sea of foliage… but not a sea of dull unvaried green.
(A) Why is the foliage compared to a sea?
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(B) How is the sea not of dull, unvaried green? Give an example of how the green varies.
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(C) What effect does the variation have on the garden and the speaker?
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Q2: The poem describes a garden at two different times. What are those times? How do you know?
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Q3: …the white lotus changes into a cup of silver. What does this mean?
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Q4: Why does the speaker consider the scene among the bamboos the loveliest spot in the garden? What effect does this beauty have on her?
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Q5: palms arise, like pillars grey This is an example of simile – a comparison of one thing with another, using words such as ‘like’ or ‘as’ to point to a particular quality.
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(A) Which quality of the palms does the simile point at?
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(B) Find another simile in the first stanza of the poem.
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Q6: This poem asks us to look all around the garden – not only from one side to another but also from high above to down below. How does it do that?
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Q2. A sea of foliage… but not a sea of dull unvaried green
(a) Why is the foliage compared to a sea?
ANS- The foliage is compared to a sea because it appears as vast and endless like a sea but unlike a sea which has an unvarying shade of green throughout, the foliage in her garden has different exciting and contrasting shade of green. This breaks the dullness seen in the sea.
(b) How is the sea not of dull, unvaried green? Give an example of how the green varies.
ANS- Just one type of plant everywhere, like the sea, which remains unchanged, will be dull. In the same way similar type of plant will give dull impression. But in the poet’s garden there is mixture of plants, colours and textures which could be a sea of foliage around her garden. Her garden is filled with different and exciting and contrastingshades of green like light green of tamarind tree, deep green of mango grove.
(c) What effect does the variation have on the garden and the speaker?
ANS- The variation brightens the look of the garden which would have looked dull otherwise. The poets spirit is also lifted looking at the contrasting shades of green.
Q3. Why does the speaker consider the scene among the bamboos the loveliest spot in the garden? What effect does this beauty have on her?
ANS- The scene among the bamboos is the loveliest spot because the beautiful silver moon peeps between the tall grey bamboos and shines dazzlingly on white lotuses glowing in the pool. This beautiful sight is so intoxicating that the poet feels drunk with the amazing beauty of the scene. She almost feels dizzy.
Q4. …the white lotus changes into a cup of silver. What does this mean?
ANS- This means that white lotuses are gleaming like silver cups when the moon shines on them.
Sea of Foliage
"A sea of foliage," the poetess notes. She compares the environment around her garden to the ocean. In contrast to the ocean, which is always green, she asserts. The surroundings of Toru Dutt's garden are comparable to the sea.
- The foliage is likened to a sea because it seems limitless and huge, yet unlike a sea, which has a consistent shade of green throughout, the foliage in her garden has various interesting and contrasting shades of green.
- This brightens the sea's gloomy appearance.
- It will be monotonous to have only one variety of plant everywhere, similar to how the water would always remain unchanged.
- Similar types of plants will also have a dreary appearance.
- However, the garden of the poet contains a variety of plants, colors, and textures that may be mistaken for a sea of leaf.
- Her garden is a veritable rainbow of vibrant shades of green, from the light green of tamarind trees to the dark green of a mango grove.
- The diversity gives the garden a more vibrant appearance than it otherwise would have.
- Looking at the different hues of green also uplifts the poet's spirit.
- The scene amid the bamboos is the most romantic location because the lovely silver moon peeks out from behind the tall, grey bamboos and shines brilliantly on the white lotuses shining in the pool.
- The poet experiences alcohol intoxication as a result of the scene's incredible beauty.
- She nearly becomes woozy.
- Thus, when the moonlight shines on white lotuses, they appear to be sparkling like silver cups.
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