TREASURE TROVE A COLLECTION OF POEMS
Q4 Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow:
Their logs held tight in deaths still hands
Was proof of human sin
They didnt die from the cold without
They died from the cold within
" What was the weather like when the sw people found themselves together?
Why wouldnt the third man put his piece of log in the dying fire?
What do/the phrases cold without and cold within suggest here?
Who among the gathering was an opportunit? How can you say so?
What does the way they meet the end tell you about the flaws in their character
and mature?
131
131
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149
Answers
(i) What was the weather like when the six people found themselves together ?
Answer: The weather was terribly cold. They were all sitting near the dying fire, which was their only hope of survival.
(ii) Why wouldn’t the third man put his piece of log in the dying fire ?
Answer: The third man was full of bitterness and envy for the rich. He thought that it would be unjust to give what little he had to help others who had more than he.
(iii) Who among the gathering was an opportunist ? How can you say so ?
Answer: The last man in the gathering was an opportunist. We can say this because he never did anything except for gain.
(iv)What do the phrases ‘cold without’ and ‘cold within’ suggest here?
Ans. The first phrase, ‘cold without’ has a plain meaning, signifying the inclement climatic condition in which the six men are trapped. The second phrase, ‘cold within’ has a deep, connotative meaning, implying their insensitive prejudices and inhuman behavior which cost their lives.
(v)What does the way they meet their end tell you about the flaws in their character and nature?
Ans. In this stanza, it is stated that they died without throwing their logs. It indicates their obstinacy and insensitivity to the demand of the situation. If we go deeper into it, we can see that their unwillingness to throw their logs was caused by negative feelings such as hatred, prejudice and animosity defying the ethical-moral fabric of human existence. It clearly appears that they are not only rigidly bigoted, egotistical and opportunistic in their understanding of others, but also absolutely impractical and without any foresight. In some way, therefore, ‘death’ seems to be already inherent in their behaviour, attitude and thinking.