A Roadside Stand by Robert Frost, 12 English CBSE (Summary, poetic devices, vocabulary and stanza based question-answer)
A ROADSIDE STAND
BY Robert Frost
(March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963)
DETAILED SUMMARY, POETIC DEVICES, DIFFICULT WORDS, AND THEIR MEANING, AND VERY SHORT QUESTION-ANSWER OF A ROADSIDE STAND
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INTRODUCTION
The poem “A Roadside Stand” is about the rural-urban divide. The poet has presented the grim picture of the rural folk. According to the poet, rustics are the victims of injustice and apathy.
DIFFICULT WORDS AND THEIR MEANINGS
Sped- move fast
Pathetically- very bad condition
Pled- requested
Dole of bread- bread given in alms or charity
Withering- drying
Marred- destroyed
Quart- a unit of volume/measuring unit
Wart- outer covering
Crossly: angrily
Kin- One’s family and relations
Beast of Prey- a wild animal killing another animal
Beneficent- generous/kind
Soothe- relieve
Longing- desire
In vain- without success or a result
Lurk- to wait somewhere secretly
Marred- Spoilt
Plow: cut/turn up
Requisite- required
Sane- sensible
POETIC DEVICES USED IN THE POEM "A ROADSIDE STAND"
Metaphor
Flower of the cities
Trusting Sorrow
Alliteration
Pathetically pled
Greedy good doers
Beneficient beast of prey
Oxymoron
Greedy good-doers
beneficent beasts’ of prey.
Personification
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled
Selfish cars
Transferred Epithet
Polished traffic
Selfish cars
The little old house was out with a little new shed………. The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.
There is a house by the roadside. It has been extended to make a new shed by the edge of the road where traffic flows. It would not be right to say that the owner of the roadside stand is requesting a donation. He appeals to the passersby to stop for a while and purchase the farm products. The person desires to experience the flow of money that makes the city dwellers rich.
Q. Where has the shed been set up?
Ans. At the edge of the road.
Q. Which poetic device has been used in the expression “a roadside stand that too pathetically pled”?
Ans. Alliteration and personification
Q. Which expression/ phrase shows the miserable condition of the owner of the shed?
Ans. Pathetically pled.
Q. What does the expression “the flower of cities” mean?
Ans. The rich city people.
Q. Which literary device has been used in the expression “the flower of cities”
Ans. Metaphor ( people have been compared to flowers)
Q. Why has the owner of the house extended it?
Ans. To sell fruits and vegetables and earn some money.
The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead ………. Why keep your money(this crossly) and go along.
But the wealthy city dwellers, who travel through the countryside hardly ever pay attention to the roadside stand. If by chance they stop, they criticise the damage to the natural beauty due to artless painting or the incorrectly posted N and S signs. The stand offers to sell wild berries, golden squash, etc. in wooden quarts. But rarely do people purchase anything from the stand.
Q. The polished traffic refers to………
Ans. City people in their vehicles.
Q. Why do the city people get irritated?
Ans. Because of the damage to the scenic beauty and incorrectly posted N and S signs.
Q. What does the proprietor offer to sell at the roadside stand?
Ans. He offers to sell berries in wooden containers and golden squash. In other words, they are selling fruits and vegetables.
Q. What is the mood of the poet?
Ans. The poet is angry because of the attitude of the city dwellers towards the rural folk.
Q. Which poetic device has been used in the expression “polished traffic”?
Ans. Transferred epithet
The hurt to the scenery wouldn't be my complaint ……….. that the party in power is said to be keeping from us.
The poet is not bothered about the damage to scenic beauty because of the roadside stand. Instead, he is concerned about the sorrow of the proprietor of the shed. The rural folk were promised a life full of comfort by the ruling political party. But the promises were not kept. Therefore, the roadside stand has been set up to earn some money and raise the standard of living.
Q. What do you understand by the expression “city money”?
Ans. It refers to the resources because of which the city dwellers have risen.
Q. What is the desire of the country folk?
Ans. The country folk wish to earn some money by selling farm products and living a better life.
Q. What did the party in power do with them?
Ans. The party in power is responsible for their poverty and miserable life as the promises made to the rural folk have not been kept.
Q. What do you understand by the expression “make our being expand”?
Ans. It means progress and a better standard of living.
Q. What does the expression “life of the moving picture” mean?
Ans. It refers to the luxurious life.
It is in the news that all these pitiful kin ……….. Destroy their sleeping at night in the ancient way
The poet says that he has learnt that the rural folks will be moved close to the theatre and the shop. In other words, all those facilities and luxuries, which are enjoyed by the city dwellers, will be available to rural folk. They would no longer need to worry about themselves.
However, in practice, such a thing would not occur. The promises will remain only promise. Moreover, the poet mocks the false promises made by the ruling party, the government, policymakers, etc.
In anger, the poet calls each of these individuals "benevolent beasts of prey" and "greedy good doers." The poet believes that although they appear to be helping, they are preying on helpless people. They mislead the poor rural people and deprive them of peaceful sleep.
Q. The word which is opposite to beneficent is ………..
Ans. Maleficent
Q. Who are the “pitiful kin”?
Ans. The poor rural people have been termed as “pitiful kin”.
Q. What is in the news?
Ans. The poor rural people will be shifted to a place where all the modern facilities like stores and theatres will be available.
Q. Who are “greedy good doers”?
Ans. The dishonest and selfish people such as politicians, policymakers, etc.
Q. Which poetic device has been used in the line, “While greedy good doers, beneficent beasts of prey ”
Ans. Alliteration and Oxymoron
Q. Why have the city people been called “beasts of prey”?
Ans. The city people have been called “beasts of prey” because they exploit the rural folk for their interests.
Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear ………. They couldn't (this crossly); they had none, didn't it see?
The poet expresses his grief while explaining the endless wait of shed owners for buyers.
According to the poet, these shed owners' desire, that their city brethren will come to help them, is futile. The poet becomes sad when he observes the poor rustics waiting for a car to stop and buy something. They sit there all day as if praying for a buyer for their goods. They appeal to the city dwellers to slow down and inquire about the prices of the produce grown by them. If one does stop there, it is only to plow up the grass of the yard while turning the vehicles. A few stop to ask directions while some visit the shade when they urgently need gas.
Q. Which poetic devices have been used in the line “of all the thousand selfish cars”
Ans. Transferred epithet and personification
Q. What does the expression “didn't it, see” depict the mood of the poet?
Ans. Annoyance, frustration, and anger.
Q. What does “childish longing” mean?
Ans. “Childish longing” refers to the unfulfilled desire of the poor country folk. They expect some cash by selling farm products. But rarely does anyone come to purchase.
Q. Why have cars been termed as “selfish”?
Ans. The poet has called car owners selfish as they have an indifferent attitude towards the miserable condition of the rural folk. If they require something from the poor rustics only then they stop the car
Q. What is the sadness that lurks?
Ans. The owner of the roadside stand feels disappointed at the indifferent attitude of the city people.
Q. Why do the cars stop?
Ans. Usually, cars stop to use the yard to turn the car or to ask the directions or when their vehicle's fuel tank is about to finish.
Q. Which poetic device has been used in the expression, “The sadness that lurks….”?
Ans. Personification
Q. What does ‘squeal’ mean?
Ans. Screech
No, in country money, the country scale of gain, ………. And offer to put me gently out of pain.
The poet is very sad to realise the fact that money is scarce in the countryside. He believes that money can lift spirits while lack of it can lower them. The villagers frequently express their dissatisfaction with their low-income lifestyle.
The poet becomes enraged and expresses that the miseries of the poor villagers must be removed in one stroke, ie. killing them. But then he starts thinking rationally and says how he should request the people in power to help the country folk.
Q. What does the line, “No, in country money, the country scale of gain”......mean?
Ans. Here the poet talks about limited resources in rural areas because of which the people can not raise their standard of living.
Q. What is the complaint of the rural people?
Ans. Poor financial condition due to indifference shown by the authorities as well as the city dwellers.
Q. What does the poet wish?
Ans. The poet wants financial help for the rural folk.
Q. Explain the lines,“ I can't help owning the great relief………. at one stroke out of their pain.
Ans. The poet feels that death is better than living such a miserable life.
Q. What does the poet aspire to do for “the country people”?
Ans. The poet wants to remove their distress and relieve the people living in rural areas of their pain and suffering.
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