Samacheer Class 9 English - On Killing a Tree

The poet explains the process of killing a tree. A lot of work has to be done in order to kill it completely. It cannot be accomplished by merely cutting it with a simple jab of the knife. The tree has grown strong with the help of sunlight, air and water for countless years. Even the leprous hide of the tree gives rise to sprouting leaves. The bleeding bark sprouts new twigs and leaves. In a short period, they grow into a new tree. So, to kill it completely, one should take out its roots completely from the soil. Then they should be exposed to scorching and choking in sun and air. Only then the tree will be completely killed.

The poet explains the process of killing a tree. A lot of work has to be done in order to kill it completely. It cannot be accomplished by merely cutting it with a simple jab of a knife. The tree has grown strong with the help of sunlight, air and water for countless years. Even the leprous hide of the tree gives rise to sprouting leaves. The bleeding bark sprouts new twigs and leaves. In a short period they grow into a new tree. So, to kill it completely, one should take its roots completely out of the soil. Then they should be exposed to scorching and choking in the sun and air. Only then will the tree be completely killed.

By using violent, physical imagery and personification: he describes cutting, hacking and tearing at the roots and exposing them to the sun. The vivid verbs and images of slow, forced extraction make the tree’s suffering palpable and painful to the reader.

Outline:
Tree-a big plant-takes years to grow-some grow quickly-some grow slowly-no tree grows over a night-as grows slowly lives longer-some trees live more than 100 years.
Trees and shrubs are not all grown the same same. Some species grow rapidly, putting their energy into getting established quickly and putting on fast growth. Some are fast-growing trees with lower density and weaker woods. They are popular willow and box elders. Longer lived trees associate more resources into developing dense wood fiber rather than rapid growth. When planted, these trees typically take a longer time to get established and often one wonders if they will ever start growing.
Eventually, they do, and often of the saying goes, “It’s worth the wait”. Trees such as oaks and Ginko’s are prime examples of slower-growing trees that have longevity. It is rare to see these trees failing storms and they are largely resistant to decay and insect damage. There are trees which take 10 to 15 years to grow and even some other trees take 20 to 30 years. So it is certain the trees do not grow in a day.
“One cannot become a millionaire overnight”
(OR)
Trees are the bigger plants. They live long. According to its longevity, the trees have a long span of life. Any plant that grows overnight may not live long. The trees with lower density grow faster than the trees with greater density. Insects cannot easily damage the latter ones. Some trees are slow growers which take 20-30 years. Some are fast growers and they take 10-15 years.
As the saying goes, “It’s worth, the wait”, they do eventually. Trees grow slowly but steadily. Their roots go very deep anchoring the earth. The trunk of it is very strong with many branches and leaves. Their uses are many but many fail to know. Certain trees take a few decades to grow and its yield is enjoyed only by the next generation. Thus it is clear that a tree cannot grow in a day.
“Rome was not built in a day”

Outline:
The killing of a tree – a cruel act – tree intends to live-even plants expand its species-man is a killer-very unkind towards trees-too selfish-destroys nature – a murder eventually-similar to killing a man-tree dies with its root cut-man dies with his heart attack.
(OR)
The poet is a physician. He considers the act of killing of a tree as an evil act. He is of the view that it is nothing but murder. The woodcutter tries to cut down the tree. He cuts the trunk of the tree. Even after felling the tree, it can sprout from the bottom-most part of the trunk. Thus the effort is to be made to uproot it. Unless the anchored root is cut off and removed from the earth, killing is not complete.
The root is brought out to dry it in the sun and the air. The poet compares it to the killing of a man. The root is compared to the heart of a man. Every life is finished when the heart stops functioning. As the heart circulates the blood in the body, the root does the work of supplying water to every part of the tree. The reader is getting an awareness that he or
she should not indulge in the evil or cruel act of killing a tree that can live for a long time. It gives the realization that the killing of a tree and a man are one and the same. So every reader will stand against this cruelty and join hands for planting and growing trees.
(OR)
The killing of a tree is a cruel act. The poet has made us realize that the felling of a tree is killing it. The word “Killing” is very effectively and earnestly used in this poem. Being a physician, the poet has dealt with life and death of the tree. A man dies when the heart is affected. Similarly, a tree becomes lifeless only when its root is removed from the earth. The root of a tree is compared to the heart of a man.
The poem teaches a lesson to the readers that we must not be cruel towards any living thing, either a tree or man. Killing a tree is synonymous with murdering a man. Thus it is clear that the poet wants the readers to be kind to mankind. As readers, we must feel the pain inflicted on others by every one of our cruel act through our word and deed.
“Let us not fell the trees before they fall”

Poetic lines Poetic Devices / Figures of Speech
It takes much time to kill a tree. Personification
The bleeding bark will heal. Personification
One of the anchoring earth Imagery

It is called the bread-sandwich method because, once the soil is prepared and the recommended practices are followed, no second working is needed; crops can be sown and reaped throughout the year.

Cutting a tree is an act of murder.
Failure to preserve the forest.
To create a new awareness in the minds of the people
Lack of eco-friendly attitude.
Disapproval of mankind is a failure to care for the earth
deforestation and destruction of nature

I will not cut trees. I will plant saplings. I will not waste paper. I will water young plants. I will protect trees from damage. I will not support deforestation. I will encourage others to grow trees.

Life will not exist on Earth if trees disappear. Trees produce most of the oxygen that humans and wildlife need to live. Trees absorb Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen using the process of photosynthesis. Lack of rain will be a major concern. If there is no rain, there will be no forests. Forests act as giant air filters in the world. They also prevent soil erosion. They break the force of wind and rain on soil helping their roots bind the soil. The decayed leaves absorbed by the earth to enrich the soil.

Dear mates,
It is quite interesting and awesome to think of a situation like this. If all trees start speaking, we may have to be spellbound.
The trees may speak about their goodness and benefits to us. They do a great deal to us. They will tell us that they help us breathe fresh air and lead a healthy life. They may be proudly telling us that they provide us shade to save us from the scorching sun. They may ask us to water them regularly.
They may tell others or fellow trees if they are not taken care of. They may tell us not to harm them if we tend to cut the branches or the tree itself, They may lead us not to kill them. They may start advising us to take care of the trees. They may tell us to plant more and more trees and make domestic and civilized forests. They may tell us to have more rain to increase water resources.
Moreover, they will try to be human friendly and make us trees friendly. We need not search for anything in the tree. They would tell us if they have anything to give us. The antisocial elements cannot use the forest as their hideout. The trees will propagate all about the movements of the wild animals in the forest. It would be very thrilling and amazing when the trees can speak the human tongue. Let us talk to the trees and listen to what they want to tell us.
Let US laugh together