BHARANI VIDHYALAYA SR.SEC.SCHOOL,KARUR.

STD :XII a roadside stand SUB :ENGLISH

Summary:

In this poem, the poet Robert Frost talks about the cold behavior shown by the privileged people of the society
towards the poor farmers and other poor classes. For the purpose, he presents the picture of a roadside stand and
the people related to it who suffer much in their lives.

The beginning of the poem describes an old small house near the roadside, and a little new shed was attached to
it from the outside. The shed was built in the front part of the house which happened to be on the edge of the
roadside. There were many vehicles and motor cars which kept moving up and down the road. The new, shed
was put up as a small stand (shop) but it was not attractive at all, it had no appeal. The poet says that the stand
was put up to earn a little cash money, not to receive some begged pieces of bread. The poet ironically says that
the flow of finances is always a good sign for any economic system, so by purchasing something and spending
some money at the poor stand would help the flow of this money.

Beautiful and precious vehicles speedily pass by the poor roadside stand and are always inattentive. On the
contrary, if someone sitting inside those vehicles looks at the stand his face weakens by the thought that the
beauty of the place is destroyed by the awkward pictures drawn on the stand. These pictures or signs are painted
to attract customers but the art is very badly performed which makes the rich people angry. The signs Painted
on the stand include some wild cherries or golden squash that are meant for sale there. A beautiful mountain is
also seen. The people passing through that road have all money in their pockets to spend, but those people
would not wait and stop to buy things at such a pitiable Stand. Going to that place would be mean to their
dignity.

According to the poet, the sad thing is not that the roadside stand is looked down upon by the people, but the
sad fact is that the suffering and mental agony of the poor people are not fully expressed. They believe that they
have put up this stand away from the city so that they can earn some money to improve their Iives. They hope in
vain that the money would help them to make their lives better and beautiful like what they see in the motion
pictures. The opposition party says that the party in power (the Govt) is not going to make this possible to allow
the poor to improve. But we all see that after coming to power, the same opposition party would turn deaf to the
problems of the sufferers. At that time the other opposition will accuse this party. So, these accusations and
transfer of responsibilities will continue forever and the plight of the poor people will remain the same.

The next lines are bitter and the poet satirizes the authorities concerned regarding some newspaper articles he
mentions the newspaper reports in which the government declares that it pays the farmers against their land
ownership and all the people would be comfortably settled in the villages near the cities. Every necessary
facility would be made available to them, the theatres and the big stores would be set up. The innocent poor are
fooled to think that the government would take full care of them and they would be spared of all their hardships.
But the poet says that these cunning politicians are greedy beasts of prey, they pretend to be well-wishers, but
actually, they only stop the poor from improvement. They are horrible swarms of low sound who aim to fool the
poor and ignorant. They fool the poor and snatch away all their hopes and happiness and themselves enjoy their
luxuries.

The poor farmer on the roadside stand keeps waiting the whole day for someone to buy their things. But their
waiting goes in vain when no one comes to their shed. The pet expresses that it is unbearable to see the sad
faces of the poor ones who sit all day in the stand, no one even notices them. The sounds of car brakes and car
doors make the poor ones hopeful, they desire that someone might stop and come to buy something and ask the
prices of things. But nothing like this happens. When one of the vehicles stops, it is only to turn back and not as
a customer. Another man stops only to ask about the road. Yet another man stops to ask whether petrol is sold
1
in the stand, and on getting a negative answer he gets irritated. Here the poet says that the man asking for petrol
at such a place away from the city is a fool, he must be able to know from the condition of the place that petrol
would not be available there.

The last part of the poem says that the well-being and prosperity of the poor farmers are not taken into account
in the statistics and economic policies of the nation. This is what the rural people complain about their progress
and growth are not desired and allowed by the authorities. The poet here expresses that he would be relieved
and be very happy if the pain and sufferings of these poor farmers come to an end someday. He wishes that they
be strong enough and are able to help the poet when he is in some trouble. He wishes that the poor farmers
should be in a position to help and take care of others instead of being helped by others or being pitied.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :

1.Why do the people who run the roadside stand wait for the squeal of brakes so eagerly?
The “squealing of brakes” means that a car has stopped at their roadside stand. It raises their hopes that the city-
folk have stopped there to buy something from their roadside stand and some city money will come into their
hands.
2.Explain: “soothe them out of them wits” with reference to the poem The Roadside Stand’.
The powerful men approach the country folk with false promises of providing them with better living conditions
and a better life. These innocent and simple rustics repose blind faith in their false claims and feel soothed and
satisfied. They fail to see through their crookedness and selfishness.
3. Why does Robert Frost sympathise with the rural poor?
Robert Frost feels an unbearable agony at the situation of the rural poor who are ignored and neglected by the
rich politicians. The Government and the party in power are indifferent to their welfare. They fool them by
making false promises and then fully exploit them to suit their own selfish interests.
4.What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand?
The folk who had put up the roadside stand pleaded to the city dwellers to stop and buy their wares so as to
enable them to earn some extra money for a decent living. They wanted that the rich people who passed from
there in their cars should stop there and buy some goods from them. The money that these folks would earn
from the rich people would help them to lead a better life.
5.What is the ‘childish longing’ of the folk who had put up the roadside stand? Why is it ‘in vain’?
The ‘childish longing’, the poet refers to, is the dreams and desires of the rural folk who have a child-like
longing for a better life that they hope to live with the help from the city dwellers. Their longing is in vain
because the city folk are not willing to help them and so their ‘childish longings’ are not likely to be fulfilled.
6.Why didn’t the ‘polished traffic’ stop at the roadside stand?
The ‘polished traffic’ conveniently overlook the roadside stand and do not stop there as their mind is focussed
only on their destination. Moreover, they were critical of the poor decor of the stand, its artless interior and paint.
7.What news in the poem ‘A Roadside Stand’ is making its round in the village?
The news making its round is about the resettlement of the poor, rural people who will be resettled in the
villages, next to the theatre and the store. They would be close to the cities and will not have to worry about
themselves any more.
8.Why do people at the roadside stand ask for city money?
The rural people running the roadside stand are poor and deprived, unlike the people of the city. They thus ask
for city money so that they too can lead a life of happiness and prosperity. This much-needed city money can
give them the life that had been promised to them by the party in power.
9.What does Frost himself feel about the roadside stand?
The poet is distressed to see the interminable wait on the part of the shed owners for their prospective buyers.
He is agonised at the ‘childish longing in vain’ of the people who have put up the roadside stand.
10. The city folk who drove through the countryside hardly paid any heed to the roadside stand or to the
people who ran it. If at all they did, it was to complain. Which lines bring this out? What was their
complaint about?
2
The Complaints of the city folk who drove through the countryside was that the artless & clumsy paint painted
on the roadside stand had spoiled the landscape. They were also irritated at the part that the letter 'N' and 'S'
turned wrong.
11. The government and other social service agencies appear to help the poor rural people, but actually
do them no good. Pick out the words and phrases that the poet uses to show their double standards.
The two phrases that the poet uses to show their double standards and the social service agencies are
(i) Greedy good-doers. (ii) Beneficial beast of prey.
12. Which lines tell us about the insufferable pain that the poet feels at the thought of the plight of the
rural poor?
"Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear
The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open window there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer"
13. What is in the 'news' as mentioned in 'A Roadside Stand'?
It was in the news that the innocent rural flok would be brought out with all their belonging and settled in
villages. They won't have to think for themselves anymore as the so-called 'good-doers' will take care of them.
14. 'Of the thousand selfish cars' some stop there but not for buying something. Why do they stop there
at all ?
Contrary to the expectations of the poor farmers' cars never stop by their roadside stands. If sometimes they do
at all, it is only to use the yard to back and to turn round the car. Sometime cars stop only to ask their way ahead
or to ask for a gallon of gas(petrol).
15. Who will soothe the rural poor out of their wits and how?
Some cunning and selfish city people will soothe the rural poor out of their wits. They will swarm over their
lives and earn money befooling them. They are cruel like flesh-eating wild animals and destroy the peace and
sleep of the innocent rural folk.
16. What is being sold in the Roadside stand?
Wild berries and crook-necked squash and such other products are sold on the roadside stand.
17. Who referred to as the 'flower of cities' in 'A Roadside Stand'?
‘The flower of the cities’ here refers to the rich and wealthy city-dwellers who can afford the best things.
18. Which things irritated the passers-by who stooped at the road-side stand?
The passers-by who stooped at the road-side stand was irritated at the part that the letter 'N' and 'S' turned
wrong.
19. How did the travellers on the highways react to the roadside stand?
The travelers on the highway reacted very strangely to the roadside stand. They didn't even stop and bought any
goods from the poor people. If any traveler would stop there, it is only for the turn round the car or to ask ahead
direction or ask for petrol.
20. What is the word 'Pathetic' used for the roadside stand?
The word 'Pathetic' is used for the roadside stand because it is totally unattractive and has no appeal to passers-
by.
II. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
21.The little old house was out with a little new shed
In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped,
A roadside stand that too pathetically pled,
It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread,
But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports
The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.
1. Where was the new shed put up? What was its purpose?
2. Why does the poet use the word ‘pathetic’?
3. Explain: ‘too pathetically pled’
4. Who are referred to as ‘the flower of cities’?
3

1. A little house at one side of the road was extended and a shed was added to it to put up a road stand. It
 was set up to attract passersby to buy things from them so that they could earn some money.
2. By using the word ‘pathetic’ the poet emphasizes on the fact that the condition of the shed was most
humble and that it presented a rather pitiable sight.
3. It was as if by putting up the shed the owner was desperately pleading to the rich city folks to stop by at
his roadside stand and buy things from there so that they could earn some extra money.
4. ‘The flower of the cities’ here refers to the rich and wealthy city-dwellers who can afford the best
things.

22.The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,

Or if ever aside a moment, then out of sorts
At having the landscape marred with the artless paint
Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong
Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts,
1. What does the poet mean by ‘with a mind ahead?
2. What are N and S signs?
3. Why have these sings turned wrong?
1. The phrase ‘with a mind ahead’ suggests that the people who pass the roadside stand in their polished cars
conveniently overlook the roadside stand as their mind is focussed only on their destination.
2. The N and S signs stand for the North and the South direction.
3. These signs have turned wrong because they have been painted in the wrong way and so these signboards are
wrongly presented.

23.Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene,

You have the money, but if you want to be mean,
Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.
The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint
So much as the trusting sorrow of what is unsaid
1. What attraction does the place offer?
2. What should one do if one wants to be mean?
3. What does the poet not complain about?
4. What do you think is the real worry of the poet?
1. The place offers a scenic view of the beautiful mountains.
2. If one wants to be mean he can keep his money and move on ahead.
3. The poet does not complain about the landscape which has been spoilt because of the artless painting
done on the building.
4. The poet’s real worry is the unexpressed sorrow of the people who have put up the roadside stand.
24.It is in the news that all these pitiful kin
Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in
To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,
Where they won’t have to think for themselves anymore,
While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey,
1.Name the poem and the poet.
2.Explain why merciful have been called ‘greedy good-doers’ and ‘beneficent beasts of prey’?
3.Why won’t these poor people have to think for themselves any more?
1. The poem is ‘A Roadside Stand’ by Robert Frost.
2. The merciful are the crooked politicians, greedy people pretending to be good, who only pose as
beneficiaries. These powerful men are actually beasts of prey in the guise of beneficiaries who ruthlessly exploit
the common people.
3. These poor people are now in the hands of the so-called ‘merciful beneficiaries’, who will actually do them
more harm than any good, so they will not have to think about themselves any more.
4
25.Sometimes 1 feel myself I can hardly bear
The thought of so much childish longing in vain,
The sadness that lurks near the open window there,
That waits all day in almost open prayer
For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car,
Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass.
Just one to inquire a farmer’s prices are.
1. What cannot be borne by the poet and why?
2. What is the ‘childish longing7?
3. Why the longing has been termed as ‘vain’?
4. Why do the people driving in the cars stop sometimes?
5. Where is the window?
6. Why does sadness lurk there?
7. Which open window is referred to?
8. What does the farmer pray for?
9. Is the farmer’s prayer ever granted? How do you know?
1. The poet cannot bear the thought of how these country folks are lured with false promises which are never
going to be fulfilled because he feels genuinely sad about so much deprivation to these innocent people.
2. Like children, these country folk have many unfulfilled wishes and desires. So they keep their windows open
expecting some prospective customers to turn up so that some good fortune can fall into their share.
3. The longing has been termed as ‘vain’ because it will never be fulfilled.
4. The people driving in the car stop sometimes either to just enquire about the way to their destination or to ask
for a gallon of gas if they ran short of it.
5. The window is a part of their roadside stand where they wait expectantly.
6. Sadness lurks there because no car halts there to buy anything from their roadside stand and the rural folk are
unable to earn some extra money.
7. The open window is that of the roadside stand where they wait expectantly for a car to stop by.
8. The farmer prays that the city folks apply the brakes of the car and halt at their roadside stand to buy
something from there.
9. The farmers’ prayers are not granted. The poet tells us that even if city folk do stop at the roadside stand it is
only to enquire about the prices of the goods.
26.

5
27.

28.

6
29.

30.

7
31.

LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS :

1.Through this poem, Frost underlines his sympathy for the rural people in opposition to the uncaring
capitalistic elite. Justify.
Robert Frost presents the lives of the disadvantaged poor and in the process shows the rich urban as being
pitiless and indifferent.
On the one hand, he paints a pathetic picture of the lives of the poor who beg for financial assistance to sustain
themselves. They do not aspire to expand their business. They seek help that has been promised to them by the
political parties in their manifestoes. Ironically, the products of these people are what give the city dwellers
enough to live their glamorous life. They move in sophisticated vehicles insensitive to the terrible plight of the
poor that begs for attention. These self-absorbed city dwellers have the money but do not want to part with it.
They have bought the poor and collected them to live near the theatre and store, not for their benefit but as a
distraction that removes them from their reality. Frost refers to the city dwellers as ‘greedy good-doers,
beneficent beasts of prey’ as they drain the very life out of the poor. Like flies, they swarm over their lives to
cheat them for their selfish gains. They teach them ‘how to sleep’ and lull them into complacency, and in the
process rob them of their peace.

2. The rural-urban divide causes immense anguish to the poet. How does he express this?
The poet is upset looking at the miserable plight of the poor and their vain childish longing that one day at least
one of all the teeming cars will stop to buy their products. The situation spells despondency because, for the city
people, the poor rural folk is non-existent.
Frost pleads the cause of these people. No amount of material gains of the country can uplift the people while
these masses live a subnormal existence. He would be comforted if these people are put out of their misery. But,
in his saner moments, he realizes that it is not a simple job. Nevertheless, he pleads for help for these people
that will put him out of his agony.