Throwing a Tree

Who are the two men?

Answer: The two men are two woodcutters whose names are Job and Ike.

Who are the ‘executioners’? Why does the poet call them so?
Answer: The ‘executioners’ are Job and Ike. The poet calls them ‘executioners’ because
they are getting ready to cut down a two hundred year old tree which was growing
healthily.

Why are the two men walking towards the tree?

Answer: The two men are walking towards the tree because they want to cut it down.

What are the two men holding in their hands?

Answer: Each of the two men is holding an axe. They are also carrying a
double-handled saw.

How does the tall tree react to the sawing?

Answer: The top part of the tree begins to shake due to the effect of the sawing. As the
cut deepens, the tree shakes even more.

What happens to the tree with each cut?

Answer: With each cut, the top portion of the tree begins to shake more and more.

When the tree eventually falls, what effect does it have on the neighboring trees?
Answer: When the tree eventually falls, all the trees in the neighborhood get shaken
up.

What do you understand by the title of the poem Throwing a Tree? Answer: The
title is symbolic of the killing of a tree. The poet tries to convey the message that the very
act of cutting a tree off is horrendous. It’s a big blow to nature.

What is the theme of the poem Throwing a Tree?

Answer: The poem is based on the cruel act of two woodcutters who cut off a two
hundred year old tree within a time frame of two hours. The poet is so horrified by the act
that he compares the role of the two woodcutters to executioners. The poet implies that
the woodcutters are as cruel and destructive as executioners who kill human beings. The
word ‘throwing’ in the title means ‘killing’.

What is the moral behind the poem Throwing a Tree?

Answer: The moral of the poem Throwing a Tree is that the task of cutting trees is a
heinous crime and should be avoided at all costs. Trees have life like human beings do.
Trees also have souls. They are protective. They also beautify the surroundings. Man
should not be cruel towards trees.

What does the word ‘stalk’ mean and what does it suggest about the tree fellers?
Answer: The word ‘stalk’ means to walk like hunters do when they are about to inflict
pain. The word ‘stalk’ is an indication of the cruel nature of the two woodcutters who are
getting ready to execute a two hundred year old tree.
Why do you think the poet chose the title Throwing a Tree for a poem about cutting
a tree?
Answer: The poet chose the title ‘Throwing a Tree’ in order to depict how horrendous
the task of cutting a tree is. The act is as cruel as killing human beings.
Describe the tree. Use words and phrases from the poem.
Answer: The tree is located near two rounded hills. It is two hundred years old. There are
many other trees near this one. From a distance, the tree looks majestic, but it bears a
mark.Two woodcutters decide to chop the tree off. They use a saw and axes to cut the
tree. These are the two men who had marked the tree previously. They had selected it for
cutting it down. The giant-sized tree shakes as the task of sawing it begins. It begins to
lose its ‘staying powers.’ The tree is brought down within two hours. The other trees nearby
get shaken up due to the impact.

The tree protests its fate before giving in. How do you know?
Answer: Although the two woodcutters are experienced in the task of cutting wood, the
task of bringing the tree down is not easy for them. The top part of the tree shakes at first.
However, even when the men try to pull at the tree with a rope, it does not fall off. The
woodcutters kneel on the ground and carry on with their sawing. Once more they step back
to pull the rope. This time the tree comes crashing down. This shows that the tree was
protesting its fate before it came down on the ground.

Who mourns the death of the tree? What are they thinking?
Answer: The other trees in the neighborhood mourn the death of this tree. The shock of
the strong tree coming down frightens them. They get shaken up. The other trees are
probably afraid that they might be targeted next.

What do you think Job and Ike feel when they are cutting down the trees? Would
these feelings change when they see the tree falling?
Answer: Job and Ike seem to have no feeling of sympathy or kindness when they are
cutting down the trees. They are merciless. Their hearts are filled with malice and greed.
There is no chance that the woodcutters would feel any remorse for the fallen tree. The
woodcutters are mercenary. They have been profiting off the fallen trees for ages.

The names of the two woodcutters are mentioned only in the last stanza. Why do
you think the poet has done this?
Answer: The poet has withheld the names of the two woodcutters until the last stanza
because he does not want to identify them as human beings with feelings. The two
woodcutters are portrayed as executioners who have no sentiments or remorse for
their heinous acts.

What do you think the poet’s intention was when he wrote the last line? Answer: In
the last line of the poem, the poet expresses his sadness because he feels that human
beings are insensitive towards nature. A tree may take hundreds of years to grow but man
does not take even two hours to create havoc on it.

What is the statement that the poet makes through this poem? Do you agree with
this statement?
Answer: The poet’s statement is that woodcutters are criminals like executioners. The
only difference is that executioners are killers of human beings while woodcutters are
killers of tree. Both executioners and woodcutters are insensitive. Both are merciless. Yes,
we do agree with the poet’s statement because we have no right to take away the life of
trees and thereby rob the earth off its greenery.
 Literary Devices
Stanza - I

The two executioners stalk along over the knolls,

1. Metaphor- the two woodcutters are compared to two executioners (hangmen)

Bearing two axes with heavy heads shining and wide,

1. Alliteration - heavy heads

And a long limp two—handled saw toothed for cutting great boles,
1. Alliteration- long limp

And so they approach the proud tree that bears the death—mark on its side.
1. Personification- proud tree ( tree feeling proud- a feeling felt my humans)

Stanza - II

Jackets doffed they swing axes and chop away just above ground,

And the chips fly about and lie white on the moss and fallen leaves;
1. Metaphor: chips fly (inanimate chips compared to birds)

Till a broad deep gash in the bark is hewn all the way round,

And one of them tries to hook upward a rope, which at last he achieves.

Stanza - III

The saw then begins, till the top of the tall giant shivers:
1. Personification- as if saw begins an action.
2. Metaphor- tall giant (tree compared to a giant)
3. Personification- tall giant shivers (tree as if a living being is shivering out of shock
and pain)

The shivers are seen to grow greater with each cut than before:

They edge out the saw, tug the rope; but the tree only quivers,
1. Personification- tree quivers (tree out of shock and pain it feels is
shivering/quivering)

And kneeling and sawing again, they step back to try pulling once more.
Stanza - IV

Then, lastly, the living mast sways, further sways: with a shout
1. Personification- living mast sways with a shout (tree, as a living structure, is
swaying and giving out a death cry before dying)

Job and Ike rush aside. Readied the end of its long staying powers

The tree crashes downward: it shakes all its neighbours throughout,

1. Personification- it shakes all its neighbours (as if the tree is shaking its
neighbouring trees sending a message that it is dying and soon it would be their turn)

And two hundred years’ steady growth has ended in less than two hours.
1. Antithesis- '200 yrs steady growth' against 'ended in less than 2hrs'.