THE WORK OF

ARTIFICE
 WHICH TREE IS THE POET TALKING ABOUT? HOW
TALL WOULD IT HAVE GROWN AND IN WHICH
CIRCUMSTANCES?

The poet is talking about the bonsai tree. It is a miniature tree grown in a pot. If it
had been allowed to grow in the wild, it could have reached a height of eighty feet on the
side of a mountain before being split by lightning.
WHAT DOES THE BONSAI
TREE SYMBOLIZE? EXPLAIN.
The bonsai tree is used as a symbol of the human desire to control and shape
nature.
It is intentionally grown and pruned to be small and shaped in a particular way. It is
a
living work of art that represents the human ability to manipulate and shape the
natural world for their own purpose. It represents women who are stunted and
oppressed by men in a patriarchal society.
WHY DO YOU THINK THE
POET USED THE WORDS
"ATTRACTIVE POT" IN THE
EXTRACT?
In the poem "Work of Artifice" by Marge Piercy, the phrase "attractive pot" is used to
describe the container in which the bonsai tree is planted. It also symbolizes the woman’s
home, an attractive haven, to which she is confined. The poet likely used the words
"attractive pot" to highlight the aesthetic appeal of the container, which is an important
aspect of the presentation of the bonsai. At the same time, the phrase also underscores
the artificiality of its environment and how human intervention has shaped and controlled
its growth.
WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA
PROJECTED IN THE POEM?
The main idea is that men oppress women by stunting their growth — physical,
mental, and spiritual.
Women are tricked into happily accepting the roles predetermined for them by
the patriarchal society.
WHAT DOES "TILL SPLIT BY
LIGHTNING' SYMBOLIZE? HOW IS THE
TREE PROTECTED FROM LIGHTNING?
"till split by lightning" refers to the fate of the bonsai tree if it were to grow in its
natural environment. There is potential for destruction and loss in the natural world. This
line is a metaphor for the natural course of life, where even the strongest and tallest
trees
can be destroyed by the forces of nature. The potted bonsai tree is pruned and protected
by the gardener. The bonsai tree is told that it is fortunate to have a pot in which it can
grow, suggesting that the confinement of the tree is a form of protection.
It protects the
bonsai from all the disasters that it is prone to in nature.
HOW TALL IS THE TREE? WHY
DID IT NOT GROW ANY
FURTHER?
The bonsai tree is "nine inches high". The tree did not grow any further because it
has been deliberately confined in a pot and pruned to prevent it from reaching
its full
potential.
WHO PRUNES THE TREE? WHY
DOES HE DO SO?
The gardener, i.e., the woman’s husband, prunes it. He prunes it as he doesn’t
want
the bonsai, the woman, to reach her full potential. He stunts the woman’s (the
bonsai’s)
growth as he is scared that if the woman realises her full potential, she may surpass
him.
This possibility poses a threat to his male ego. So, he prunes the bonsai to keep it
under
his thumb.
WHAT DOES 'CROONS' MEAN?
BRIEFLY DESCRIBE THE
SYMBOLISM USED HERE.
"Croons" is a verb that means to sing or hum in a soft, soothing voice.
In the context
of the poem "the gardener croons" suggests that the gardener is singing or humming
while
working on the tree, perhaps indicating a sense of enjoyment or satisfaction with the
process. The act of crooning can be seen as a representation of the way in which humans
seek to control and shape nature. It implies that the gardener soothingly coaxes the
bonsai
into its stunted growth, shaping the bonsai tree to fit a particular aesthetic ideal.
 IDENTIFY THE GARDENING VOCABULARY USED
IN THIS EXTRACT. HOW DO THESE AID IN THE
CREATION
OF THE BONSAI?
The gardening vocabulary used in this extract includes "pruned", "whittles", and
"branches". In the context of the bonsai tree, pruning is an essential aspect of maintaining
its miniature size and sculpting it into a desired shape.
The line, ‘whittling back the branches’, refers to the careful and precise cutting of the tree's
branches to achieve a desired aesthetic effect. The branches are a key element of its overall shape and aesthetics
and must be carefully
shaped and pruned to maintain the miniature size and desired form. The branches
symbolise the multidimensional growth (development) of a woman. Together, these
gardening terms help to create a sense of precision, care, and attention to detail in the
process of creating and maintaining a bonsai tree. The line also suggests that a man
shapes his wife according to his whims and fancies. In doing so, he denies her freedom
and the right of expression.