Class 12 Exam  >  Class 12 Notes  >  English Class 12  >  NCERT Solution: Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo - Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand

Before you Read

Q: Have you ever stopped at a roadside stand? What have you observed there?
Ans: The poet believes that when we encounter a beautiful thing, even for a small moment, the pleasure remains with us forever. It leaves a lasting impression that inspires us to live life with hope and optimism.

Think about it

Q1: 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?
Ans: “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”
According to the city folk, these stalls with inartistic signboards blemish the scenic beauty of the landscape.

Q2: What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand?
Ans: The rural folks pleaded pathetically for some customers to stop by and buy some of their goods. City folks used to pass by on this road and hence the rural folk set up the roadside stand to attract their attention and sell their goods.

Q3: 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.
Ans: The poet criticizes the double standards of the government and other social service agencies who promise to improve the standard of living of the poor farmers and show them the rosy side of life. Yet, when the time comes to deliver their promise, they either forget them or fulfill them keeping in view their own benefits.  The poet calls them “greedy good-doers” and “beneficent beasts of prey”, who “swarm over their lives”. The poet says that these greedy people make calculated and well thought-out shrewd moves, to which the innocent, unaware farmers fall prey. These humble and simple farmers are robbed of their peace of mind by these clever people. The poet says, “…..enforcing benefits
That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,
And by teaching them how to sleep they sleep all day,
Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way.”

Q4: What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?
Ans: The poet thinks that the persons who are running the roadside stand, suffer from a childish longing. They are always expecting customers and waiting for their prospective customers. They keep their windows open to attract them. They become sad when no one turns up. They are always waiting to hear the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car. But all their efforts go in vain.

Q5: Which lines tell us about the insufferable pain that the poet feels at the thought of the plight of the rural poor?
Ans: Filled with empathy, the poet is unable to bear the plight of the unassuming and innocent rural people. The lines below show his insufferable pain:

  • “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”

The document NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo - Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand is a part of the Class 12 Course English Class 12.
All you need of Class 12 at this link: Class 12
21 videos|317 docs|95 tests

Up next

FAQs on NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo - Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand

1. What is the theme of the poem "A Roadside Stand"?
Ans. The theme of the poem "A Roadside Stand" is the struggle of the poor and their exploitation by the rich. The poem depicts the misery of the people who are forced to sell their goods on the roadside to earn a living.
2. Who is the speaker in the poem "A Roadside Stand"?
Ans. The speaker in the poem "A Roadside Stand" is Robert Frost. He is describing the scene of a roadside stand where poor people are trying to sell their goods.
3. What is the significance of the title "A Roadside Stand"?
Ans. The title "A Roadside Stand" is significant because it represents the struggle of the poor who are forced to sell their goods on the roadside. The title also suggests that the roadside stand is a temporary and insecure place for the poor people to sell their goods.
4. What is the tone of the poem "A Roadside Stand"?
Ans. The tone of the poem "A Roadside Stand" is melancholic and sad. The speaker describes the scene of a roadside stand where poor people are struggling to sell their goods and are being exploited by the rich. The tone of the poem reflects the misery of the poor people and their struggle to survive.
5. What is the message of the poem "A Roadside Stand"?
Ans. The message of the poem "A Roadside Stand" is that the poor people are exploited by the rich and they are forced to sell their goods on the roadside to earn a living. The poem also suggests that there is a need for social justice and equality in society to help the poor people. The poem highlights the struggles of the poor and their need for empathy and support from the society.
21 videos|317 docs|95 tests
Download as PDF

Up next

Explore Courses for Class 12 exam
Signup for Free!
Signup to see your scores go up within 7 days! Learn & Practice with 1000+ FREE Notes, Videos & Tests.
10M+ students study on EduRev
Related Searches

Objective type Questions

,

MCQs

,

practice quizzes

,

Sample Paper

,

Semester Notes

,

video lectures

,

past year papers

,

Summary

,

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo - Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand

,

mock tests for examination

,

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo - Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand

,

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo - Poem 5 - A Roadside Stand

,

Important questions

,

Free

,

shortcuts and tricks

,

Exam

,

ppt

,

Previous Year Questions with Solutions

,

Viva Questions

,

study material

,

Extra Questions

,

pdf

;