Class 10 English Chapter 1 Question Answers - First Flight

Short Answer Questions

Q1: According to the poet, what do ‘ice’ and ‘fire’ symbolise? [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: According to the poet ‘ice’ symbolizes hatred, coldness and rigidity and these human cold emotions and lack of love are destructive enough to remove the warmth of fire and destroy the world. Fire symbolises unlimited wishes and desires of human beings like violent feelings of anger, cruelty, brutality, etc., that might end the world.

Q2: What is the message of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’?
Ans: The poem ‘Fire and Ice’ is short but encompasses the entire humanity in its targeted message. The metaphor of ‘Fire and Ice’ are used very effectively to solidly convey a clear message to the readers. The poem acts like a moral-mirror for readers to assess their own standing in the world. ‘Fire’ stands for our uncontrolled passions which are disastrous for human beings. Similarly cold reasoning devoid of human love will bring insensitivity. Both the aspect of human thinking and resulting behaviour embedded with desire and hatred will lead to the end of this world and it may also happen more than once.

Q3: The tone of the speaker contrasts with the seriousness of the subject matter. Justify. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: ‘Fire and Ice’ is a symbolic poem by Robert Frost with a message to reveal the gravity of the violent and cold human emotions. These emotions, if not controlled, may lead to destruction of the world. The poet wants to make humanity believe that everything will end one day as a result of human misdeed. His aim is aphorism-brevity for Frost truth remains ambiguous as to how specific the world is going to end. That’s why the tone contrasts with the seriousness of the subject matter with people favouring both ‘fire’ and ‘ice’.

Q4: Evaluate the line- Some say the world will end in fire/Some say in ice- in the context of volcanic eruptions, forest fires, meteor collisions, melting ice caps etc. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: In the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ the poet considers the age-old question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice. The threat of global warming may lead to severe volcanic eruptions and forest fires that may end the world or there might be a meteor collision, the melting of ice caps or glaciers etc, that may also end the world.
So, either option is enough to achieve its purpose sufficiently may be in storm of volcanic eruptions, forest fires or melting ice caps.

Q5: Fire and Ice projects a pessimistic outlook. Comment. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: According to me, ‘Fire and Ice’ projects a realistic outlook rather than a pessimistic one. The poet brings forth the view that the world will soon end. It can be either by fire or ice. He mentions that he has tasted everything in life after World War I. So, it would soon end either with greed or indifference.

Q6: What does ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for and what is the general opinion regarding the world? [Board Term-I, 2016-17]
Ans: Fire stands for fury, desire, lust, anger, avarice, cruelty and greed. Ice is symbolic of hatred, coldness, rigidity, insensitivity and intolerance. The general opinion regarding the world is that the world will end in fire and some say ice. Both the two reasons contrast each other and one equally opposite to each other. People who favour fire believe that it will be the heat and passion which will end the world. On the other hand, some people think that it will be the ice which will freeze the world.

Q7: To say that for destruction, ice is also great for the poet, what does ice stand for? How is it sufficient to bring destruction? [CBSE 2014]
Ans: Ice stands for the cold feelings of humans such as indifference, hatred, greed, jealousy, apathy, lack of love, cold-heartedness, etc. Although the poet states that he believes fire would bring an end to the world, he also states that if the world has to end twice, then ice or the cold feelings of people are also great to end the world.

Q8: How will the world end? Support your answer with a scientific explanation. [CBSE 2014]
Ans: According to some people, the world will end in fire. The core of the earth will get extremely heated up due to the increasing global warming. It may lead to severe natural calamities like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, uncontrollable forest fires and tsunamis that may end the world. However, some people believe that the world may end in ice. As a result of the melting ice caps or glaciers, there would rise an ice age that would freeze all the living things on the earth to death. All the ice and snow from the mountains will melt down to the plains one day and thus, will shrink the world.

Q9. Explain the symbols used in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ by Frost.
Ans: Frost represents ‘fire’ as human desires and lust for things. It symbolises all the uncontrolled materialistic greed that humans have and their actions to achieve their goals create conflict and destruction. However, ‘ice’ is a symbol of cold feelings. It symbolises hatred, indifference and coldness of heart with the same effects as the ‘fire’ element.

Q10. How can Frost’s poem ‘Fire and Ice’ be read as an extended metaphor?
Ans: Frost’s poem ‘Fire and Ice’ is certainly an extended metaphor. The metaphor of ‘Fire and Ice’ is used very effectively to solidly convey a clear message to the readers. The poem acts like a moral-mirror for readers to assess their own standing in the world. Fire metaphorically represents and refers to violent human emotions like anger, cruelty, brutality, etc., while the term ice refers to cold human feelings such as hatred, jealousy, indifference, etc., that might destroy the world. The poet has used both fire and ice as great metaphors to imply that both of the destructive forces are powerful enough to bring doom to the world. These metaphors convey that violent and cruel human emotions are a threat to the world.

Long Answer Questions
Q1: “Fire and Ice” was first published in 1920. Briefly explain how WW I might have influenced the theme of the poem. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: WW I was fought between 1914 and 1918. The poem was published two years after the war and so, there is the possibility that the war may have impacted the theme of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’. The destruction and violence and rage seen during WW I is reflected in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ with the two different scenarios represented by the elements of the poem’s title. Robert Frost must have seen the destruction of the world that was the outcome of the uncontrolled rage of people and thus believes fire to be the world-ender. Ironically, he also adds that ice representing the ‘ hate world ‘also’ be ‘great’ to bring the end of the world. Here the poet uses his own experiences of worldly life and its mundane truth to add a second stanza devoted to the world-ending effect of ice i.e. hatred and indifference in the hearts of people.

Q2: Most of your classmates, like Frost, feel that man’s greed and rage or hate, would lead the world to its destruction. You feel that the ‘fire and ice’ in Mankind can be addressed to create a harmonious world. Write a speech, for your classmates, expressing your beliefs with respect to the poem. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: A very good morning, to each and every one present in this room. Today I’m here to express my beliefs with respect to the poem ‘Fire and Ice’. Dear friends, I strongly believe that ‘Fire and Ice’ in Mankind can be addressed to create a harmonious world. We, humans, are swaying between two extremes ‘Fire and Ice’. Sometimes we are torn by our unbridled fire of passions, desires, lusts, longings and fury. This further results in greed, avarice and passionate love. All such extremes can lead to conflicts and disasters. If not controlled, they can help in bringing an early end of the world. Humanity can redeem itself and possibly save or delay the end of the world by giving up such extremes of thinking and behaviour. So let us keep burning the fire of patriotism, solidarity and sensitivity and put ice on indifference and rigidity to create a harmonious world around us.

Q3: It is a Hobson’s Choice that the poet faces in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’. Illustrate this thought, with the help of examples from the poem.
Ans: The poem describes a fiery end to the planet, which represents human greed and selfishness. Some believe that the ice, which represents hatred, will bring about the end. Because both options would ultimately lead to catastrophe, humanity is thus faced with a decision that really isn’t a choice at all. As all options equally contribute to personal damage, the decisions are demonstrated on a personal level. To underscore the significance of his message that there are no alternatives, the poet presents the options in a concise and terse manner. The poem’s central theme of destruction brought on by greed and hatred, which is exemplified by the saying Hobson’s Choice, gives the poem a deep and dark undercurrent.

Q4: Today’s world is conflict ridden. People fight over various issues and there is no peace in the world. Explain/Describe based on your reading of the poem ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’.
Ans: In today’s world, hatred is a major problem. Brother despises his brother, and neighbour despises his neighbour. Nobody wants to put up with or forgive anyone else. We live in a terribly divided world as a result of the hostility. Nothing will be left untouched if hatred continues to control our lives and the globe. All of our accomplishments will be lost, and the planet will end. We must develop the capacity to forgive and forget if we are to save the earth. For this, we need a tremendous amount of love and compassion, as well as the ability to put up with one another’s differences and learn to get along.