Long Questions and Answers
Question 1 : What are possible themes of this poem? What do you learn from them? Cite evidence from the text to support your answer.
Answer : Hope is one of the themes in this poem. The speaker happily and quickly decides that the day is saved because of the dust of snow that falls on him. He no longer thinks the day is wasted and instead has a hope that the day can be salvaged (saved). Another theme of this poem revolves around the positive perspective. The speaker’s perspective is changed by a small event. Perhaps the poem implies that we can either think positively or negatively about the events depending on our perspectives and points of view. However, we should adopt the speaker’s outlook and maintain a positive perspective on life in general.
Question 2 : Nature has the power to lift our mood even when we are highly despondent. Comment on the basis of your understanding of the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Answer : The poem ‘Dust of Snow’ by Robert Frost is a poem which enlightens us how small things of nature can refresh us and cheer us for the rest of the day. Though Frost has beautifully depicted (shown) a crow and a hemlock tree, both of these are associated with bad-omen and fear. But they have been used by the poet Frost to uplift his mood and make him feel positive. Frost’s writing skill as a poet lies in the fact that he is able to effectively convey to us how such a thing as the falling of snow flakes from the top of tree can have a refreshing effect on the mind of man. So, every aspect of nature be it a crow or hemlock tree can be a source of positivity and can be helpful in lifting a depressed mind.
In other words, everything in the world is beautiful. Nature and its creations have the power to uplift mood even when we are in depressed state of mind. A small incident of snow falling, that too by the action of a crow (which is considered a bad omen) takes away the pall of sadness from the poet’s mind and refreshes him for the rest of the day.
Question 3 : Small things in life make significant changes in our life. Elaborate with reference to the poem ‘Dust of Snow’.
Answer : The poem, ‘Dust of Snow’, reiterates that the little things in life can make huge changes in our future. It also shows that if we can take the hard times of life in stride, eventually something will happen to change our situation into happier times.
The simple things that we do for others can make all the difference. Just think about those random acts of kindness we do and how much they brighten a person’s day and sometimes change their future. Noticing and appreciating all the small things in life will make our life happier. It will also cause us to have a spirit that is willing to change and therefore succeed.