Short Questions (2 Marks)
Question 1 : Who all are disturbed by the blowing of the wind and who are not?
Answer : All people who are physically weak and mentally not determined are disturbed by the blowing of the wind. Self-confident and strong people do not get disturbed by the wind blowing.
Question 2 : Why does the poet ask the wind to come softly in the beginning of the poem?
Answer : The poet asks the wind to come softly in the beginning of the poem so that order and peace may be maintained. When the wind blows, it disturbs everything and everyone in the society. So the poet pleads for the welfare of society.
Question 3 : How does the wind cause rain?
Answer : The wind blows violently, so that it appears as if a storm is coming. It brings clouds from distant places. As a result it causes rain.
Question 4 : Why should we build strong houses?
Answer : We should build strong houses so that they do not get damaged by the blowing wind. In other words, we should build strong minds and bodies to withstand any kinds of violent challenges thrown in our paths.
Question 5 : How does the wind make fun of weaklings?
Answer : The poet tells the wind that it makes mischief whenever it comes face to face with weaklings, who are too meek and mild to protest against its actions, by destroying their lives.
Question 6 : What does ‘crumbling’ suggest in the poem ‘Wind’?
Answer : ‘Crumbling’ suggests destruction in the poem. People who are weak will be crumbled by being overwhelmed by the difficulties that they face during their lives.
Question 7 : What does the wind symbolise?
Answer : The wind symbolises the trials and tribulations everybody faces in their lives.
Those who are strong in character succeed in overcoming them, while those who are weak are destroyed.
Question 8 : Give the central idea of the poem ‘Wind’.
Answer : The central idea of the poem is that we should be strong in mind and body.
The wind will be our friend when we are strong. Actually the wind represents the difficulties and challenges we face in life. We should encounter them boldly.
Long Questions (8 Marks)
Question 1 : How is ‘Wind’ a symbolic poem? Compare it with ‘The Road Not Taken’.
Answer : Poems can be read just for the pleasure of their rhyme or for their literal meaning. However, poems can have a deeper meaning than the obvious one they show. Under an able teacher a student finds more pleasure in tracking down symbols and figurative meanings.
In simple words, what appears to be a simple poem of travelling on a forest road develops into a poem discussing the choices of life. Similarly, the wind can be compared to the difficulties we face in life. Strong people face difficulties bravely while weak people are broken or destroyed.
Question 2 : What destructive events are caused by the wind? How can we prevent these destructive events from happening?
Answer : The wind causes many destructive events like breaking the shutters of windows, scattering papers and throwing books down the shelves. It even crushes weak bodies, lives and hearts, breaks down weakly build houses and walls, besides not listening to any entreaties.
We can prevent these destructive events from happening by being firm, positive and strong, both physically as well as mentally, besides making our houses (i.e. our characters) stronger.
By being strong, we will become friends with the wind (i.e. we will be easily able to tackle (handle) successfully the trails and tribulations (difficulties) we face in life), which will aid us in achieving success and in flourishing life.
Question 3 : Man can not overpower the fury of nature like storms and floods. Discuss the destruction caused by a natural element wind in this context. How can we face the fury of nature?
Answer : It is a well-known fact that nature knows how to maintain its balance even though the human race continues to believe it can overpower and destroy it. Through this poem ‘wind’ the poet has given stances of how wind can be destructive. It can cause many destructive events like breaking the shutters of windows, scattering papers and throwing books down the shelves. It even crushes weak bodies and breaks weakly constructed houses. We can prevent these destructive events from happening by being firm, positive and a friend of nature. If we maintain ecological balance, we can be friends with nature and there can be a harmony (balance) between human lives and natural elements.
Moreover the poet suggests human beings to be strong physically and mentally in order to be friends with nature (here Wind). Mentally strong here also suggests trying to treat nature in a friendly manner so that we do not have to face the wrath or fury (anger) of nature.