A Roadside Stand

The Poem is prescribed In Class XII in CBSE schools.

1. Robert Frost
(1874 - 1963)

2. Frost- the farmer poetFrost- the farmer poet
Born in San Francisco, USA
Attended Harvard, but left without a degree- jack of
all trades
By 1920’s most celebrated American poet
A farmer- poet
As he went about his farming tasks, his poetic
sensibilities would surface and he would question
the cold detachment of man from nature.
As a farmer, he stands with the world and his fellow
men to understand them and then as a poet he
withdraws into himself to attain higher forms of
understanding.

3. His Characters
Frost writes of the farmers, neighbours, their life
and work, their loneliness and the manner in which
they deal with the situations of their life.
His characters live in secluded farms, they are
cautious and yet they extend help and favour to
others…. The Fear, The Smile, The Star Splitter,
The House keeper.

5. Hope- that he will have a ‘better life’
Joy- sometimes people come to his shop
Disillusionment- nothing favorable comes out of their visits

6. Themes
Social divide
Class (rich- poor) the city people are rich, the rural folk poor
Region (rural- urban) the city is glamorous
Lifestyle (simple - materialistic) the city values money over
humanity
Hope for a ‘better’ life want to see the life seen in movies
Self centeredness of man stop to reverse or ask the way
Exploitation relocate them and change their lives
Abuse of hope and hospitality no purchase, no appreciation
Assertion of the right to lead the better life rejects the
other life

7. StyleStyle
Simple language- words from common core
Narrative style adopted- a story is being told
Conversational tone- They couldn’t (this crossly)….
Iambic pentameter (rhythm of spoken English)
Repetitions for effect- sleep, another, country
Movement of a series of images…. Film strip like
Short, easy to understand sentences
Countryside imagery contrasting with wily behaviour
of outsiders

8. An AssessmentAn Assessment
A poem that
Exposes
the show of empathy that city dwellers have for their rural
fellowmen
the selfish motives of businessmen
Shows
the refreshing innocence of the rural folk
faith he has in humanity
hope that he nurses
A telling comment on the ‘civilized behavior’ of the
rich