roadside-stand-ppt CLASS XII ENGLISH.pptx

Roadside stand by Robert Frost

1. A ROADSIDE STAND by Robert Frost

2. Robert Frost

3. Robert Frost About the Poet Robert Frost (March 26, 1874 – January 29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in America. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American  colloquial speech , Frost frequently wrote about settings from rural life in  New England  i n the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and philosophical themes.

4. Stanza 1 The little old house was out with a little new shed In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped, A roadside stand that too pathetically pled, It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread, But for some of the money, the cash, whose flow supports The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint.

5. Explanation These lines describe how a roadside stand was set-up by a poor family to earn some money to add to their existing income. It was set-up by the roadside to attract people in their speeding vehicles as customers. Even though it may seem to the people driving on the roads that the roadside stand owners are begging for money, however, they just want to earn some extra cash. They feel that the cash will help them prosper in the same way that it helps the city growth and prosperity to bloom like flowers. A small old house stood on the side-line of a road. A tiny new shed (shop) was constructed in front of it. Heavy traffic sped on the road. But no body cared to stop in front of it to buy something. Even if they stopped, it was to criticize the country people for disturbing the beauty of the landscape with their inelegant house.

6. Stanza 2 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 Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts, Or crook-necked golden squash with silver warts, Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene

7. Explanation The lines describe the fashionable urban city-dwellers who drive through the road on the outskirts of the countryside with preoccupied minds. If, however, they do take time out to observe, it is only to judge the roadside stands for destroying the beauty of the scenic surroundings of the countryside. They observe how even the letters on the sign board are painted wrong. The last few lines list some of the things the stand sells- wild berries, squashes and painting of sceneries- which are grown/created by them.

8. Stanza 3 You have the money, but if you want to be mean, Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along. The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint So much as the trusting sorrow of what is unsaid: Here far from the city we make our roadside stand And ask for some city money to feel in hand To try if it will not make our being expand, And give us the life of the moving-pictures’ promise That the party in power is said to be keeping from us.

9. Explanation These lines describe the expectations and emotions of the peasant family that owns the roadside stand. They feel that the rich people can keep their money if all they wish to do is pass judgements . The rich people’s complaint doesn’t hurt the family but they are greatly hurt by the false promises which has broken their trust. All the family hopes for is to sell little things through their stand and earn some additional income which could bring them closer to the life (of the poor who become rich) as shown in the movies. However, it is the ruling politicians that prevent their dreams from coming true.

10. Stanza 4 It is in the news that all these pitiful kin Are to be bought out and mercifully gathered in To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store, Where they won’t have to think for themselves anymore,

11. explanation The news says that these poor people are to be relocated to the vicinity of the towns near the theatre and the shops. There, they will be well looked after and will have nothing worrisome to think about. The poet, however regards this as a great disservice to the people who will be thus robbed of their voices and their freedom and ability to find solutions to their problems.

12. Malls and theatre promised for villagers

13. Stanza 5 While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey, Swarm over their lives 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.

14. Greedy good doers, beneficent beasts

15. Explanation These lines describe the various plans and promises of the government which would bring poor families, like the one that owns the stand, closer to a more equal lifestyle where they won’t have to struggle so much anymore. Such a lifestyle would include amenities like a movie theatre, a multipurpose store etc. The poet is outraged at the callous attitude of the government, the civic authorities and the social service agencies who appear to help them but actually end up harming them. Lulled in to oblivion by this false and perhaps short-lived sense of security, the villagers will forever lose their abilities to make calculated decisions for themselves and become pawns in the hands of their so called benefactors who are waiting to exploit them. This will finally culminate in a futile sense of dissatisfaction for the villagers

16. Stanza 6 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 For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car,

17. explanation In these lines the poet describes the anxious awaiting of the owners of the roadside stand as they hope someone will stop and buy something from them. The poet compares this kind of longing to that of a child’s innocent wish to get something that is not within his reach. Despite knowing the reality that the rich don’t care for the poor, the stand owners still hope that someone will stop and help them. The poet is filled with sadness to see the almost childish longing that seems to emanate from the roadside shed, for a life that is described in the movies, a life so far removed from their life in the village.

18. Stanza 7 Of all the thousand selfish cars that pass, Just one to inquire what a farmer’s prices are. And one did stop, but only to plow up grass In using the yard to back and turn around; And another to ask the way to where it was bound; And another to ask could they sell it a gallon of gas They couldn’t (this crossly); they had none, didn’t it see?

19. Explanation These lines further describe the cold and uncaring nature of the city-dwellers in their speeding cars as they never stop once at the roadside stand. Even when some do stop it is either to only ask about the cost of the goods displayed or to confirm the direction or destination of their routes. One of the car owners stops and uses the family’s open land to turn the car around, thereby even ruining the growth of the grass there. In addition to that, another car owner stops to pathetically ask for fuel, without even observing the items laid out for sale. The unthink-ing occupants of a car who stop at the shed to buy a gallon of gas, speak of the disconnect that exists in the perceptions of town people with regard to the villagers. They are unable to comprehend that the lives of the villagers are far removed from theirs, so replete with the comforts that the material world offers.

20. Stanza 8 No, in country money, the country scale of gain, The requisite lift of spirit has never been found, Or so the voice of the country seems to complain, I can’t help owning the great relief it would be To put these people at one stroke out of their pain

21. Explanation These lines draw a distinction between country money and city money. Even though both currencies are same, yet the poet observes that the country money cannot provide the happiness these families are looking for. This is so because the money with the country folk is too less to fulfil their dreams. The poet feels pained on seeing such a situation and hopes that there would be some way of ending such misery experienced by the countryfolk .

22. Stanza 9 And then next day as I come back into the sane, I wonder how I should like you to come to me And offer to put me gently out of my pain.

23. Explanation These lines describe how the poet realises that no matter how much he might dream about helping the poor and the needy, in reality he alone does not have the power to change their situation. Moreover, he wonders if the readers of this poem could come up with plans or offers of help that can be used for the betterment of the countryfolk . He states that such an offer would definitely make him feel relieved.

24. Poetic devices Metaphor- flower of cities, swarm over their lives. Alliteration- pathetically pled, greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts, gallon of gas Personification- sadness that lurks Oxymoron- trusting sorrow, greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts Transferred epithet- selfish cars, pathetically pled