A Poison Tree Q&A

Poem : Form 5 - A Poison Tree Exercise 1. Why did the persona's wrath/anger end when he told his friend about it? His burden of anger was lifted from his heart and mind. 2. What happened when he did not tell his foe? His anger/wrath began to grow. . How did the persona nurture his wrath? He nurtured/tended to it li!e a belo"ed tree. He #watered it in fears$ and in his tears% &sunned it with smiles and and &deceitful wiles$. (. Why is 'and' repeated three times in stan)a 2? *t is because the persona refused to let go of his anger and constantly nurtured his anger/wrath. anger/wrath. +r  *t shows the personas refusal to let go of his anger and constant nurturing of his anger/wrath. What type of literary de"ice is used in 'soft deceitful wiles'? Why?  ,lliteration is used.-he soft soft #s sounds sounds potray the silent silent scheming of the persona who is li!e a snea!y sna!e. 5.

. What does the poem's title suggest about the content? -he title suggests that the poem is about a poisonous tree. . *n your opinion% what is the persona really doing in stanza 2?

*n my opinion% the persona is nurturing his anger% ma!ing it grow bigger with his fears and tears and deceitful smiles and wiles. 0. How could the foe possibly !now that the 'apple bright' belongs to the persona? erhaps/aybe the persona told the foe in some way about it. erhaps the ob3ect of en"y 4#apple bright5 clearly belongs to the persona because it is in the personas territory.

 , oison oison -ree -ree oem 6 Extra Exercise Exercise 1. What happened when the persona told a friend that the persona was angry with him? -he persona stopped being angry. 2. What do you thin! the apple represents? * thin! the apple represents the poisonous fruit of suppressed anger. . Which word in the poem means 'to mo"e 7uietly without being noticed'? -he word is #stole 48tan)a (5.

(. -he persona in the poem is angry with a friend. *f you  were the persona's friend% what ad"ice would you gi"e him or her? * would suggest that my friend would spea! honestly to the friend he or she is angry with. / * would ad"ise my friend to forgi"e the person because being angry would hurt him or her. inta maaf 9 apologise 9 beg / as! for forgi"eness * apologise. * beg / as! for forgi"eness. * am sorry aaf!an 9 forgi"e : forga"e 6 forgi"en * forgi"e you. * ha"e forgi"en you.. * am/was forgi"en. ;. *n stan)a 1% which word in the poem means 'terrible anger'? #wrath . *n stan)a 2% how did the persona tend to his plant? He/-he persona #watered it in fears and #tears% and and #sunned it with #smiles and deceitful wiles. . *dentify a phrase in the poem which effecti"ely describes the silent% cunning scheming of the persona. #soft deceitful wiles. 0. *n your opinion% who is the real "ictim in this poem6 the persona or the 'foe'? emaining silent about our anger only ma!es us bitter and e"en e"il. 6 8uppressed anger is dangerous as it can ha"e a destructi"e effect on society.

Moral Values

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-ruthfulness / Honesty orgi"eness >ationality

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oderation

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Themes 

8uppressing anger

 ,nger should be addressed because it can lead to destructi"e conse7uences for both the angry person and his "ictim. 

*mportance of communication

@ommunication is important in any relationship% more so if one cannot get along with someone or has a grudge. 

=eception and self6deception

eople are often decei"ed by outward appearances. 

atience% self6restraint and moderation

-he persona does not portray patience as he refuses to ma!e peace with his enemy by tal!ing about his anger.

Meaning Stanza 1 -he persona is angry at his friend and tal!s it out. His anger dissipated and they continue the friendship. 

Howe"er% when he is angry with his enemy% he !eeps 7uiet. -hen% his anger grows e"en more within him. 

Stanza 2 He lets his anger grows day and night. He acts in deceitful ways toward his enemy. 

8tan)a  -he poison tree of anger e"entually bears fruit which is an 'apple bright'. 

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-he enemy !nows it belongs to the persona. -he apple is "ery attracti"e to the enemy.

Stanza 4 -he apple is attracti"e and lures the enemy who snea!s into the persona's garden at night.  ,t night% the 'pole star' is hidden and cannot protect the enemy from the danger of the 'apple bright'. -he 'pole star' is the Aorth 8tar or olaris% a bright star permanently in the s!y still used by na"igators to a"oid dangers while tra"elling. -he enemy eats the apple and is poisoned. 

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-he persona is satisfied.

 , oison -ree oem by William Bla!e

 I was angry with my friend;  I told my wrath, my wrath did end.  I was angry with my foe:  I told it not, my wrath did grow.  And I watered it in fears,  Night & morning with my tears:  And I sunned it with smiles,  And with soft deceitful wiles.  And it grew both day and night. Till it bore an apple bright.  And my foe beheld it shine,  And he knew that it was mine.  And into my garden stole, hen the night had !eiled the pole;  In the morning glad I see;  "y foe outstretched beneath the tree.