CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow Summary: The lesson is explained in detail, including the definitions of challenging words. The literary devices used and a summary of the lesson is also included in the explanation. All of the exercises and questions and answers from the lesson’s back end have been completed.
Dust of Snow Introduction
Robert Frost’s poem “Dust of Snow” is a simple and brief poem with a deeper and bigger meaning. The poet illustrates how something as insignificant as getting snow on one’s body may brighten one’s day. Robert Frost expresses the poem’s message as follows:
“Always, always a larger significance…
A little thing touches a larger thing.”
CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow – Poem Summary
One day, during winter, the poet sits quietly under a hemlock tree. He is in a bad mood. The tree is full of snow. He is just sitting there when a crow perched on one of the branches dusts off snow from the tree, which falls on the author. When the poet feels the cold snow, he becomes refreshed, and all the negative thoughts and feelings disappear.
It is quite ironic to know that a black crow, which we often associate with a bad omen, can bring about happiness with the help of a simple act such as dusting the snow off the branch of a tree.
The other aspect of the poem, which is ironic, is the use of the Hemlock tree. The poet preferred not to choose any other tree, such as oak or maple. He chose the Hemlock tree to bring about the irony as this tree is poisonous and signifies toxicity.
Likewise, the poet also uses the ‘dust,’ which is of no value, to evoke the transformation in his mood. Although the hemlock tree is toxic, it is full of pure snow. So, with the help of these contrasting images, the poet shows that a person who is depressed and is about to kill himself can be enlightened. The purity of the snow helps the poet to come out of his disparity and heals his soul.
Thus, the poem teaches us that nothing in this world, no matter how small, is unworthy. Every object is significant. It also shows us that even the smallest things in life that can bring us happiness, just as the snow did for the poet.
If we help other people and be kind to them, that favor will return to us. Kind acts have the power to change our future. So, we must always believe in doing good for others. Only then can we expect something good to happen to us.
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Class 10 English Chapter 1 Summary of the Poem Dust of Snow – Important Word Meanings
Here you can check the word meaning for CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow – Poem
In this poem, Robert Frost used significant words to create imagery. He has drawn a contrast between two things that are distinctly apart. For example, the poet tells us how an ominous black crow can bring happiness. Likewise, he has also drawn a comparison between other things in the poem, which are strikingly opposite to each other.
1. The Dust of Snow
The poet refers to the snowflakes as the ‘Dust of Snow.’ In doing that, he is telling us how something as small and insignificant as snow can help alleviate sadness. At the beginning of the poem, the poet is in an awful mood. But when the snow falls on him, all his sadness disappears. Thus, the poet shows how a simple act of nature, such as snowfall, can make someone happy.
2. The Hemlock Tree
Trees are living beings. As trees are old, they are also a symbol of wisdom. They help absorb carbon dioxide, which means that they absorb all the negative energy in the environment. Trees also give out oxygen, meaning that they fill the environment with positive energy.
However, there are other trees, such as Hemlocks, which are poisonous. Robert Frost, in the poem, ‘Dust of Snow’ prefers to use a Hemlock tree instead of an oak or maple tree as he wants to indicate the gloom that he is feeling. He has lost all interest in life and has thoughts of committing suicide. So, he uses the Hemlock tree as imagery to tell of the sadness that he is feeling.
3. The Crow
The crow also stands for grimness, just like the Hemlock tree. Frost says that the crow helps the author to bring about the change in him. The author has a suicidal tendency. But when the crow dusts the snow off the branch of the hemlock tree, and when that snow falls on him, it gets his hopes up. Whatever interest he had lost in life suddenly starts to come back to him.
Thus, the author in the poem notices that even the simplest of things in life can make a person happy. He changes his decision to end his life when he sees the snowfall on him. It is also ironic to see how an ominous creature such as a black crow and a symbol of toxicity such as the Hemlock tree acts as catalysts in bringing the poet happiness.
Dust of Snow Literary Devices
- Rhyme Scheme- abab cdcd
- Alliteration- the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of adjacent or closely connected words.
The following are examples of alliteration:
- Has given my heart
- And saved some part
a. inversion – Inversion is the poetic license taken by a poet to change the structure of a sentence in order to generate a rhyme. In stanza 1, inversion can be seen.
b. assonance – Assonance is the prominence of a vowel sound throughout a line. In stanza 1, line 2 – “Shook down on me” – ‘o’ sound is prominent.
c. enjambment – Enjambment occurs when the same sentence continues to the next line without the use of any punctuation marks. It has been used throughout the poem.
CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow Poem
The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree
Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.
We have covered CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow – Poem Summary. Feel free to ask us any questions in the comment section below.
CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow – FAQs
Where can I get a summary of the poem Dust of Snow?
You can get CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow Summary in the above article.
What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
As per the CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow, the term “dust of snow” refers to minuscule snow particles. The particles are so small that they are referred to as “dust” by the poet. When snowflakes fell on him, the poet was in a terrible mood. This instantly changed the poet’s mood, and his day improved dramatically.
Can I get CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow Poem online?
Yes, You can get CBSE Class 10 English First Flight Chapter 1 Dust of Snow Poem online from the above blog.
What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?
Birds such as the sparrow, nightingale, and peacock are frequently mentioned in poetry. Unlike these birds, crows are frequently associated with dread and fear. They’re frequently used in unfavorable contexts.
Excellent explanation!!
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