GRANNY’S TREE CLIMBING

by Ruskin Bond

A. On the basis of your understanding of the poem, answer the following

questions in one word/phrase.
1. At what age did Granny learn climbing trees?
Ans. Six

2. Who taught her the art of climbing trees?

Ans. Her loving brother

3. How old was she when she last climbed a tree?

Ans. Sixty two

4. In which season did she get trapped in a tree?

Ans. Beginning of summer season.

5. For how long was she advised to take rest after being rescued?
Ans. One week.

6. Who made a tree-top house for her?

Ans. The poet’s father with the help of the poet

7. What things does the narrator carry to his granny’s tree-top house daily?
Ans. glasses and tray

B. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
1. We sighed with relief and tucked her up well.
Poor Granny! For her, it was like a brief season in hell,
Confined to her bedroom, while every breeze
Whispered of summer and dancing leaves.

(a) Why did the narrator and his family ‘sigh in relief’?
Ans. After Granny was rescued, she had fever and the doctor advised her to take
bed rest for a week. The family sighed in relief because granny would not climb
trees and they would not have to worry at least for a week.

(b) Why was Granny confined to bed? Why did she find it ‘a brief season in
hell’?
Ans. After Granny was rescued, she had fever so the doctor advised Granny bed
rest for a week. Staying in confinement and not climbing trees when the breeze
whispered of summer and the leaves danced with joy was like hell for Granny.

(c) How did she finally get rid of this ‘season in hell’?
Ans. Granny did not want to give up climbing trees. So she asked her son to make
a tree top house for her. When it was ready she spent most of her time there in
grand style.

2. … but it was feared by all

That one day she’d have a terrible fall.
The outcome was different …

(a) What did everyone fear?

Ans. Everyone feared that one day granny would have a terrible fall from the tree.

(b) ‘The outcome was different’. What was this outcome? How was it
different from what everyone had expected?
Ans. Once when the entire family had gone to the town, Granny climbed a tree
but she was unable to climb down. The outcome was quite different from what
everyone expected because everybody had expected that she would fall down
from a tree. But she climbed up a tree and forgot how to climb down. She
remained trapped in the tree till she was rescued.

(c) What did this outcome lead to?

Ans. When Granny was rescued she had temperature and the doctor advised total
bed rest for a week. After her bed rest she demanded for a tree top house which
was built for her.

C. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

Ans. The rhyme scheme of the poem is aabb.

II HOTS
The poet says:
‘... every breeze
Whispered of summer and dancing leaves.’
Discuss with your partner how breeze can ‘whisper’ and leaves ‘dance’. Which
figure of speech has been used here?
Ans. According to the poet every breeze that was blowing was speaking of the
arrival of the summer season, leaves were fluttering in a manner as if they were
dancing.
The figure of speech used here is personification as if breeze and leaves have
been given a human qualities.

III LIFE SKILLS

Granny liked living in a tree-top house more than living in an ordinary house. If
you get a chance to live in a tree-top house, what problems would you face
while living there and what things would you enjoy?

Ans. The poet’s grandmother is quite different from other grandmothers. She
loved climbing trees and liked to spend her time in the lap of nature. If I would get
a chance like grandmother I would love to enjoy the proximity of nature, the
smell of the tree and to look at the various birds and insects in the tree. But at the
same time I would be away from the company of my friends and family members.
I would miss the television and the luxury of my air conditioned room.

IV VALUES
Grandparents are always very dear to grandchildren. What all do you do to
spend quality time with your grandparents?

Ans. The most important thing that grandparents do is spending quality time with
their grandchildren. I spend a lot of time with my grandparents whenever I visit
them during my vacation. I accompany my grandfather to the green fields and
also to the bazar which is quite different from our regular markets. I help my
grandmother in the kitchen garden. My grandparents tell me many stories from
Mahabharat and Ramayan. I too narrate various stories and teach them how to
use the mobile phone and how to take photographs. They dote on me. It is fun to
be with them.

V WRITING SKILLS
Imagine yourself to be Granny. Write a diary entry expressing your ardent wish
to climb trees and your family’s disapproval of it.

Ans.
19th April 2021 9.00 pm
Monday
Again today, I had the same old heated discussion with my family members,
especially my son. My family insists that I should stop climbing trees. They give
the reason that I am now old and I should accept my age gracefully. But how can I
explain to them that though my body is aged, I feel young at heart! I find it really
difficult to stop climbing trees. I do take all the necessary precautions while
climbing up and down a tree. If I do not climb a tree every day, I may forget how
to climb a tree and that will be very disturbing for me. The feel of fresh air on my
face, the wonderful fragrance of the earth, leaves and branches, the beautiful
sight from a tree top all is simply mesmerising. It draws me closer every day. I too
am aware of my age and soon must think of something before it is too late. Till
then I am never going to give up climbing trees. Tomorrow I will climb the mango
tree.

Figures of Speech/ Poetic Devices used in the poem

1. “it was like a brief season in hell”

Simile - Granny’s confinement to her room is compared to hell.

2. “While every breeze

Whispered of summer and dancing leaves.”

Personification – Breeze and leaves are said to have human qualities.

3. “The outcome was different while we were in town”

Alliteration - The initial sound ‘w’ is repeated.