FIRE AND ICE

Question Answers

1. There are many ideas about how the world will ‘end’. Do you think the world will end some
day? Have you ever thought what would happen if the sun got so hot that it ‘burst’, or grew
colder and colder?
A. Unfortunately, the world is going to end one day and there is nothing we can do about it. There
are many ideas as to how it will end but one can’t say surely. The reason that life exists only on
Earth is that the circumstances and temperature is apt to make it possible. If the sun gets so hot one
day that it is at the verge of bursting, it would lead to rapid destruction as there would be fire
everywhere. Conversely, if it grows colder and colder, there will be ice everywhere on Earth and
life in any form would not be able to sustain at such low temperatures.

2. For Frost, what do ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for?

Here are some ideas:
• greed
• avarice
• cruelty
• lust
• conflict
• fury
• intolerance
• rigidity
• insensitivity
• coldness
• indifference
• hatred
A. According to Frost, ‘fire’ stands for greed, conflict, fury, cruelty, lust and avarice whereas ‘Ice’
stands for insensitivity, coldness, intolerance, indifference, rigidity and hatred.

3. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem? How does it help in bringing out the contrasting
ideas in the poem?
A. The rhyme scheme of the poem is “aba abc bcb”. The poet has used the rhyming beautifully to
bring about contrasting ideas in the poem. He has used the ideas of two groups who believe that the
world would come to a catastrophic end either as a result of fire or ice. Simultaneously, he portrays
these two essential components as features of destructive human emotions: desire and hatred. Just
like fiery desires and icy hatred can cause damage to an individual in an irreparable manner, fire
and ice can lead the world at the verge of chaos and thus, apocalypse.

4. What do you think would be enough to destroy the world? Can Fire and Ice contribute to
it?
Our desires and hatred would be enough to destroy the world. According to the poet, `fire’
represents ‘desire’ and `ice’ represents `hatred’. Desires like fire spread rapidly and engulf one’s
whole life. Similarly, ‘hatred’ fills life with poison.
5. What is the underlying idea of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’?
The poet equates fire with `desire’ and ice with ‘hatred’. Both of these are growing with enormous
speed. If we don’t check them from growing, the world will perish. So we must restrain our desires
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and love our fellow-beings.
6. Which two ideas about how the world will end have been mentioned in the poem? Which
idea does the poet support more?
The two ideas mentioned are that the world will end in fire or in ice. Though the poet thinks both
are great for destruction, yet he seems to favour the idea of the destruction of the world in a fire a
little more than in ice.
7. What does ‘fire’ and ice’ stand for and what is the general opinion regarding the world?
Or
According to the poet, what does ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ represent? Do you agree with him?
According to the poet, ‘fire’ represents desire and ‘ice’ represents hatred. I do agree with the poet.
Desires like fire spread rapidly and engulf one’s whole life. Similarly ‘hatred’ fills the whole life
with poison. It makes one hard-hearted and cruel.
8. What do people think about the ending of the world? What does the poet think? Some
people think that someday the world will end in fire. On the other hand. some people say. that it
will end in ice. The poet has tasted both the fire and the ice. He thinks that the world will end in
fire. Here fire stands for the tire of desire.
9. How will the world end twice?
The poet says that both fire and ice are destructive. Here fire stands for the heat of desire and ice
stands for hatred He thinks that our violent desires will end the world. If it survives, it will be
ruined by hatred.
10. What is the main idea of the poem?
The main idea of the poem is that there are violent passions in the world. They are destructive. But
mare distinctive Mail those violent desires is the hatred between man and man. The poet thinks that
one day this hatred will destroy the world.
11. Will this world come to an end? What does the poet say in this regard? Everything that
has a beginning or origin, does have an end. It is an eternal law of nature. The existing world
will come to an end, someday. The poet believed many people believe that either ‘fire’ or ‘ice’
will be the cause of the end of the world.
12. What do people think about the end of the world? Who does the poet side with and why?
People are divided over the cause of the end of this world. Some people think that ‘fire’ symbolised
by unbridled passions, desires and fury will destroy this world. Others believe that ‘ice’ symbolised
by cold reasoning, indifference and hatred will be the cause of destruction. The poet sides with
those who believe that ‘fire’ or unbridled passions and desires will result in the destruction of the
world.
13. Why does the poet say, ‘I’ve tasted of desire/I hold with those who favour fire? The poet is
familiar with the fire of passions and desires in love. He knows it quite well that are uncontrolled
desires, passions and fury lead to our destruction. Similarly, he sides with those people who believe
that ‘fire’ symbolised by unbridled passions and desires with be the real cause of the end of the
world.
14. What will be the cause of the end of the world if it has to perish twice? This world is not
eternal. Its end is certain. The poet sides with those people who think that ‘fire’ will cause the end
of the existing world. But if this world has to perish twice the ‘ice’ is as strong to bring the end of
the world as ‘fire’ is. Icy reasoning devoid of human love and sympathy and hatred is sufficient to
bring an end of this world.
15. How does the poet ‘know enough of hate’? Where will this ‘hate’ lead to? ‘Icy’ or cold
reasoning can lead to rigidity, indifference and insensitiveness. This can take away all warmth of
human feelings, love and sympathy. The result can be disastrous. ‘Hatred’ born out of cold and
‘Icy’ reasoning can lead to the destruction of the world.
16. How will ‘ice’ be as ‘great’ and ‘suffice’ for causing the end of this existing world? Do you
agree with the poet?
There is no need for ‘fire’ to destroy the world. Even ‘ice’ is sufficient and ‘strong’ enough to cause
the destruction of this world. If this world has to ‘perish twice’, then there is no need for fire to
destroy it twice. ‘Ice’ is as ‘strong’ and ‘great’ a cause that can cause the end of this world.
17. What is the message of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’?
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The metaphors of ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ are used very effectively to convey a definite message to the
readers. ‘Fire’ here stands for our unbridled, uncontrolled and unchecked passions, desires, lust and
fury. Such passions are disastrous for human beings. Similarly cold reasoning devoid of all human
warmth, love, sympathy will bring insensitivity, cruelty and rigidity. This hatred will lead to the
end of this world.
18. From what I have tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
Why does the poet hold with those who favour fire?
The poet sides with those who believe that the world will be destroyed by fire. ‘Fire’ is a symbol of
desire. The poet has already experienced desire. On the basis of his experience, he knows that
excessive desire will destroy the world. That is why he holds with those who favour fire. 19. But if
it has to perish twice
I think I know enough of hate.
What does ‘it’ refer to? How will it perish twice?
‘It’ here refers to the world. The poet says that people hold different opinions about the end of the
world. Some say ‘fire’, which stands for ‘desire’, will destroy the world. Secondly, ‘ice’, which
stands for ‘hatred’ can also destroy the world.
20. To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
In the poem what does ‘ice’ stand for? How is it sufficient to bring destruction? ‘Ice’ stands
for ‘hatred’. Hatred may be religious, communal or of any other type. According to the poet, there
is enough hatred in the world which will destroy the external, physical world one day.

21: According to the poet, what do ‘ice’ and ‘fire’ symbolise? [CBSE QB, 2020-21] Ans:
According to the poet ‘ice’ symbolizes hatred, coldness and rigidity and these human cold
emotions and lack of love are destructive enough to remove the warmth of fire and destroy the
world. Fire symbolises unlimited wishes and desires of human beings like violent feelings of anger,
cruelty, brutality, etc., that might end the world.
22: What is the message of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’? Ans: The poem ‘Fire and Ice’ is short but
encompasses the entire humanity in its targeted message. The metaphor of ‘Fire and Ice’ are used
very effectively to solidly convey a clear message to the readers. The poem acts like a moral-mirror
for readers to assess their own standing in the world. ‘Fire’ stands for our uncontrolled passions
which are disastrous for human beings. Similarly cold reasoning devoid of human love will bring
insensitivity. Both the aspect of human thinking and resulting behaviour embedded with desire and
hatred will lead to the end of this world and it may also happen more than once. 23: The tone of
the speaker contrasts with the seriousness of the subject matter. Justify.[CBSE QB,
2020-21]Ans: ‘Fire and Ice’ is a symbolic poem by Robert Frost with a message to reveal the
gravity of the violent and cold human emotions. These emotions, if not controlled, may lead to
destruction of the world. The poet wants to make humanity believe that everything will end one
day as a result of human misdeed. His aim is aphorism-brevity for Frost truth remains ambiguous
as to how specific the world is going to end. That’s why the tone contrasts with the seriousness of
the subject matter with people favouring both ‘fire’ and ‘ice’. 24: Evaluate the line- Some say the
world will end in fire/Some say in ice- in the context of volcanic eruptions, forest fires, meteor
collisions, melting ice caps etc. [CBSE QB, 2020-21] Ans: In the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ the poet
considers the age-old question of whether the world will end in fire or in ice. The threat of global
warming may lead to severe volcanic eruptions and forest fires that may end the world or there
might be a meteor collision, the melting of ice caps glaciers etc, that may also end the world. So,
either option is enough to achieve its purpose sufficiently may be in storm of volcanic eruptions,
forest fires or melting ice caps.
25: Fire and Ice projects a pessimistic outlook. Comment. [CBSE QB, 2020-21] Ans:
According to me, ‘Fire and Ice’ projects a realistic outlook rather than a pessimistic one. The poet
brings forth the view that the world will soon end. It can be either by fire or ice. He mentions that
he has tasted everything in life after World War I. So, it would soon end either with greed or
indifference.
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26: What does ‘fire’ and ‘ice’ stand for and what is the general opinion regarding the world?
[Board Term-I, 2016-17]Ans: Fire stands for fury, desire, lust, anger, avarice, cruelty and greed.
Ice is symbolic of hatred, coldness, rigidity, insensitivity and intolerance. The general opinion
regarding the world is that the world will end in fire, and some say ice. Both the two reasons
contrast each other and equally opposite to each other. People who favour fire believe that it will be
the heat and passion which will end the world. On the other hand, some people think that it will be
the ice which will freeze the world.
27: To say that for destruction, ice is also great for the poet, what does ice stand for? How is it
sufficient to bring destruction? [CBSE 2014]
Ans: Ice stands for the cold feelings of humans such as indifference, hatred, greed, jealousy,
apathy, lack of love, cold-heartedness, etc. Although the poet states that he believes fire would
bring an end to the world, he also states that if the world has to end twice, then ice or the cold
feelings of people are also great to end the world.
28: How will the world end? Support your answer with a scientific explanation. [CBSE 2014]
Ans: According to some people, the world will end in fire. The core of the earth will get extremely
heated up due to the increasing global warming. It may lead to severe natural calamities like
volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, uncontrollable forest fires and tsunamis that may end the world.
However, some people believe that the world may end in ice. As a result of the melting ice caps
glaciers, there would rise an ice age that would freeze all the living things on the earth to death. All
the ice and snow from the mountains will melt down to the plains one day and thus, will shrink the
world.
29. Explain the symbols used in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’ by Frost. Ans: Frost represents ‘fire’ as
human desires and lust for things. It symbolises all the uncontrolled materialistic greed that humans
have and their actions to achieve their goals create conflict and destruction. However, ‘ice’ is a
symbol of cold feelings. It symbolises hatred, indifference and coldness of heart with the same
effects as the ‘fire’ element.
30. How can Frost’s poem ‘Fire and Ice’ be read as an extended metaphor? Ans: Frost’s poem
‘Fire and Ice’ is certainly an extended metaphor. The metaphor of ‘Fire and Ice’s used very
effectively to solidly convey a clear message to the readers. The poem acts like amoral mirror for
readers to assess their own standing in the world. Fire metaphorically represents and refers to
violent human emotions like anger, cruelty, brutality, etc., while the term refers to cold human
feelings such as hatred, jealousy, indifference, etc., that might destroy the world. The poet has used
both fire and ice as great metaphors to imply that both of the destructive forces are powerful enough
to bring doom to the world. These metaphors convey that violent and cruel human emotions are a
threat to the world.
31: “Fire and Ice” was first published in 1920. Briefly explain how WW I might have
influenced the theme of the poem. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: WW I was fought between 1914 and 1918. The poem was published two years after the war
and so, there is the possibility that the war may have impacted the theme of the poem ‘Fire and Ice’.
The destruction and violence and rage seen during WW I is reflected in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’
with the two different scenarios represented by the elements of the poem’s title. Robert Frost must
have seen the destruction of the world that was the outcome of the uncontrolled rage of people and
thus believes fire to be the world-ender. Ironically, he also adds that ice representing the ‘hate world
‘also’ be ‘great’ to bring the end of the world. Here the poet uses his own experiences of worldly
life and its mundane truth to add a second stanza devoted to the world-ending effect of ice i.e.
hatred and indifference in the hearts of people.
32: Most of your classmates, like Frost, feel that man’s greed and rage or hate, would lead the
world to its destruction. You feel that the ‘fire and ice’ in Mankind can be addressed to create
harmonious world. Write a speech, for your classmates, expressing your beliefs with respect to
the poem. [CBSE QB, 2020-21]
Ans: A very good morning, to each and every one present in this room. Today I’m here to express
my beliefs with respect to the poem ‘Fire and Ice’. Dear friends, I strongly believe that ‘Fire and
Ice’ in Mankind can be addressed to create a harmonious world. We, humans, are swaying between
two extremes ‘Fire and Ice’. Sometimes we are torn by our unbridled fire of passions, desires, lusts,
longings and fury. This further results in greed, avarice and passionate love. All such extremes can
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lead to conflicts and disasters. If not controlled, they can help in bringing an early end of the world.
Humanity can redeem itself and possibly save or delay the end of the world by giving up such
extremes of thinking and behaviour. So let us keep burning the fire of patriotism, solidarity and
sensitivity and put ice on indifference and rigidity to create a harmonious world around us.
33: It is a Hobson’s Choice that the poet faces in the poem ‘Fire and Ice’. Illustrate this
thought, with the help of examples from the poem. Ans: The poem describes a fiery end to the
planet, which represents human greed and selfishness. Some believe that the ice, which represents
hatred, will bring about the end. Because both options would ultimately lead to catastrophe,
humanity is thus faced with a decision that really isn’t a choice at all. As all options equally
contribute to personal damage, the decisions are demonstrated on a personal level. To underscore
the significance of his message that there are no alternatives, the poet presents the options in a
concise and terse manner. The poem’s central theme of destruction brought on by greed and hatred,
which is exemplified by the saying Hobson’s Choice, gives the poem a deep and dark undercurrent.
34: Today’s world is conflict ridden. People fight over various issues and there is no peace in
the world. Explain/Describe based on your reading of the poem ‘Fire’ and ‘Ice’. Ans: In
today’s world, hatred is a major problem. Brother despises his brother, and neighbour despises his
neighbour. Nobody wants to put up with or forgive anyone else. We live in a terribly divided world
as a result of the hostility. Nothing will be left untouched if hatred continues to control our lives
and the globe. All of our accomplishments will be lost, and the planet will end. We must develop
the capacity to forgive and forget if we are to save the earth. For this, we need a tremendous
amount of love and compassion, as well as the ability to put up with one another’s differences and
learn to get along.
35. Explain why the poet personally holds the conviction that the world will primarily end in
fire? (2022-23)
Ans: According to the poet, human’s never-ending desires and ever-increasing hatred would be
enough to bring destruction to the world. In the poem, the fire represents desire. Like fire, desire
spreads quickly and overpowers a person's sane thinking and whole life. The poet personally holds
the conviction that the world will primarily end in fire as he was a victim of the fiery aspect of
desire. He had experienced its destructive effects in life by his own confession (from what I’ve
tasted ....)
36. Which word from the poem, Fire and Ice will complete the following? (Term I, 2021-22)
Cruelty : Fire : : Insensitivity : ______(a) Ice(b) Hate(c) Desire(d) Destruction Ans: (a) Q2:
Which option correctly replaces the underlined phrase in the given line from Fire and Ice?
‘I hold with those who favour fire.'(a) am as experienced as(b) strongly disagree with (c) have
the same opinion as(d) habitually avoid (Term I, 2021-22) Ans: (c) have the same opinion as 37.
The use of symbolism in the poem 'Fire and Ice’ conveys the poet’s message effectively.
Expand with reference to the poem. (2020-21)
Ans: HINTS: - Poem discusses the way the world can end.- Fire stands for great/lust/human desire;
Ice stands for hatred/coldness/human indifference;- World can end with either greed or indifference.

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.

Question 1.
Some say the world will end in fire.
Some say in ice.
From what I’ve tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
(a) What is the poet’s opinion of the world in these lines? [CBSE 2014]
(b) What is the poet’s opinion about the world?
(c) What is the contradictory opinion of public?
(d) How are ice and fire similar to each other though they have contradictory traits? [CBSE
2011] Answer:
(a) In the poet’s opinion the world will end in fire.
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(b) According to the poet, the world will end in fire.
(c) The contradictory opinion of public is the debate whether the world
will end in fire or ice.
(d) Both ice and fire are similar in the in the sense that both of them
would destroy everything in the world.

Question 2.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for
destruction ice
Is also great and would suffice.
(a) What does ‘it’ refer to in the first line?
(b) What do you mean by ‘perish’?
(c) What does ice stand for?
(d) What would be the cause of destruction? [CBSE
2015] Answer:
(a) ‘It’ refers to the world.
(b) Perish means to die or to be destroyed.
(c) Ice stands for coldness.
(d) Ice or fire would be the cause of destruction.
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