The Roadside Stand(HS Second Year)

 THE ROADSIDE STAND

Q. What is the childish longing that poet refers to in the poem? Why is it in vain ?

Ans : The 'childish' longing that the poet refers to, is the longing of the rural people that one day the 'polished traffic' will stop by the stand to buy the things they display.

 

Their childish longing is in vain as their hope of earning some city money remains unfulfilled. The traffic does not even notice the things that are displayed in the roadside stands.

 

Q. Name some of the things that the roadside stands offer for sale.

Ans : The rural people who have set the roadside stands want to earn some 'city money'. Wild berries, crook-necked golden squash are some of the things that the roadside stands offer for sale.

 

Q. Which things irritated the passers by who stopped at the roadside stands?

Ans : The passers-by were irritated at the artless paint which had ruined the beautiful landscape. Also, they were irritated at the signs of S and N which were turned wrong.

 

Q. What is the news that was mentioned in 'A Roadside Stand'?

Ans : The news mentioned in 'A Roadside Stand' is that "all the pitiful kins" are to be brought out to live in villages next to the theatre and the store where they will not have to think of themselves anymore.

 

Q. Why do the villagers who run the roadside stands ask for city money?

Ans : The villagers ask for city money because city people are 'polished', rich and they have the affordability to purchase the things displayed in the roadside stands. The rural people running the roadside stand are poor and deprived, unlike the people of the city. Only city money can give them a prosperous life.

 

Q. Of all the thousand selfish cars some stop there not for buying something. Why do they stop?

Ans : Of all the thousand selfish cars some stop there not for buying something. Some stop to inquire about the price, some to use the yard to back and turn around. Some stop to ask whether a gallon of gas is sold there or some others stop to ask where the road leads.

 

Q. Who will soothe the rural people out of their wits and how?

Ans : The 'greedy good doers' who pretend to be well- wishers will soothe the rural people 'out of their wits'.

 

They teach the poor people how to sleep but in reality they destroy the poor people's earlier peaceful sleep at night. Though they pretend to be good doers yet they extract money allocated to them by using power.

 

Q. How did the traffic pass ?

Ans : The traffic passed with a mind ahead.

 

Q. Why did one turn 'out of sorts'?

Ans : If one stops by the roadside stands then he turns 'out of sorts' at having the landscape marred with the artless paint.

 

Q. What should one do if one wants to be mean ?

Ans : If one wants to be mean then he should keep his money with himself without buying anything from the roadside stand.

 

Q. What is the real worry of the owner of the roadside stand?

Ans : The real worry of the owner of the roadside stand is that he wants some city money for his survival. But 'polished traffic' doesn't stop to buy anything from his stand. Moreover, the politicians also deprive him from his rights.

 

Q. What is not the complaint of the poet?

Ans : The hurt to the scenery is not the complaint of the poet.

 

Q. What is the party in power doing for the rural poor ?

Ans : The party in power promises to make the lives of rural poor bed of roses. But in reality they keep the poor away from the comforts of life.

 

Q. Where was the shed put up?

Ans : The shed was put up at the edge of the road far from the city where the traffic passes.

 

Q. What was the purpose of the stand?

Ans : The purpose of the stand was not to collect 'dole of bread' but to earn some 'city money' for survival selling fruits and vegetables.

 

Q. Why does the poet use the word pathetic?

Ans : The owner of the roadside stand wants to earn some'city money' selling vegetables and fruits he grows. That's why the owner is pathetically pleading the 'polished traffic' to buy the things he displays otherwise it would be tough for him to survive.

 

Q. Who are referred to as the flower of cities?

Ans : The 'polished traffic', rich people of cities are referred to as the flower of cities.

 

Q. What does the voice of the country people seem to say ?

Ans : The voice of the country people seems to complain about the miserable condition of life.

 

Q. What will be of great relief for the poet?

Ans : It would be a great relief for the poet to put the poor people of villages out of their pain at one stroke.

 

Q. What was the plea of the folk who had set up the roadside stands?

Ans : The folk who had set up the roadside stand did not plea for a 'dole of bread'. His plea to the 'polished traffic' was to give him money against the things he had displayed for sale in his stand.

 

Q. Why won't the poor people have to think for themselves anymore?

Ans : The 'greedy good doers' enforce benefits on the poor village people. They are to settle the poor people next to the theatre and the store. That's why, the poor people won't have to think about themselves anymore.

 

Q. Why has the requisite life of spirit never been found?

Ans : The owner of the roadside stand is very poor. His childish longing for city money goes in vain as no one stops by his stand to buy the things he displays. That's why, the requisite life of spirit has never been found.