A work of Artifice
Marge Piercy
The bonsai tree
in the attractive pot
could have grown eighty feet tall
on the side of a mountain
till split by lightning.
But a gardener
carefully pruned it.
It is nine inches high.
Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons,
It is your nature
to be small and cozy,
domestic and weak;
how lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in.
With living creatures
one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth:
the bound feet,
the crippled brain,
the hair in curlers,
the hands you
love to touch.
Question and Answer
A WORK OF ARTIFICE
I.
The bonsai tree
In the attractive pot
Could have grown eighty feet tall
On the side of a mountain
Till split by lightning
i) Which tree is the poet talking about? How tall would it
have grown and in which circumstances?
Ans: The poet is talking about the Bonsai tree. if it had
been allowed to grow in the wild, could have reached a height of eighty feet on
the side of a mountain before being split by lightning.
(ii)What does the bonsai tree symbolise? Explain.
Ans: Bonsai tree uses as a symbol of the human desire to
control and shape nature. Bonsai trees are intentionally grown and pruned to be
small and shaped in a particular way. They are living works of art that
represent the human ability to manipulate and shape the natural world for our
own purposes.
(iii) Where would it have grown tall? How would havae been
its height its enemy?
Ans.
iv)Why do you think the poet used the words "attractive
pot" in the extract?
Ans: In the poem "Work of Artifice" by Marg Piercy,
the phrase "attractive pot" is used to describe the container in
which the bonsai tree is planted. The poet likely used the words
"attractive pot" to highlight the aesthetic appeal of the container,
which is an important aspect of the bonsai tree's presentation. At the same
time, the phrase also underscores the artificiality of the bonsai tree's
environment and the ways in which human intervention has shaped and controlled
its growth.
(v) What does "till split by lightning' symbolise? How
is the tree protected from lightning?
Ans: "till split by lightning" refers to the fate
of the bonsai tree if it were to grow in its natural environment, there is
potential for destruction and loss in the natural world This line is a metaphor
for the natural course of life, where even the strongest and tallest trees can
be destroyed by the forces of nature. speaker constructed trees with limited
growth with the idea that is fortunate to have a pot in which to grow,
suggesting that the tree confinement is a form of protection, it protects from
all the disasters that happen by nature.
II
……carefully pruned it.
It is nine inches high.
Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons.
(i) How tall is the tree? Why did it not grow any further?
Ans: The bonsai tree is described as being "nine inches
high" in the lines "carefully pruned it. / It is nine inches
high." The tree did not grow any further because it has been deliberately
confined in a pot and pruned to prevent it from reaching its full potential.
(ii) Who prunes the tree? Why does he do so?
Ans: Bonsai gardener or caretaker prunes th tree. Bonsai
trees require frequent pruning a.. training in order to maintain their small
size and to achieve a particular shape or style. The reason why the gardener
prunes the tree is to create a specific aesthetic effect. By carefully shaping
and pruning the tree, the gardener can create a work of art that is both
beautiful and evocative.
iii)What does 'croons' mean? Briefly describe the symbolism
used here.
Ans: "Croons" is a verb that means to sing or hum
in a soft, soothing voice. In the context of the poem "the gardener
croons" suggest that the gardener is singing or humming while working on
the tree, perhaps indicating a sense of enjoyment or satisfaction
with the process.
iii)What does 'croons' mean? Briefly describe the symbolism
used here.
Ans: "Croons" is a verb that means to sing or hum
in a soft, soothing voice. In the context of the poem "the gardener
croons" suggest that the gardener is singing or humming while working on
the tree, perhaps indicating a sense of enjoyment or satisfaction with the
process. The act of crooning can be seen as a representation of the way in
which humans seek to control and shape nature. The soft, gentle voice of the
gardener represents the gentle touch of human intervention, carefully guiding
and shaping the bonsai tree to fit a particular aesthetic ideal.
(iv)What role do the short lines of the poem play
Ans: The short line lends a "song-song" tone to the
poem. The line seems broken just like the "whittling" of a bonsai
branch. This shortness of the line stressed that the poet wants to deliver a
message urgently. The structure is also significant by using short and simple
lines. The poem emphasises the confinement of both the bonsai tree and the woman.
v)Identify the gardening vocabulary used in this extract. How
do these aid in the artifice of the bonsai?
Ans: The gardening vocabulary used in thi. extract includes
"pruned", "whittles", and "branches".
1. In the context of the bonsai tree, pruning is an essential
aspect of maintaining its miniature size and sculpting it into a desired shape.
2. In the context of the bonsai tree, whittling back the
branches refers to the careful and precise cutting of the tree's branches to
achieve a desired aesthetic effect.
3. In the context of the bonsai tree, branches are a key
element of its overall shape and aesthetic and must be carefully shaped and
pruned to maintain the miniature size and desired form.
Together, these gardening terms help to create a sense of
precision, care and attention to detail in the process of creating and
maintaining a bonsai tree.
III
It is your nature
to be small and cory,
domestic and weak;
how lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in
(i) What is the nature of the tree according to the gardener?
Ans: According to the gardeners in the poem, the nature of
the tree is to be "small and co domestic and weak." They believe that
the tree is naturally meant to be confined and limited, rather than tall and
robust. The gardeners intentionally manipulate the tree's growth and shape
through pruning, so that it stays small and can be easily cared for.
ii)is the tree lucky to grow in a pot? Explain the irony in
this line.
Ans: The speaker contrasts the tree's limited growth with the
idea that it is fortunate to hav a pot in which to grow, suggesting that the
tree's confinement is a form of protection from wild nature. The tree is
protected from the harsh realities of the natural world, such as being struck
by lightning or exposed to the elements. However, the line is also ironic
because it highlights the tension between the natural world and human
intervention. The irony lies in the fact that the tree is being celebrated and
admired precisely for its lack of natural growth, while the true beauty and
majesty of nature remain unappreciated and overlooked.
(iii) What effect do these lines have on the tree? Explain.
Ans: The lines suggest that the tree's small ar weak nature
is desirable and fortunate, as it makes it suitable for the art of bonsai.
These lines have a psychological effect on the tree, as they reinforce the idea
that its purpose is to be small and contained, rather than to grow freely and
reach its full potential. It is a form of conditioning that shapes the tree to
conform to human expectations and preferences.
(iv)Even though the tree had the potential to grow taller, it
didn't. Why?
Ans: The tree in the poem is described as having the
potential to grow tall, but this potential is intentionally, suppressed by the
gardener through the practice of bonsai cultivation, in order to create a
miniature version of a full-sized tree that is both aesthetically pleasing and
easy to maintain in a small container.
(v) If the tree was nurtured, it would've grown tall and
reached a potential Comment.
Ans
IV
With living creatures
one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth;
the bound feet,
the crippled brain,
the hair in curlers,
the hands you
love to touch.
(i) Why should one begin very early? What do you understand
by 'dwarf'?
Ans: In order to create a successful bonsai, one should begin
very early, because the process of shaping and pruning the tree into the
REGENERATE NOW!!! form is a long and gradual one. Bonsai
Bonsai cultivation involves a great deal of patience, care,
and attention to detail, and it may take many years of careful pruning and
training to achieve the desired results. The term "dwarf" in the
context of bonsai cultivation refers to the practice of intentionally keeping
the tree small and contained, in order to create a miniature version of a
full-sized tree.
(ii) What is the significance of 'dwarf and 'crippled?
Ans:The terms "dwarf" and "crippled" are
use to describe the bonsai tree. The bonsai tree is "dwarfed" because
it is grown in a small pot, which limits its growth, while the tree is
"crippled" because it is pruned and shaped to fit a specific
aesthetic. Symbolically, these terms represent the constraints that society and
culture place on women, who are often expected to conform to specific standards
of beauty and behavior. The bonsai tree serves as a metaphor for the ways in
which women are pruned, shaped, and confined by societal expectations.
(iii) Briefly explain the meaning and significance of bound
feet?
Ans:The phrase "bound feet" refers to the practice
of foot binding in Chinese culture, where the feet of young girls were tightly
wrapped and bound to prevent their growth. In the poem the reference to bound
feet serves as a metaphor for how women have been similarly constrained and
controlled by societal expectations of beauty and behavior. The bonsai tree,
like the bound feet, is an object of artifice that has been shaped and
restricted to fit a particular ideal. The poem suggests that both the tree and
women are capable of more growth and potential if they are allowed to exist
freely and naturally.
(iv) "The bound feet" and "the hair
curlers" indicates that the poet is to I talking about a tree. Who/what is
the poet talking about? Justify
Ans: "The bound feet" and "the hair in
curlers" indicates that the poet is no longer talking about a bonsai but
rather about a women. Poet is talking about constrained imposed on women in the
society. The poet uses the metaphor of a bonsai tree to comment on the societal
pressure placed on women to conform to certain norms and expectations. The
imagery of "bound feet" and "hair in curlers" suggests the
physical constraints and beauty standards that women have been subjected to
throughout history.
Note: You can also explain the meaning of "The bound
feet" and "the hair in curlers" with respect to poem i.e The
line "the bound feet" is a reference to the Chinese practice of foot
binding, in which the feet of young girls wer tightly bound to prevent them
from growing, resulting in small, "feminine" feet. Similarly, the
bonsai tree is kept small through careful pruning and shaping. The line
"the hair in curlers" is a reference to the beauty rituals that women
undertake to conform to society's expectations of how they should look.
(v) Explain the meaning and symbolism in "the hands
you/love to touch".
Ans: "The hands you/love to touch", In this line,
the poet is referring to the hands of the bonsai gardener, who carefully tends
to the tree. The hands represent the love and care that the gardener puts into
shaping and controlling the tree's growth. Symbolically, the line represents
the power dynamics between the gardener and the tree. The tree is dependent on
the gardener for its survival, and the gardener has complete control over its
growth and shape. The "hands you/love to touch" also suggest a sense
of ownership and possession, as the gardener takes pride in their creation and
the beauty of the tree.
