DUST OF SNOW: SUMMARY & QUESTION ANSWERS

 The poem takes place in the winter season and the poet also happens to be in a foul mood. The poet was having a miserable day for unknown reasons. A crow happens to fling snow dust on him as he is standing under the tree. This snow dust that fell on him immediately made him feel better 

"Dust of Snow" is a short poem by Robert Frost, published in the Pulitzer Prize-winning volume New Hampshire (1923). The poem's speaker, possibly the poet himself, is initially unhappy. But a sprinkling of snow, dislodged by a crow in the tree above the speaker, brings an element of surprise that partly "save[s]" the speaker's bad day. The poem thus shows how nature can lift people's mood, if only temporarily.

“Dust of Snow” Theme

“Dust of Snow” shows how nature can cheer people up by putting their problems in perspective and reminding them of the world outside their own heads. But rather than staging this idea as some grand revelation, this poem depicts it on a smaller, funnier, more relatable scale: a crow in a hemlock tree shakes snow down onto the passing speaker, in a surprise that seems to lighten the day’s troubles.

The poem leaves much unsaid, but the speaker clearly sees this dust of snow as significant. This suggests that, even in its smallest actions, nature has something to teach humanity—if perhaps only through its indifference to human problems!

The speaker had "rued" (that is, bitterly regretted or resented) the day prior to this dusting. The speaker could just be having a bad day or could be experiencing something more profoundly upsetting. Either way, nature finds a way to put these bad feelings into perspective.

When the crow shakes snow down onto the speaker, it’s like a cold shock of reality. It's almost as if the crow knew this was what the speaker needed (though, of course, it didn't!). The fact that the crow—and nature more generally—doesn't tiptoe around the speaker's bad mood reframes that mood as less important. The crow's timing is so comically perfect that it pulls the speaker out of this funk, almost as if to tell the speaker to stop worrying and look at the beauty around them.

It's not just the snow itself that "save[s]" the speaker's day, either. It's "the way" the crow makes it fall. Nature, here, is a series of actions and reactions, a system of interconnected parts. And while the event in the poem seems trivial, it links four of those parts together: the snow, the tree, the crow, and the speaker. The sudden snow thus might remind the speaker that they’re part of something larger than themselves—and that their problems are small in the grand scheme of things.

That this event cheers the speaker up is amusingly ironic. Crows are often seen as bad omens, but here it's almost as if the crow has a sense of comic timing, shaking down snow just when the speaker needs it most. Rather than foreshadowing death, the crow affirms life. And rather than finding the snow-dusting unpleasant, the speaker finds it refreshing.

Still, the poem doesn't sentimentalize or exaggerate the impact of this moment. The speaker doesn't make a sweeping statement about nature's ability to save people—just an observation about how it can sometimes, in a small yet significant way, make someone feel better. (And here, perhaps, it improves the speaker's outlook by providing inspiration for this very poem.) The reader never learns what's behind the speaker's mood, just that it’s temporarily brightened by the natural world.

1. The dust of snow: Metaphor  

Reason: The snow is metaphorically referred to as “dust,” implying its lightness and the subtle impact it has, like dust particles. This metaphor enhances the delicacy and ephemeral nature of the snow, adding depth to its description.

2. Shook down on me.: Personification  

Reason: The action of the crow shaking down the snow is personified. This personification attributes human-like actions to the crow, giving life and animation to the scene, making it more vivid and relatable.

3. The entire stanza : Imagery

Reason: Imagery is used throughout this stanza to create a vivid picture in the mind of the reader. The description of the crow, the snow, and the hemlock tree conjures a clear and specific image, engaging the reader’s senses and imagination.

4. Rhyme Scheme: abab

Explanation: The rhyme scheme of this stanza is abab, where “me” and “tree” form the ‘a’ rhyme and “crow” and “snow” form the ‘b’ rhyme. This pattern contributes to the musical quality and rhythm of the poem.

5. Symbolism: Crow and Hemlock tree

Reason: The crow and the hemlock tree are used symbolically to represent emotions like dejection, gloom, and depression. Frost uses these traditionally inauspicious symbols of nature to convey a deeper message that even elements considered gloomy or unfavorable can bring about a positive change in a person’s mood and mindset.

6. Has given my heart 

And saved some part. : Alliteration, sounds of 'h' and 's' are repeated pleasingly.

7.  Has given my heart a change of mood - Synecdoche: Here a part of the poet is used to represent the whole of his being.

Questions

1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?

2. What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?

3. Again, what is ‘a hemlock tree’? Why doesn’t the poet write about more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?

4. What do the ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent-joy or sorrow? What does the dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree stand for?

Answers:

1. The ‘dust of snow’ means the fine particles or flakes of snow. The sudden shower in the form of the dust of snow changed the poet’s mood. The poet’s mood changed from sad to happy. He felt refreshed and wanted to enjoy the rest of the day.

2. Generally, poets take the birds and trees which are known for their beauty and good qualities like peacock, parrot, cuckoo, mynah and trees full of beautiful flowers and fruits, etc. But here Frost has taken a totally different approach. He chose a crow, which is not often used in poems. Crow is black in colour with very harsh voice and is believed to be a symbol of bad omen. Thinking of a crow brings very depressing and sorrowful pictures to our mind.

3. A hemlock tree is a poisonous plant with small white flowers. The poet, Robert Frost, didn’t choose to use an oak, maple or pine tree. Instead, he chose the hemlock tree and left all the beautiful trees present in the world. Actually he did so to present his mood and feelings.

4. The crow and hemlock tree represent sorrow and depression felt by the poet in this materialistic world. The dust of snow is the symbol of natural joy and energy. The dust of snow that the crow shakes off a hemlock tree means passing through the sad and depressing moments the poet is entering into the time full of joy and optimism.

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. What made the poet change his mood?

Answer: A crow on the hemlock tree shook down the dust of snow on the poet. The falling dust of snow on the poet has changed his mood.

Question 2. In what mood was the poet before falling of snow on him?

Answer: He was in an unpleasant mood.

Question 3. How did the dust of snow affect the poet?

Answer: It changed the poet’s mood.

Question 4. Where was the crow sitting?

Answer: The crow was sitting in a hemlock tree.

Question 5. What type of plant is ‘a hemlock tree’?

Answer: It is a poisonous plant with small white flowers.

Question 6. Who is the poet of the poem ‘Dust of Snow’?

Answer: The poet of this poem is ‘Robert Frost’.

Question 7. What fell on the poet from the hemlock tree?

Answer: Dust of snow fell on the poet from the hemlock tree.

Question 8. What did the poet think of the day before the fall of the dust of snow on him?

Answer: The poet thought unhappiness of the day before the fall of the dust of snow on him. But after the incident, he started to look at the surroundings.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. Where was the poet and what happened to him?

Answer: There was snow everywhere. The poet was under a hemlock tree. The tree was covered with snow Suddenly a crow shook the tree The dust of snow fell on the poet. It changed his mood.

Question 2. What is a “Dust of Snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?

Answer: A ‘Dust of Snow” means the fine particles of snow. This ‘Dust of Snow” changed the poet’s mood. The poet’s mood changed from that of dismay to joy. He was holding the day in regret when this dust of snow fell on him and this simple little thing brought him some joy.

Question 3. How has the poet observed nature in the poem ‘Dust of Snow’

Answer: The poet has observed nature as a positive medium of change for him. The poet had been the sorrowful and depressive mood in the poem. But then the way a crow shook snow dust off, it changed his mood. Nature gave him the inspiration to behave in a positive manner.

Question 4. The poet was sad and depressed. But one comical incident lifts his spirits. He is full of joy and happiness again. Based on your reading of the poem, write a paragraph on the topic – Happiness is relative.

Answer: No one is always happy. It is just a passing phase of one’s life. It varies from time to time and place to place. It depends on certain people who you are close to. There are times when we are extremely happy or sorrowful. In most circumstances, our happiness is decided l>y certain moments in our life. Some light moments can really enliven our mood. The actions of our friends can make us happy or sometimes sorrowful. We must also realize that on every cloud there is a silver lining. This means that every sorrowful moment is followed by a period of joy and happiness.

Question 5. What is the message that Robert Frost wants to convey to the readers in the poem ‘Dust of snow’?

Answer: Robert Frost gives quite a positive message to the readers. Depression and hopelessness do cloud our hearts, spirits and moods. However, there is a silver-lining beyond every cloud. The poet had given up all hopes and declared that the whole day would go waste. Suddenly, the falling of fine dust of snow on him brings a sudden change in his mood. Cheerfulness replaces the feeling of regret.

Question 6. How did the crow change the poet’s mood?

Answer: The poet was going somewhere in a snowy morning. He was upset. All the trees were covered with snow dust. A crow sitting on a hemlock tree shook the tree in such a way that some dust of snow fell on the poet. This changed his mood and he became happy and relaxed.

Question 7. What side of nature do ‘crow’ and ‘hemlock’ represent?

Answer: ‘Crow’ is a black, harsh-voiced bird and ‘hemlock’ is a tree with poisonous bitter fruit. Both are not beautiful. They represent the dark, depressive, sorrowful and bitter side of nature.

Question 8. Why does the poet feel that he has saved some part of the day?

Answer: Crow shook down the dust of snow on the poet. Both crow and hemlock tree are considered inauspicious. The falling of dust of snow from hemlock tree is bad omen. But the poet took it in a positive way. He found himself relieved from sorrow after this incident. Now he could use his entire day in a fruitful way.

Question 9. What mood of the poet is reflected in the poem? How does it reflect?

Answer: The sorrowful and depressive mood of the poet is reflected in the poem. The use of the bird ‘crow’, which is ugly and harsh, and hemlock tree, which is a poisonous plant, reflects the poet’s mood.

Question 10. What do the ‘Hemlock’ tree and ‘Crow’ represent? What does the dust of snow metaphorically stand for ?

Answer: The poet was going somewhere in a snowy morning. He was upset. All the trees were covered with snow dust. A crow sitting on a hemlock tree shook the tree in such a way that some dust of snow fell on the poet. This changed his mood and he became happy and relaxed.

N. B. Courtesy: Google