RAIN ON THE ROOF: SUMMARY & QUESTION ANSWERS

 

Summary of Rain on the Roof

This is the rain on the roof summary in which the poet tries to describe how he feels on a rainy day. The poet states that whenever it rains he starts to recall all his past memories. While lying on his bed in the cottage he listens to the pitter-patter sound of the rain. As he listens to the sound of the rain he starts to remember his old days when he was a little boy. Further, he remembers her mother who is not with him now, but her memories will always be with him. In addition, he remembers how her mother takes care of him during the rainy days so that he might not catch a cold. While listening to the sound of the rain, he remembers all the sweet memories of his past.

In this poem, the poet says that when the humid shadows drift (here, ‘humid shadows’ means dark clouds full of water). He says that when the sky is full of dark clouds which have moisture, and are full of water and are about to bring rain. Further, when these clouds float around the sky over the starry spheres (refers to the sky at night time that is full of stars).

Then, huge clouds that are full of moisture move around in the sky. And the raindrops that seem like a tear falling from the sky wipe the sad darkness of the night. Moreover, the poet is comparing the raindrops to tears as to him the dark sky seems very sad. Also, it appears as if it is weeping and the raindrops are the tears shed by it. He further adds that it is like a blessing to lie on the bed in his room and listen to the sound made by raindrops falling on the roof.

In the next part, the poet expresses his feelings when he hears the raindrops falling on the roof of his house. Poet says that every tinkle on the shingles has an echo in the heart. Whenever he hears raindrops falling on the rooftop its sound repeats in his heart and in his dreams. Further, he has many different and fantastic imaginations. Also, the falling drops of rain on the rooftops creates many new different dreams in his mind. For instance, he recollects many memories of the past which come back into his mind as dreams. Hence, he listens to the patter of the rain upon the roof, he has many new dreams in his mind. And his memories of the past come back in the form of dreams.

In the last paragraph, the poet introduces his mother and says that he is dreaming of his mother. As in the previous stanza that rain brings memories of the past. They were the memory of his mother who is no longer alive. Long ago, his mother uses to love him a lot and she uses to consider him a darling. Also, she would let him sleep until daybreak and have sweet dreams. As he listens to the song made by the raindrops falling on the rooftop of his room he feels that his mother is looking at him. Moreover, the sound of rain makes him correlate his past with his present. That’s the reason he was so moved by the sound of the raindrops on the shingles of his room. Every time he hears this sound it brings back memories of the past as he reminds of his mother.

Question

Analyze the poem 'Rain on the Roof'.

Rhyme Scheme: abcbdefe abcbdefe abcbdefe

Stanza 1:

When the humid shadows hover

Overall the starry spheres

And the melancholy darkness

Gently weeps in rainy tears,

What a bliss to press the pillow

Of a cottage-chamber bed

And lie listening to the patter

Of the soft rain overhead!

Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:

1. ‘H’ in humid shadows hover.

2. ‘S’ in starry spheres.

3. ‘P’ in press the pillow.

4. ‘L’ in lie listening.

ii. Onomatopoeia - The poet has used the word ‘patter’ which is the sound of the raindrops falling on something.

iii. Personification - The poet has personified darkness by using the words like ‘melancholy’ and ‘weeping’ for her.

iv. Transferred Epithet - The poet has used the word ‘melancholy’ to refer to the people who are sad.

v. Imagery - The poet has enhanced the beauty of the poem and gave the readers visual descriptions by using the phrase such as ‘starry spheres’, ‘melancholy darkness’ and ‘rainy tears’.

vi. Assonance - The prominent use of the vowel ‘o’ in the line - Of the soft rain overhead.

vii. Enjambment - The sentences are being continued to the next line without a break. It can be observed throughout the stanza.

Meanings

Hover - move around something

Melancholy - sad

Patter - sound of raindrops falling on the roof

Explanation

Here, the poet says that when the dark, moisture laden clouds hover above the sky and covers the starry sky, the sad and melancholic darkness of the night is wiped off by the raindrops which are like tears falling from the sky. A comparison is made between raindrops and tears. When the dark sky is sad, it cries and the raindrops are tears shed by it. The poet tells us that it is a blessing to lay in his room and put a pillow below his head and hear the sounds of raindrops falling on the roof.

Stanza 2:

Every tinkle on the shingles

Has an echo in the heart;

And a thousand dreamy fancies

Into busy being start,

And a thousand recollections

Weave their air-threads into woof,

As I listen to the patter

Of the rain upon the roof.

Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:

1. ‘B’ in busy being.

2. ‘Th’ in their air-threads.

3. ‘R’ in rain upon the roof.

ii. Onomatopoeia - The poet has used the words ‘patter’ and ‘tinkles’, both the words are used for the sound of the raindrops falling on something.

iii. Personification - The poet has personified recollections by using the phrase ‘weave their air-threads into woof’ for it.

iv. Hyperbole - The poet has used the word ‘thousand’ for dreamy fancies and recollections which is the exaggeration done by him.

v. Repetition - The poet has repeated the word ‘thousand’.

vi. Enjambment - The sentences are being continued to the next line without a break. It can be observed throughout the stanza.

Meaning

Tinkle - light ringing sounds

Woof - weft

Explanation

The poet says that every tinkle on the roof has an echo is in heart. The sounds of rain on the rooftop repeats in his heart and he has fanciful dreams. The sounds of raindrops on the roof creates different dreams in his sleep. He recollects different memories in his dreams; he has many new dreams in his mind and the memories of the past come back in the form of dreams.

Stanza 3:

Now in memory comes my mother,

As she used in years agone,

To regard the darling dreamers

Ere she left them till the dawn:

O! I feel her fond look on me

As I list to this refrain

Which is played upon the shingles

By the patter of the rain.

Poetic Devices

i. Alliteration - It is the repetition of a letter at the start of closely placed words. The repetition of the letter:

1. ‘M’ in memory comes my mother.

2. ‘D’ in darling dreamers.

ii. Onomatopoeia - The poet has used the word ‘patter’ which is the sound of the raindrops falling on something.

iii. Enjambment - The sentences are being continued to the next line without a break. It can be observed throughout the stanza.

iv. Assonance - The prominent use of the vowel:

‘E’ in Ere she left them.

‘O’ in O! I feel her fond look on.

Meaning

Ere - old poetic word for ‘before’

Refrain - sound of the rain

Explanation

In this stanza, the poet tells us about his mother. Since the sound of raindrops bring back different memories from the past, he now dreams of his mother who is no longer alive. He tells us that his mother loved him a lot and would often let him sleep till day break and have sweet dreams. The poet feels that his mother is watching him as he hears the sound of the raindrops. The poet is thinking and relating his past and present. Whenever he hears this sound, he remembers his past and thinks of his mother.

....

The poet helps the readers visualise a warm rainy day from the perspective of a child. The child stays indoors and admires the beauty of the rain outside, lying relaxed on his bed. The rainfall outside makes a beautiful patter sound which can be heard inside. The sound rings in his ears like music. He does not mention it as simple as rainfall or the sound of rain.

He rather calls it tinkle. A tinkle is usually associated with a pleasant sound, like that of an anklet or a small bell. He compares the sound of rain to a pleasant sound. The rain falls on the shingles, which can be interpreted as both falling on stones or on the tiles that are placed on the roof. As he lay below the roof on his bed, he can listen to the droplets falling above him. The sound creates a deep impact on him, such that it feels like an echo inside the heart, indicating that his heart had been hollow for so long that the rain provided relief by its sound.

 

The sound makes him dream of nearly a thousand fanciful things. Usually, when one is relaxed, he/she can have good dreams in sleep. He dreams of pleasant things that he has always wanted forever. He gets a positive attitude towards his dreams. Not only does it impact his dreams, but it also brings back all his repressed lovely memories. He compares it to a thread being weaved into a loom. He lays there in the bed listening to the sound of the rain, dreaming and bringing back pleasant memories.

Question 1.

What do the following phrases mean to you? Discuss in class.

humid shadows

starry spheres

what a bliss

a thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start

a thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof

Answer:

Humid shadows: These are the shadows of different things which become wet during the rainy season.

Starry spheres: The area where stars appear in a group in the sky.

What a bliss: The poet feels happy when he listens to the rain drops.

A thousand dreamy fancies into busy being start: The poet starts recollecting the past and finds himself lost in reveries and dreams in the rainy weather.

A thousand recollections weave their air-threads into woof: The poet recollects hundreds of memories in the rainy season. They weave a weft with the help of air-threads.

Question 2.

What does the poet like to do when it rains?

Answer:

When it rains the poet wants to lie on bed in a cottage and listen to the pitter-patter sound of the rain.

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Question 3.

What is the single major memory that comes to the poet’s mind? Who are the “darling dreamers” he refers to?

Answer:

The poet’s mother is the single major memory that comes to his mind. ‘Darling dreamers’ are those ‘kids’ who remember their mothers like the poet.

Question 4.

Is the poet now a child? Is his mother still alive?

Answer:

No, the poet is not a child. His mother is no more. But her memories still haunt him.

II.

Question 1.

When you were a young child, did your mother tuck you in, as the poet’s mother did?

Answer:

Yes, my mother used to tuck me in when I was a child. Whenever I said that I could not do some work, she embraced me and took me in her lap to get that work done. She used to feel sad and dejected if I was involved in any mishap.

Question 2.

Do you like rain? What do you do when it rains steadily or heavily as described in the poem?

Answer:

Yes, I like rain and prefer to take a bath in the rain for some time. But when it rains heavily, I stay inside and enjoy the beauty of nature.

Question 3.

Does everybody have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains? Look around you and describe how different kinds of people or animals spend time, seek shelter, etc. during rain.

Answer:

No, everybody is not so fortunate to have a cosy bed to lie in when it rains. There are some people who live at the railway platforms and bus terminals. They don’t even have a bed sheet, what to talk of comfortable beds.

There are so many animals which don’t have any shelter and tremble under the dark sky in the rainy season.

Additional Questions

Short answer type questions

Question 1.

What is a ‘bliss’ for a poet in the poem?

Answer:

The poet loves rain because it carries him in old memories. He thinks it is bliss to hear the sound of the rain on the roof. He lies in his cozy bed and enjoys the music of nature. It is a bliss for him.

Question 2.

What shows that the poet loved his mother?

Answer:

The poet loved his mother. He remembered her when he lay on his cozy bed to enjoy the sound of rain. It appeared to him as if she was fondly looking at him.

Question 3.

When does the ‘thousand dream fancies’ begin to weave in the poet’s mind?

Answer:

When the poet is in his cottage and lies in his cozy bed listening to the soft music of rain on the roof, his mind is flooded with memories of his mother. He recalls his childhood.

Question 4.

How does the memory of his mother haunt the poet?

Answer:

During the pattering sound of the rain falling on the roof, the memory of his mother haunts the poet. This memory has been haunting him quite often like every darling dreamer. His mother is no more. But he still feels her fondness of looking on him. He remembers her while writing his song of rain.

Question 5.

How does the poet enjoy the patter of the soft rain lying in his cottage-chamber bed?

Answer:

The poet is lying in his cottage-chamber bed. He watches the humid shadows hovering the starry sky. He feels the melancholy darkness gently weeping in the form of rain drops. Pressing his pillow, he is listening to the patter of the soft raindrops falling on the roof of the cottage.

Question 6.

What finds an echo in the poet’s heart and what starts weaving in his mind?

Answer:

When the drops of rain fall on shingles, they make a tinkling sound. The tinkling sound echoes his heart. A thousand old memories weave their air-threads into pattering sounds. Lying in his bed, the poet is listening to the pattering sound of the rain falling on the roof.

Long answer type question

Question 1.

How is the rain a bliss for the poet? Describe.

Answer:

The poet has developed a deep attachment with the rain. When it rains, he desires to lie on his cozy bed and enjoy the falling of rain drops on the roof. There are some specific reasons for it. When he hears the pattering of rain drops, the sweet memories of his childhood evaporate in his heart. He becomes nostalgic and remembers his mother. The picture of his mother reels over his eyes. He recalls how his mother had a liking for sweet dreams. Besides, the poet forgets his worries and becomes filled with new hopes and aspirations. Hence, the rain is a bliss for the poet.

Question 2.

Describe the various sights and sounds of the falling rain and recollections it brings to the poet.

Answer:

Humid showers hover over all the starry sky. The melancholy darkness gently weeps in the form of rain drops. The rain creates an echo in his heart. It also brings a thousand dreamy fancies alive to his mind. The poet listens to the patter caused by the sounds of the raindrops on the roof. At this moment the memory of his mother comes alive into his mind. His mother is no more but the memory is still alive. He still feels her fondness of looking on him. The memory is still fresh while he is writing this song of rain. He also listens to the sound of the rain falling upon the shingles.

Value based questions

Question 1.

What virtue do you find in the sound of rain?

Answer:

The sound of rain is pleasing to the ear. When we hear this sound, we forget everything. We find ourselves in the world of fancies. We remember the sweet memories of the past in a peaceful heart. Of course, we are unable to forget such moments of life. We must take this lesson from the rain and create peace in the minds of people by our behaviour.

Question 2.

How can the sweet moments of life help us?

Answer:

When we remember the sweet moments of life, we forget every pain. Riches have no meaning. We can feel pleasure even in a cottage. In fact, when there is no peace in our heart, we cannot lead a peaceful life. Sweet moments refresh our brain and fill us with new energy. So, the sweet moments of life are the treasure of energy for us.

Extract Based Questions (3 marks each)

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow:

Question 1:

Now in memory comes my mother

As she used in years agone,

To regard the darling dreamers Ere she left them till the dawn.

Oh! I feel her fond look on me As I listen to this refrain Which is played upon the shingles By the patter of the rain.

Which sound is the poet listening to ?

The sound reminds the poet of

Which word in the extract means “the ability to remember things” ?

Answer:

The poet is listening to the sound of the rain.

His mother.

Memory.

Question 2:

Now in memory comes my mother,

As she used in years agone,

To regard the darling dreamers Ere she left them till the dawn;

Oh ! I feel her fond look on me

As I listen to this refrain .

Which is played upon the shingles By the patter of the rain

What is the memory that comes to the poet ?

Who are the darling dreamers he refers to ?

Trace a word from the extract that means “rectangular wooden tile. "

Answer:

It is the memory of his mother that comes to his mind.

The darling dreamers, he refers to, are those lovely dreamers who remember their mothers.

Shingles.

Question 3:

Every tinkle on the shingles Has an echo in the heart And a thousand recollections Weave their air threads into woof As I listen to the patter Of the rain upon the roof

How does the poet describe the falling rain ?

What does the mind of the poet fancy ?

Trace a word from the extract that means “memories”. 

Answer:

The poet says that the falling rain creates immense pleasure in his heart.

Old thoughts and memories are recollected by the poet.

Recollections!

Question 4:

When the humid shadows hover.

Over all starry spheres

And the melancholy darkness

Gently weeps in rainy tears,

What are the humid shadows ?

What do they do ?

Why does the poet call darkness melancholy ? 

Answer:

The humid shadows are the dark clouds.

They hide the stars and rain.

The poet calls darkness melancholy because it makes him sad.

Question 5:

Now in memory comes my mother,

As she used in years agone,

To regard the darling dreamers,

Ere she left them till the dawn:

Oh ! I feel her fond look on me As I listen to this refrain Which is played upon the shingles By the patter of the rain.

Who comes in the memory of the child when it rains ?

What does the poet like to do when it rains ?

Find the word in the extract that refers to the “repeated sound of the rain”.

Answer:

When it rains, the child is reminded of his mother.

When it rains, the poet feels happy to press the pillow of his bed and lie listening to the patter of the rain.

Refrain.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:

How does the poet describe the sky before the rain falls ? 

Answer:

There were dark clouds hovering around in the sky. They hid the stars with darkness all around. The poet compares the darkness with sadness, as these humid shadows gently weep which pours down rainy tears.

Question 2:

Do you think that the poem, Rain on the Roof, is lauding the healing power of nature’s rain ?

Answer:

The poet is appreciating rain, especially when he hears it from a cozy bed in a lovely “cottage. This rain and its sound have resurrected the fondest memory of the poet’s mother in his mind. As the rain continues, the poet tries to recollect all that caused him pain, yet at the same time lifted his spirits.

Question 3:

What does each sound of shingle create ?

Answer:

Every raindrop on the tiles of the roof creates a rhythm with the poet’s heartbeat. This evokes thousands of dreams making his thoughts busy. While he focuses on listening to the pitter- patter on the roof, his mind starts weaving recollections of fond memories of yesteryears.

Question 4:

Who all does the poet remember while listening to the rain ?

Answer:

The poet remembers his mother who used to put him to bed every night and then used to look at him lovingly while he slept. He also remembers his angelic sister who died early. He also remembers the young girl whom the poet had admired at some point of time in his life.

Question 5:

Is the poet, Coates Kinney, able to enjoy the rain or he reminiscences the lost time?

Answer:

The general atmosphere of the poem is very somber. There is darkness around but rain compensates it with the spirit of peace for the lonely night at hand. The poet realizes how much joy and pleasure of sleep he can attain when his head presses against his pillow to conclude the long day into a goodnight's rest.

Long Answer Type Questions (4 marks each)

(About 80-100 words each)

Question 1:

What happens when the poet listens to the patter of the rain? Do you think that rain is a narrative tool in the poet’s life ?

Answer:

The raindrops play music on the roof and create a sound of pitter-patter. To the poet this music is blissful. At the beginning of the poem there is a certain tinge of sadness around which starts to weep away with the coming of raindrops. Every raindrop on the tiles of the roof creates a rhythm with the poet’s heartbeat. The poet tries to focus on listening to the pitter-patter on the roof whereas his mind weaves the recollections of fond memories of yester years.

Rain bears a subtle link with all aspects of life. It serves as a powerful narrative tool in the poet’s life. It has added a layer of depth and fullness to the situation where the poet is concerned. It delivers an effective voice which communicates the apt moment of time and space as well as the emotions of the protagonist in a more poignant manner than mere words would do.

Question 2:

There is an image of the past in the poem, ‘Rain on the Roof’. Is this imagery similar to ones used in the poem, ‘The Road not Taken’ ? Explain.

Answer:

In the poem, ‘Rain on the Roof’, the past is being spoken about but not in terms of regret or sadness whereas in the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’, there is sadness and regret as imagery. Rain lulls the poet into dreams which bring back the memory of his family and the loved ones.

In the poem, ‘The Road Not Taken’, the poet is regretting his decision that he took years back. There is an imagery of the past in both the poems but in the poem by Coates Kinney, this past imagery is the wonderful thought of a loving mother whereas, in the poem by Robert Frost, the poem is about regret. The road not taken symbolizes the choice to enter the unchartered land. It suggests that in making this choice he is trying to distinguish himself from the rest of the world by taking the less travelled, less worn road. Both the poems have the imagery of the past. One creates a sense of love and wants to create a somber mood. The other poem delves into the decision making power of the poet which took him places but could not satisfy him.

Question 3:

Dreams hold importance in the poet’s life. Is it true ? Explain.

Answer:

This poem is depicting the overall mood on a rainy night. During night the humid cloud full of water creates dark shadows over the star studded sky. The poet dreams about his mother and the way she used to tuck him in bed. The poet’s dream of his mother reminds him of his childhood days. His mother used to tell stories to lull him into sleep full of dreams. The music being played on the rooftop is like the affectionate look by which his mother used to see him, while he was a kid. So dreams make him realize the importance of past and and the things that he now misses.

N. B. Courtesy: Google