A WORK OF ARTIFICE
By 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.”
Glossary
Work of Artifice — something artificially created; a trick or pretence — कृत्रिम रचना; छल / दिखावा
Artifice — clever but deceptive device — चालाकीपूर्ण छल
Bonsai — a tree grown artificially small in a pot — गमले में कृत्रिम रूप से छोटा उगाया गया पेड़
Attractive — pleasing to look at — आकर्षक
Pot — container for growing plants — गमला
Eighty feet tall — very tall — अस्सी फ़ुट
ऊँचा
Side of a mountain — slope of a mountain — पहाड़ की ढलान
Split by lightning — broken by a lightning strike — बिजली गिरने से फट जाना
Gardener — one who tends plants — माली
Carefully — with caution and attention — सावधानीपूर्वक
Pruned — cut to limit growth — छाँटा गया
Whittles back — cuts little by little — धीरे-धीरे काटना
Branches — parts growing from the trunk — शाखाएँ
Croons — speaks gently, sings softly — प्यार से बोलना / गुनगुनाना
Nature — natural tendency — स्वभाव
Cozy — comfortable and small — आरामदायक, सिमटा हुआ
Domestic — confined to home — घरेलू
Weak — lacking strength — कमजोर
Lucky — fortunate — भाग्यशाली
Living creatures — human beings / animals — जीवित प्राणी
Begin very early — start from childhood — बहुत प्रारम्भ में शुरू करना
Dwarf — stunt, keep small — बौना
बना देना
Growth — development — विकास
Bound feet — feet tied to prevent growth — बाँधे गए पैर
Crippled brain — mentally restricted — विकलांग मस्तिष्क
Hair in curlers — forced beauty standards — बालों में कर्लर
Hands you love to touch — controlled femininity — वे हाथ जिन्हें छूना अच्छा लगता है
Trivia
– “Bound
feet” is a historical reference to a practice in China where young girls’ feet
were bound to restrict their growth.
Bound
feet:
This
refers to the ancient Chinese practice of foot binding, where young girls' feet
were tightly bound to alter their shape, considered a sign of beauty and
status. It symbolizes the extreme lengths to which societies have gone to
conform to beauty standards, often causing pain and suffering.
Crippled
brain:
This
phrase highlights the intellectual suppression of women, suggesting that their
natural intellect is not valued or encouraged. It implies that women are
expected to conform to [obey/ imitate] societal expectations rather than think
critically or independently.
Hair
in curlers:
This
refers to the effort women put into maintaining their appearance according to
societal norms. It symbolizes the time and energy women dedicate to
conforming to superficial beauty standards.
Hands
you love to touch:
This
seemingly positive phrase is juxtaposed with the previous negative
descriptions, creating irony. It suggests that even though women may be
physically altered and intellectually suppressed to meet societal expectations,
they are still desired and loved for their physical attributes. This
highlights the societal focus on superficial beauty and the emotional toll it
can take on women.
Ultimately,
the poem uses these symbols to critique [evaluate/ review] the societal
pressures that confine women and limit their potential, while also
acknowledging the human desire for love and connection.
Summary
in English
The
poem “A Work of Artifice” by Marge Piercy uses the image of a bonsai
tree to expose how human beings—especially women—are deliberately trained,
limited, and controlled by society. The bonsai tree, placed in an attractive
pot, appears delicate and beautiful, but the poet reminds us that it could have
grown eighty feet tall on a mountainside if it had been left in its natural
environment. Its small size is not natural; it is the result of careful and
continuous pruning by a gardener.
The
gardener symbolizes society, authority, or patriarchal power. Every day he cuts
back the branches and speaks gently to the tree, telling it that being small,
cozy, domestic, and weak is its nature. His soft voice hides cruelty. He
pretends that the restriction imposed on the tree is a blessing and that the
pot is a privilege rather than a prison. Thus, oppression is presented as care,
and limitation is presented as protection.
In
the second part of the poem, the poet moves from the bonsai tree to living
creatures—human beings. She states that to stunt growth effectively, one must
begin very early. The images of bound feet, crippled brains, hair in curlers,
and hands meant only to be admired suggest how women have historically been
restricted physically, mentally, and socially. These practices train women to
accept narrow roles and to believe that weakness and dependence are natural to
them. The poem strongly criticizes social conditioning that suppresses human
potential while pretending to nurture it.
सारांश (हिंदी में)
मार्ज पियर्सी की कविता “A Work of
Artifice” बोन्साई पेड़ के प्रतीक के माध्यम से यह दिखाती है कि समाज किस प्रकार मनुष्यों—विशेष रूप से स्त्रियों—की स्वाभाविक क्षमता को जानबूझकर सीमित करता है। आकर्षक गमले में रखा बोन्साई पेड़ देखने में सुंदर और नाजुक लगता है, लेकिन कवयित्री बताती हैं कि यदि उसे स्वतंत्र रूप से बढ़ने दिया जाता तो वह पहाड़ की ढलान पर अस्सी फ़ुट ऊँचा हो सकता था। उसका छोटा कद उसकी प्रकृति नहीं, बल्कि माली द्वारा लगातार की गई छँटाई का परिणाम है।
माली समाज, सत्ता और पितृसत्तात्मक व्यवस्था का प्रतीक है। वह रोज़ पेड़ की शाखाएँ काटता है और कोमल स्वर में उससे कहता है कि छोटा, आरामदेह, घरेलू और कमजोर होना ही उसका स्वभाव है। उसकी मीठी आवाज़ में छिपी क्रूरता दिखाई देती है। वह पेड़ को यह विश्वास दिलाता है कि उसकी कैद सुरक्षा है और उसका सीमित जीवन सौभाग्य है। इस प्रकार दमन को स्नेह और देखभाल के रूप में प्रस्तुत किया जाता है।
कविता के अंतिम भाग में कवयित्री बोन्साई से आगे बढ़कर मनुष्यों की बात करती हैं। वह कहती हैं कि यदि किसी के विकास को रोकना हो तो यह काम बहुत कम उम्र से शुरू करना पड़ता है। बाँधे गए पैर, विकलांग मस्तिष्क, बालों में कर्लर और केवल छूने के लिए सुंदर बनाए गए हाथ—ये सभी बिंब स्त्रियों पर थोपे गए शारीरिक, मानसिक और सामाजिक प्रतिबंधों की ओर संकेत करते हैं। समाज उन्हें सीमित भूमिकाओं में ढालता है और यह सिखाता है कि कमजोरी और निर्भरता ही उनकी प्रकृति है। कविता सामाजिक प्रशिक्षण की तीखी आलोचना करती है, जो मनुष्य की संभावनाओं को कुचल देता है और उसे पोषण का नाम देता है।
MCQs
1. Who is the poet of A Work of Artifice?
A. Sylvia Plath
B. Marge Piercy
C. Adrienne Rich
D. Emily Dickinson
Ans. B
2. What is the central symbol in the poem?
A. A flower
B. A mountain
C. A bonsai tree
D. A pot
Ans. C
3. Where is the bonsai tree placed?
A. In a garden bed
B. In the wild
C. In an attractive pot
D. On a mountain
Ans. C
4. How tall could the bonsai tree have grown naturally?
A. Nine inches
B. Ten feet
C. Fifty feet
D. Eighty feet
Ans. D
5. Where could the tree have grown tall?
A. In a forest
B. On the side of a mountain
C. Near a river
D. In a field
Ans. B
6. What natural force could have split the tree?
A. Wind
B. Rain
C. Lightning
D. Snow
Ans. C
7. Who limits the growth of the tree?
A. A farmer
B. A botanist
C. A gardener
D. A scientist
Ans. C
8. How does the gardener treat the tree?
A. Roughly
B. Carelessly
C. Carefully
D. Negligently
Ans. C
9. What action keeps the tree small?
A. Watering
B. Fertilizing
C. Pruning
D. Shading
Ans. C
10. What is the present height of the tree?
A. Eight inches
B. Nine inches
C. Ten inches
D. Twelve inches
Ans. B
11. How often does the gardener trim the tree?
A. Weekly
B. Monthly
C. Occasionally
D. Every day
Ans. D
12. What does “whittles back” mean in the poem?
A. Polishes
B. Cuts little by little
C. Ties firmly
D. Waters deeply
Ans. B
13. What does the gardener do while trimming the tree?
A. Shouts
B. Remains silent
C. Croons
D. Argues
Ans. C
14. What tone does “croons” suggest?
A. Angry
B. Gentle
C. Fearful
D. Harsh
Ans. B
15. What does the gardener claim is the tree’s nature?
A. Wild and free
B. Tall and strong
C. Small and cozy
D. Rough and hardy
Ans. C
16. Which quality is NOT attributed to the tree by the
gardener?
A. Domestic
B. Weak
C. Strong
D. Cozy
Ans. C
17. How does the gardener describe the tree’s condition?
A. Unfortunate
B. Miserable
C. Lucky
D. Dangerous
Ans. C
18. What does the pot symbolize?
A. Freedom
B. Opportunity
C. Protection presented as care
D. Natural growth
Ans. C
19. What does the poet suggest about “living creatures”?
A. They grow naturally
B. They must be trained early
C. They should not be controlled
D. They resist limitation
Ans. B
20. When must growth be restricted to be effective?
A. In adulthood
B. In old age
C. Very early
D. At maturity
Ans. C
21. What does “dwarf their growth” mean?
A. Encourage strength
B. Limit development
C. Increase beauty
D. Protect from danger
Ans. B
22. “Bound feet” refers to which practice?
A. Free movement
B. Physical restriction
C. Natural exercise
D. Medical care
Ans. B
23. “Crippled brain” suggests restriction of what?
A. Physical strength
B. Emotional expression
C. Mental freedom
D. Artistic talent
Ans. C
24. “Hair in curlers” symbolizes:
A. Comfort
B. Natural beauty
C. Forced conformity
D. Freedom of choice
Ans. C
25. “The hands you love to touch” suggest:
A. Manual labour
B. Intellectual work
C. Decorative femininity
D. Violence
Ans. C
26. What theme is central to the poem?
A. Love of nature
B. Artistic gardening
C. Social conditioning and oppression
D. Childhood innocence
Ans. C
27. The gardener’s voice mainly represents:
A. Kindness
B. Truth
C. Hidden cruelty
D. Ignorance
Ans. C
28. The poem primarily criticizes:
A. Gardening practices
B. Natural disasters
C. Patriarchal control
D. Scientific research
Ans. C
29. The bonsai tree mainly represents:
A. Nature’s weakness
B. Human potential restricted by society
C. Artistic beauty
D. Environmental balance
Ans. B
30. The title “A Work of Artifice” suggests:
A. Natural art
B. Honest craftsmanship
C. Artificial and deceptive creation
D. Religious belief
Ans. C
Who Said to
Whom?
1.
“It is your
nature to be small and cozy,”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
2.
“Domestic and
weak;”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
3.
“How lucky,
little tree,”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
4.
“To have a pot to
grow in.”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
5.
“It is your
nature”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
6.
“To be small and
cozy,”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
7.
“Domestic and
weak;”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
8.
“How lucky,
little tree,”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
9.
“To have a pot to
grow in.”
Said by the gardener to the bonsai tree.
10. “With living creatures one must begin very early to
dwarf their growth:”
Implied statement by the poet to the readers.
11. “The bound feet,”
Implied by the poet to the readers, referring to social practices.
12. “The crippled brain,”
Implied by the poet to the readers.
13. “The hair in curlers,”
Implied by the poet to the readers.
14. “The hands you love to touch.”
Implied by the poet to the readers.
REFERENCE TO CONTEXT
RTC–1
“The bonsai tree
in the attractive pot
could have grown eighty feet tall
on the side of a mountain
till split by lightning.”
1.
What is described in the extract?
Ans. The bonsai tree kept in an attractive pot.
2.
How tall could the tree have grown naturally?
Ans. It could have grown eighty feet tall.
3.
Where could the tree have grown to its full
height?
Ans. On the side of a mountain.
4.
What natural force is mentioned?
Ans. Lightning.
5.
What contrast is suggested here?
Ans. The contrast between natural freedom and artificial restriction.
6.
What literary device is mainly used?
Ans. Symbolism.
7.
What does the bonsai symbolize?
Ans. Suppressed human potential, especially of women.
RTC–2
“But a gardener
carefully pruned it.
It is nine inches high.”
1.
Who pruned the tree?
Ans. A gardener.
2.
How did he prune it?
Ans. Carefully and deliberately.
3.
What is the present height of the tree?
Ans. Nine inches.
4.
What does pruning symbolize?
Ans. Deliberate control and restriction.
5.
Who does the gardener represent?
Ans. Society or patriarchal authority.
6.
Is the tree’s small size natural?
Ans. No, it is artificially imposed.
7.
What theme is reinforced here?
Ans. Social conditioning and control.
RTC–3
“Every day as he
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons,”
1.
How often does the gardener cut the tree?
Ans. Every day.
2.
What does “whittles back” mean?
Ans. Cuts little by little.
3.
What is the gardener doing while cutting?
Ans. He is crooning softly.
4.
What tone does “croons” suggest?
Ans. A gentle and soothing tone.
5.
Why is this tone ironic?
Ans. Because it hides cruelty and control.
6.
What does daily trimming suggest?
Ans. Continuous and systematic oppression.
7.
What technique does the poet use here?
Ans. Irony.
RTC–4
“It is your nature
to be small and cozy,
domestic and weak;”
1.
Who speaks these words?
Ans. The gardener.
2.
To whom are these words spoken?
Ans. To the bonsai tree.
3.
What qualities are imposed on the tree?
Ans. Smallness, domesticity, and weakness.
4.
Are these qualities natural?
Ans. No, they are imposed artificially.
5.
What human group is implied here?
Ans. Women.
6.
What idea is being criticized?
Ans. That weakness is natural for certain beings.
7.
What is the central message of this extract?
Ans. Oppression is justified as natural order.
RTC–5
“How lucky, little tree,
to have a pot to grow in.”
1.
Who says this line?
Ans. The gardener.
2.
What does the pot symbolize?
Ans. Restriction presented as protection.
3.
Why is the word “lucky” ironic?
Ans. Because the tree is actually imprisoned.
4.
What attitude does the speaker show?
Ans. False kindness and patronization.
5.
What human situation does this reflect?
Ans. Social control disguised as care.
6.
What theme is highlighted?
Ans. Deceptive nurturing.
7.
What emotion does the poet want the reader to
feel?
Ans. Awareness and indignation.
RTC–6
“With living creatures
one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth:”
1.
Who makes this statement?
Ans. The poet.
2.
Who are “living creatures” here?
Ans. Human beings, especially women.
3.
What does “very early” suggest?
Ans. Childhood conditioning.
4.
What does “dwarf their growth” mean?
Ans. To limit physical and mental development.
5.
What practice is being criticized?
Ans. Early social conditioning.
6.
What tone does the poet adopt?
Ans. Critical and exposing.
7.
What is the broader implication?
Ans. Society shapes people to fit narrow roles.
RTC–7
“the bound feet,
the crippled brain,
the hair in curlers,
the hands you
love to touch.”
1.
What do “bound feet” symbolize?
Ans. Physical restriction.
2.
What does “crippled brain” suggest?
Ans. Suppressed intellectual freedom.
3.
What is implied by “hair in curlers”?
Ans. Forced conformity to beauty norms.
4.
What do “hands you love to touch” represent?
Ans. Decorative, passive femininity.
5.
What technique is used in listing these
images?
Ans. Imagery and symbolism.
6.
Which theme is reinforced here?
Ans. Systematic oppression of women.
7.
What is the poet’s final purpose?
Ans. To expose and condemn social manipulation.
ONE-MARK
QUESTIONS
1.
What kind of tree is mentioned in the poem?
Ans. A bonsai tree.
2.
How is the pot described in the poem?
Ans. It is described as attractive.
3.
What does the bonsai tree symbolise in the
poem?
Ans. Suppressed human potential, especially of women.
4.
How tall could the tree have grown naturally?
Ans. Eighty feet tall.
5.
Where could the tree have grown freely?
Ans. On the side of a mountain.
6.
Which natural force is mentioned in connection
with the tree?
Ans. Lightning.
7.
What human action prevents the tree’s natural
growth?
Ans. Careful pruning.
8.
Who performs the pruning of the tree?
Ans. The gardener.
9.
What role does the gardener play symbolically?
Ans. He represents society or authority.
10. What does the phrase “carefully pruned” indicate?
Ans. Deliberate and systematic control.
11. What is the present height of the bonsai tree?
Ans. Nine inches.
12. What does the limited height show?
Ans. Extreme restriction of natural growth.
13. How often does the gardener trim the branches?
Ans. Every day.
14. Which word suggests cutting little by little?
Ans. “Whittles.”
15. What does the gardener do while trimming the tree?
Ans. He croons softly.
16. What tone does the gardener’s crooning suggest?
Ans. Gentle and soothing.
17. Why is the gardener’s tone ironic?
Ans. It hides cruelty behind kindness.
18. What false belief does the gardener teach the tree?
Ans. That weakness and smallness are natural.
19. Which qualities are linked with domestic life in the poem?
Ans. Smallness, coziness, and weakness.
20. What emotion is conveyed by the word “little”?
Ans. Patronizing affection.
21. What does the gardener call the tree “lucky” for?
Ans. Having a pot to grow in.
22. What does the pot truly symbolise?
Ans. Confinement disguised as protection.
23. What is actually taken away from the tree?
Ans. Freedom to grow naturally.
24. What does the poet compare the tree’s treatment to?
Ans. The treatment of living creatures.
25. Who are referred to as “living creatures”?
Ans. Human beings, especially women.
26. Why must growth be controlled “very early”?
Ans. Early conditioning makes control permanent.
27. What does “dwarf their growth” mean?
Ans. To stunt natural development.
28. What does “bound feet” suggest?
Ans. Physical restriction.
29. What kind of damage is implied by “crippled brain”?
Ans. Mental suppression.
30. What social pressure is symbolised by “hair in curlers”?
Ans. Forced beauty standards.
31. What is meant by “the hands you love to touch”?
Ans. Objectification and decorative femininity.
32. What literary device dominates the poem?
Ans. Symbolism.
33. Which group is indirectly criticised through the bonsai image?
Ans. Women.
34. What is presented as care but is actually control?
Ans. The pot and pruning.
35. What attitude of society does the poem expose?
Ans. Justifying oppression as natural.
36. What tone dominates the poem as a whole?
Ans. Critical and ironic.
37. What is the poet’s attitude towards social conditioning?
Ans. Strongly critical and condemning.
38. What is the central message of the poem?
Ans. Human potential is deliberately restricted under the pretence of care.
39. Why does the poet use simple language?
Ans. To make the message clear and direct.
40. Why is the poem still relevant today?
Ans. Social conditioning and gender restrictions still exist.
TWO-MARK QUESTIONS
1.
What does the bonsai tree
represent in the poem?
Ans. The bonsai tree represents human potential deliberately restricted by
society. Though capable of natural strength and growth, it is made small
through control, symbolising how individuals, especially women, are trained to
accept limitation as their nature.
2.
Why does the poet mention
that the tree could grow eighty feet tall?
Ans. The poet mentions this to highlight the tree’s natural power and contrast
it with its present stunted condition, showing how artificial restriction
suppresses inherent strength and freedom.
3.
What is suggested by the
phrase “attractive pot”?
Ans. The “attractive pot” suggests that restriction is disguised as beauty and
comfort, making control appear desirable rather than oppressive.
4.
Why is the gardener
described as pruning the tree “carefully”?
Ans. The word “carefully” shows that the restriction is deliberate and
systematic, not accidental, indicating conscious social control rather than
natural limitation.
5.
What does the daily pruning
of the tree signify?
Ans. Daily pruning signifies continuous and persistent oppression that slowly
but permanently limits growth.
6.
Why does the gardener
“croon” while cutting the tree?
Ans. The gardener croons to hide cruelty
behind gentle words, making control appear loving and natural.
7.
What false idea about nature
does the gardener impose?
Ans. He teaches that being small, weak, and domestic is natural, though it is
artificially imposed.
8.
Who are referred to as
“living creatures” in the poem?
Ans. “Living creatures” refers to human beings, especially women, subjected to
early social conditioning.
9.
What is meant by “dwarf
their growth”?
Ans. It means deliberately limiting physical, mental, and emotional
development.
10. Explain the significance of the title A Work of Artifice.
Ans. The title suggests something artificially
created through deception. The bonsai appears beautiful but is the result of
manipulation, just as social roles are artificially imposed on individuals.
11. How does the poem use the image of the bonsai to criticise society?
Ans. The bonsai’s forced smallness mirrors how society restricts human
potential. Natural strength is denied through constant control disguised as
nurturing.
12. Discuss the role of irony in the gardener’s behaviour.
Ans. The gardener speaks gently while harming the tree. His irony lies in presenting
confinement as care and weakness as natural.
13. How does the poem shift from plant imagery to human reality?
Ans. After describing the bonsai, the poet directly refers to “living
creatures,” making the social message explicit.
THREE-MARK QUESTIONS
1.
Explain the significance of
the title A Work of Artifice.
Ans. The title suggests something artificial
created through deception. The bonsai appears beautiful but is shaped by
manipulation. Similarly, society artificially shapes individuals, especially
women, by limiting growth while pretending to nurture them. The “art” hides
cruelty.
2.
How does the gardener
symbolise social authority in the poem?
Ans. The gardener represents society or patriarchal power that controls growth
deliberately. Through careful pruning and gentle speech, he restricts the tree
while convincing it that weakness is natural and confinement is fortunate.
3.
Discuss the use of irony in
the gardener’s speech.
Ans. The gardener speaks softly and lovingly while causing harm. His irony lies
in presenting restriction as kindness and weakness as destiny, exposing how
oppression often operates through gentle persuasion rather than force.
4.
How does the poem move from
plant imagery to human reality?
Ans. The poem begins with a bonsai tree and gradually shifts to “living
creatures,” making it clear that the tree is a metaphor for humans subjected to
social conditioning and control.
5.
Why does the poet emphasise
early conditioning?
Ans. Early conditioning ensures that imposed limitations are internalised. When
restriction begins in childhood, individuals accept weakness as natural and
rarely challenge social control later.
6.
Explain the significance of
the images in the final stanza.
Ans. Images like bound feet, crippled brains,
and curled hair represent physical, mental, and social restrictions imposed on
women, exposing systematic oppression disguised as culture and care.
7.
How does the poem criticise
traditional gender roles?
Ans. The poem shows how women are trained to be domestic, weak, and decorative,
denying them freedom and strength while calling such limitation natural.
8.
What is the central message
of the poem?
Ans. The poem exposes how human potential is deliberately restricted under the
pretence of care, beauty, and protection.
Figures Of Speech
Title: A Work of Artifice
• Metaphor – Suggests something artificial and
deceptive rather than natural.
• Irony – What looks like art or care is actually manipulation and harm.
“The bonsai tree”
• Symbol / Metaphor – Represents human beings,
especially women, whose natural growth is restricted.
“in the attractive pot”
• Symbolism – The pot symbolises confinement
disguised as beauty and care.
• Irony – The pot looks attractive but limits growth.
“could have grown eighty feet tall”
• Hyperbole – Emphasises immense natural potential.
“on the side of a mountain”
• Imagery – Creates a vivid picture of freedom and
natural strength.
• Symbolism – Mountain suggests independence and power.
“till split by lightning.”
• Imagery – Visual and dramatic natural image.
• Personification (suggestive) – Nature acting violently.
• Symbolism – Natural risks of freedom, preferable to safe confinement.
“But a gardener”
• Symbolism – Gardener represents society,
patriarchy, or authority.
“carefully pruned it.”
• Irony – “Carefully” suggests kindness but
actually causes harm.
• Metaphor – Pruning symbolises social restriction.
“whittles back the branches”
• Metaphor – Gradual removal of freedom and growth.
• Imagery – Visual image of cutting little by little.
“the gardener croons,”
• Irony – Gentle voice paired with harmful action.
• Auditory Imagery – Sound of soft singing.
“It is your nature”
• Irony – Artificial limitation presented as
natural.
“to be small and cozy,”
• Symbolism – Social expectation of submissiveness.
• Irony – Smallness equated with comfort.
“domestic and weak;”
• Internal rhyme – ‘k’ sound rhymes internally
• Symbolism – Traditional gender roles imposed on women.
“how lucky, little tree,”
• Irony – Misfortune presented as luck.
• Apostrophe – Addressing the tree directly.
• Metaphor – Pot as controlled space of existence.
• Irony – Growth within restriction.
“With living creatures”
• Metaphor – Bonsai equated with humans.
“one must begin very early”
• Irony – Sounds instructional but exposes cruelty.
“to dwarf their growth:”
• Metaphor – Growth stunted deliberately.
• Symbolism – Physical oppression (e.g.,
foot-binding).
• Synecdoche – Feet represent the whole person’s freedom.
“the crippled brain,”
• Metaphor – Intellectual suppression.
“the hair in curlers,”
• Symbolism – Enforced beauty norms.
• Irony – Beautification as control.
“the hands you”
• Synecdoche – Hands represent women themselves.
“love to touch.”
• Irony – Affection linked with objectification.
• Symbolism – Women valued for appearance, not ability.
2. It is carefully pruned to prevent its growth to serve as a decorative piece.
(b) 1 is an example of 2.
(c) 1 is independent of 2.
(d) 1 is a contradiction of 2.
(a) The bonsai tree is an extended metaphor for a woman in patriarchal society.
(b) The growth of a woman is deliberately stunted in a man-dominated society.
(c) A woman is brainwashed to be careful only about her looks from the beginning.
(d) The poet urges all women to revolt against their oppressors.
Whittles back the branches
the gardener croons,
(b) thwarted
(c) happy and self-satisfied
(d) jealous
1. intelligent
2. mentally strong
3. weak
4. attractive
5. confident
6. capable of taking independent decisions
(b) 1, 2, 5 and 6
(c) 3, 4, 5 and 6
(d) 1, 3, 4 and 5
to have a pot to grow in.
(a) simile
(b) oxymoron
(c) irony
(d) pun
Ans. (c) irony
(a) art
(b) trickery
(c) intelligence
(d) skill
Ans. (b) trickery
(a) Women are themselves responsible for their plight in society.
(b) Women are conditioned to willingly accept stereotypical roles.
(c) The gardener represents the stereotypical male.
(d) Women need to protest against their suppression.
Ans. (a) Women are themselves responsible for their plight in society.
(a) intelligence
(b) dependence
(c) obedience
(d) weakness
Ans. (a) intelligence
(a) sad
(b) happy
(c) excited
(d) happy and proud
Ans. happy and proud
(a) to punish women
(b) to make women slaves
(c) to make women realize their unimportance
(d) to make them small and look attractive
Ans. (d) to make them small and look attractive
(a) it would have died
(b) it would have grown 80 feet tall
(c) it would have looked attractive
(d) it would have borne fruit.
Ans. (b) it would have grown 80 feet tall
(a) condescending
(c) entertaining
(b) amusing
(d) solemn
Ans. (a) condescending (disdainful)
(a) it is your nature/to be small and cozy
(b) the crippled brain/the hair in curlers
(c) the hands you/love to touch
(d) the bonsai tree/in the attractive pot
Ans. (d) the bonsai tree/in the attractive pot
(a) Men are oppressors.
(b) Social conditioning is used to prevent women from flourishing to their full potential.
(c) Women are conditioned to feel happy in being small and weak.
(d) Women must protest against their stereotypical role in society.
Ans. (b) Social conditioning is used to prevent women from flourishing to their full potential.
(a) personification
(b) metaphor
(c) simile
(d) alliteration
Ans. (b) metaphor
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.
Ans. Bonsai, a globally popular Japanese gardening technique, which involves miniaturizing trees so that they can be grown in a pot. It is considered a form of art and is highly acclaimed the world over. In her poem "A Work of Artifice," Marge Piercy uses a bonsai tree as an extended metaphor to comment on the manner in which women are regarded by society. The tree through the use of imagery is used to symbolize how women are oppressed and their potentials are constrained by males.
Ans. It could have grown eighty feet tall in its natural environment on the side of a mountain. Its growth is stunted by the gardener's careful pruning, and whittling it, thus stunting its growth.
Ans. The gardener, in the poem, represents the patriarchal society or the forces that restrict women's growth and potential by constant oppression and torture forcing them to remain an object of pleasure and enjoyment for men.
Ans. The gardener wants the bonsai to remain small and weak for aesthetic purposes and control, reflecting societal pressure to conform to traditional beauty standards and limitations on women's growth.
Ans. The gardener wants the tree to remain small and weak as he wants to make it attractive and decorative. But this shows a condemning tone because a tree's nature is to be anything but small, this also represents how men expect women to conform to their standards. The gardener takes pride in shaping the tree to his own purposes, imposing his own will on it so that it conforms to his wishes. The gardener dwarfs the tree by pruning it when it pruned, when it had the potential to grow "eighty feet tall."
Ans. The main idea is that social conditioning restricts women's potential, mirroring the gardener's manipulation of the bonsai tree. The speaker criticizes the societal norms and highlights the grave consequences of limiting women's potential and forcing them to remain an object of pleasure and enjoyment for men.
whittles back the branches
the gardener croons,
It is your nature
to be small and cozy.
domestic and weak:
Ans. The gardener is wrong in his patronizing attitude He treats the tree as a mere possession that he can literally manipulate rather than treating it as an independent life. He prunes and whittles its branches to give it an unnatural shape and size. The tree (woman) is forced to accept a position that may or may not be suited to it and thus is highlighted the falseness of this imposed nature.
Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow :
to have a pot to grow in.
With living creatures
one must begin very early
to dwarf their growth.
The speaker is the poet/narrator, critically reflecting on societal norms. The addressee is the bonsai tree, symbolizing women and their constrained potentials. Through this address, the poet highlights the restrictive environments and expectations imposed on women.
2. Restrictive roles: Expecting women to conform to traditional gender norms.
3. Controlled growth: Stifling women's intellectual, emotional, and professional development.
4. Artificial boundaries: Imposing rigid expectations, suppressing individuality.
2. Restricted career choices and advancement.
3. Suppressed autonomy and decision-making.
4. Internalized oppression, self-doubt, and low self-esteem.
2. Socialization: Teaching women to prioritize domesticity over personal ambitions.
3. Stereotyping: Perpetuating harmful gender roles and expectations.
4. Economic control: Limiting financial independence and opportunities.
5. Cultural norms: Enforcing modesty, silence, and submission.
6. Education and resource restrictions: Denying access to knowledge and skills.
7. Violence and intimidation: Using fear to maintain control.
2. Internalized oppression: Women are conditioned to accept limitations as natural.
3. Long-lasting impact: Early conditioning has lasting effects on women's growth and potential.
4. Evaluation of patriarchal norms: The speaker highlights the harm caused by restrictive societal expectations.
2. Domestic managers
3. Submissive partners
2. Cultural norms and expectations
3. Education and media representation
4. Economic dependence
5. Fear of rejection and isolation
the crippled brain,
the hair in curlers,
the hands you love to touch.
Ans. These lines shift the context from the bonsai tree metaphor to explicit examples of societal constraints/ restrictions imposed on women.
2. Achieve an aesthetically pleasing, small foot size.
3. Symbolize beauty and femininity.
4. Demonstrate obedience and submissiveness.
2. Societal validation and acceptance can be obtained.
3. Marriageability and social status can be retained.
4. Male gaze and approval can be upheld.
5. Economic opportunities (e.g., modeling, entertainment) can be availed.
2. Reinforcing harmful beauty standards.
3. Distracting from intellectual and personal growth.
4. Perpetuating gender roles and stereotypes.
2. Highlighting the artificial (curlers) versus natural (hands).
3. Exposing the objectification of women's bodies (hands to touch).
2. Internalized oppression
3. Loss of autonomy and agency
2. Assert autonomy and individuality
3. Prioritize personal growth and empowerment
4. Reject harmful beauty standards and stereotypes
.
- Critiques patriarchal norms controlling women's lives
- Emphasizes the tension between natural growth and artificial constraints
- Artificial constraints limit their growth and autonomy
- Internalized oppression perpetuates harmful norms
- Ironical (e.g., "to have a pot to grow in")
- Concerned (e.g., "one must begin very early to dwarf their growth")
- Highlight internalized oppression ("It is your nature to be small")
- Critique societal norms controlling women's lives
Ans. The imageries used in the poem are:
- Bonsai tree: symbolizes controlled growth, artificial constraints
- Pot: represents societal expectations, limitations
- Pruning: illustrates suppression of natural growth
- "Dwarf their growth": emphasizes artificial constraints
- "Croons": soothing tone masking harm
- "Small and cozy, domestic and weak": societal expectations
No comments:
Post a Comment