Summary and Question Answer of ICSE Class 7 English Poem, Titled “A Thunderstorm by Emily Dickinson"
Summary and Question Answer of ICSE Class 7 English Poem, Titled “A Thunderstorm by Emily Dickinson"
Summary/Question and Answer (Very Short Answer Question, Short Answer Question, Long Answer Question) / Assertion and Reasoning / Fill In the Blanks / Case Study Question and Answer
“A Thunderstorm by Emily Dickinson”
Class 7th / English / ICSE / Summary / Line by Line Explanation / Question and Answer
Summary: "A Thunderstorm" by Emily Dickinson is a poem that vividly describes the experience of a thunderstorm. In this poem, the poet uses powerful imagery and figurative language to capture the intensity and impact of a storm on the natural world and human emotions.
The poem begins by portraying the calm before the storm, with the atmosphere becoming tense and still. The poet then describes the sudden arrival of the thunderstorm, emphasizing the fierce lightning and the booming thunder that accompanies it. The storm is depicted as a powerful and uncontrollable force of nature, shaking the earth and causing trees to bend and sway under its force. The wind howls, and the rain pours down in torrents, creating a scene of chaos and fury.
Amidst the storm, the poet also explores the emotional response of humans to such a natural phenomenon. The fear and awe inspired by the thunder and lightning are evident in the poem. The storm serves as a reminder of the immense power of nature, leaving people feeling small and insignificant in the face of its wrath.
Throughout the poem, Dickinson's use of vivid imagery and intense language creates a sensory experience for the reader, allowing them to feel the storm's impact and understand the profound effect it has on both the natural world and human perception.
In summary, "A Thunderstorm" portrays the awe-inspiring and fearsome nature of a thunderstorm, capturing the wild energy of the storm and the overwhelming emotions it evokes in those who witness it.
Line by Line Explanation of the Poem A Thunderstorm By Emily Dickinson
1. "The wind begun to rock the grass Explanation: The wind started moving the grass gently, making it sway back and forth.
2. With threatening tunes and low, - Explanation: The wind made low, ominous sounds, as if it was warning about something dangerous.
3. He flung a menace at the earth, Explanation: The wind seemed to threaten the earth, as if it was angry or aggressive.
4. A menace at the sky. Explanation: The wind also threatened the sky, indicating its powerful and fierce nature.
5. The leaves unhooked themselves from trees Explanation: The leaves detached from the trees, falling off because of the strong wind.
6. And started all abroad; Explanation: The leaves scattered everywhere, blown away by the wind.
7. The dust did scoop itself like hands Explanation: The dust on the ground was lifted up, forming shapes like hands scooping it up, due to the force of the wind.
8. And throw away the road. Explanation: The wind was so strong that it made the dust rise and cover the road, making it hard to see.
9. The wagons quickened on the streets, Explanation: The horse-drawn carts on the streets moved faster, probably because the people driving them wanted to reach safety quickly.
10. The thunder hurried slow; Explanation: The thunder rumbled slowly, adding to the ominous atmosphere of the storm.
11. The lightning showed a yellow beak, Explanation: The lightning appeared bright yellow, resembling the beak of a bird.
12. And then a livid claw. Explanation: After the yellow lightning, there was a flash of livid (pale or bluish) light, resembling a claw, emphasizing the storm's intensity.
13. The birds put up the bars to nests, Explanation: Birds hurried to their nests and closed the entrances to protect themselves from the storm.
14. The cattle fled to barns; Explanation: Cows and other animals ran to the safety of barns, seeking shelter from the approaching storm.
15. There came one drop of giant rain, Explanation: A large raindrop fell from the sky, indicating that the rain was about to pour heavily.
16. And then, as if the hands Explanation: Suddenly, it seemed as if someone's hands (imaginary) were controlling the elements of the storm.
17. That held the dams had parted hold, Explanation: It felt like the hands that were holding back the dams (holding back water) had let go, releasing a massive amount of water.
18. The waters wrecked the sky, Explanation: The rain poured so heavily that it seemed like the water was damaging or wrecking the sky itself.
19. But overlooked my father's house, Explanation: Strangely, the storm spared the speaker's father's house, not causing any harm to it.
20. Just quartering a tree. Explanation: Instead, the storm only partially damaged a tree nearby, splitting it into quarters.
In summary, the poem vividly describes the intensifying storm, its impact on nature, and the fear it instills in both animals and humans. The poet uses powerful imagery to convey the force and wildness of the thunderstorm.
Question and Answer
1. What is this poem mostly about? Summarize: The poem describes the intensity and impact of a thunderstorm on nature and human emotions. It portrays the storm as a powerful and frightening force, creating a sense of awe and fear.
2. What is the setting for this poem? How do you know? How might the poem be different if the setting were a city? The setting of the poem is a rural area or countryside. This is evident from the imagery of grass, trees, wagons, and barns. If the setting were a city, the impact of the storm might be portrayed differently, focusing on the contrast between urban structures and the natural elements. The fear and chaos in a city during a storm could evoke a different atmosphere in the poem.
3. How does the first stanza create a feeling that the storm is dangerous and frightening? The first stanza conveys the threatening nature of the storm through the imagery of the wind rocking the grass with "threatening tunes and low." The use of words like "menace" and the description of the wind flinging threats at the earth and sky intensify the sense of danger and fear.
4. Personification is a literary term that means giving human traits to nonhuman things. What are some examples you see in this poem? Examples of personification in the poem include the wind being described as if it has intentions ("He flung a menace"), the leaves unhooking themselves from trees, and the lightning having a "yellow beak" and a "livid claw."
5. The speaker describes a “threatening” storm. What kind of expectation does that set up for the end of the poem? What does happen at the end of the poem? The term "threatening" creates an expectation of impending danger or disaster. However, at the end of the poem, the speaker's father's house is spared, and the storm only damages a tree nearby. This unexpected turn of events contrasts with the initial sense of threat, providing a surprising and somewhat relieving resolution.
6. Who is the speaker of the poem? Use evidence from the poem to support your answer. The speaker of the poem is not explicitly identified, but it seems to be someone observing the storm from a personal perspective. The line "But overlooked my father's house" suggests a personal connection to the surroundings, indicating that the speaker might be someone familiar with the area where the storm is taking place.
7. Imagery in poems can be interpreted in different ways. Reread the second stanza. What do you think is happening? In the second stanza, the imagery describes the chaotic impact of the storm. The leaves are blown off the trees, dust rises from the ground, and the wind affects the surroundings, causing disruption and disorder. The wagons moving quickly and the thunder and lightning intensifying indicate a sense of urgency and turmoil.
8. How does the comparison of lightning to a “yellow beak” and “livid claws” affect the tone of the poem? Comparing lightning to a "yellow beak" and "livid claws" adds a sinister and menacing tone to the poem. These comparisons evoke the imagery of a predatory bird, emphasizing the aggressive and dangerous nature of the storm. The tone becomes more ominous and fearful, enhancing the overall intensity of the poem.
20 Very Short Question ans Answer
Q1: What does the wind do to the grass in the beginning?
A1: The wind rocks the grass.
Q2: How does the wind threaten the earth and the sky?
A2: The wind flings a menace at the earth and the sky.
Q3: What happens to the leaves during the storm?
A3: The leaves unhook themselves from trees and scatter.
Q4: How does the dust behave during the storm?
A4: The dust scoops itself up like hands and covers the road.
Q5: What do the wagons do on the streets during the storm?
A5: The wagons quicken on the streets.
Q6: How does the thunder sound in the poem?
A6: The thunder hurries slowly.
Q7: What color is the lightning compared to?
A7: The lightning is compared to a yellow beak and a livid claw.
Q8: What do the birds do during the storm?
A8: The birds put up the bars to nests for protection.
Q9: Where do the cattle go for safety?
A9: The cattle flee to barns.
Q10: How much rain falls initially during the storm?
A10: One drop of giant rain falls.
Q11: What happens when the hands holding the dams part?
A11: The waters wreck the sky.
Q12: Whose house is overlooked by the storm?
A12: The speaker's father's house is overlooked.
Q13: What does personification mean in literature?
A13: Personification means giving human traits to nonhuman things.
Q14: How does the poem create a sense of fear in the reader?
A14: The poem uses threatening imagery and intense descriptions to evoke fear.
Q15: What does the storm spare in the end?
A15: The storm spares the speaker's father's house.
Q16: What is the tone of the poem?
A16: The tone is ominous and menacing due to the storm's description.
Q17: What emotion does the storm evoke in the animals?
A17: The storm evokes fear in the animals, causing them to seek shelter.
Q18: How does the dust behave like hands?
A18: The dust scoops itself up, resembling hands picking it up.
Q19: What do the leaves do after unhooking from trees?
A19: The leaves scatter and start moving around.
Q20: What does the storm's intensity emphasize in the poem?
A20: The storm's intensity emphasizes the power of nature and human vulnerability.
25 Multiple Choice Questiion
1. What is the main subject of the poem?
A) Sunrise
B) Thunderstorm
C) Rainbow
D) Wind
Answer: B) Thunderstorm
2. What does the wind do to the grass in the first stanza?
A) Burns it
B) Rocks it
C) Covers it
D) Cuts it
Answer: B) Rocks it
3. How does the thunderstorm affect the leaves?
A) They turn golden.
B) They unhook themselves from trees.
C) They become louder.
D) They start glowing.
Answer: B) They unhook themselves from trees.
4. What does the dust do in the second stanza?
A) It disappears.
B) It forms shapes like hands.
C) It turns red.
D) It freezes.
Answer: B) It forms shapes like hands.
5. How do the wagons move on the streets during the storm?
A) Slowly
B) Backward
C) Quickly
D) Erratically
Answer: C) Quickly
6. What color is the lightning compared to in the poem?
A) Blue
B) Yellow
C) Red
D) Green
Answer: B) Yellow
7. What does the speaker's father's house overlook at the end of the poem?
A) A river
B) A mountain
C) A tree
D) The storm
Answer: C) A tree
8. What literary device is used when the wind is described as having a "menace"?
A) Alliteration
B) Hyperbole
C) Personification
D) Simile
Answer: C) Personification
9. What emotion does the thunderstorm evoke in the poem?
A) Happiness
B) Fear and awe
C) Anger
D) Excitement
Answer: B) Fear and awe
10. Which word in the poem suggests a sense of urgency?
A) Slow
B) Quickened
C) Calm
D) Quiet
Answer: B) Quickened
11. What do the birds do during the storm?
A) Sing louder
B) Close the entrances to their nests
C) Fly away
D) Build new nests
Answer: B) Close the entrances to their nests
12. How does the speaker describe the lightning's appearance?
A) Sharp as a knife
B) Yellow beak and livid claws
C) Gentle and soothing
D) Bright as the sun
Answer: B) Yellow beak and livid claws
13. What do the cattle do during the storm?
A) Graze in the field
B) Flee to barns
C) Dance around
D) Sleep under trees
Answer: B) Flee to barns
14. What do the hands do in the poem?
A) They clap.
B) They part the dams.
C) They build houses.
D) They play music.
Answer: B) They part the dams.
15. Which line suggests that the storm was selective in its damage?
A) "The wind begun to rock the grass"
B) "The leaves unhooked themselves from trees"
C) "But overlooked my father's house,"
D) "The wagons quickened on the streets,"
Answer: C) "But overlooked my father's house,"
16. What does the storm overlook in the poem?
A) The entire countryside
B) The speaker's house
C) The trees
D) The animals
Answer: B) The speaker's house
17. What does the speaker's father's house overlook?
A) A river
B) A valley
C) A tree
D) The storm
Answer: C) A tree
18. How does the poet create a sense of chaos in the poem?
A) By describing a sunny day
B) By using calm and soothing language
C) By using words like "threatening," "menace," and "wrecked"
D) By talking about a peaceful night
Answer: C) By using words like "threatening," "menace," and "wrecked"
19. What does the wind fling at the earth and sky?
A) Flowers
B) Threats
C) Rainbows
D) Clouds
Answer: B) Threats
20. What word describes the lightning's movement in the poem?
A) Slow
B) Erratic
C) Swift
D) Gentle
Answer: C) Swift
21. What does the lightning show in the poem?
A) A yellow beak
B) A red tail
C) A blue wing
D) A green body
Answer: A) A yellow beak
22. What does the dust do in the second stanza of the poem?
A) Disappears
B) Forms shapes like hands
C) Turns into mud
D) Covers the grass
Answer: B) Forms shapes like hands
23. What do the leaves do in response to the storm?
A) Turn golden
B) Unhook themselves from trees
C) Grow larger
D) Attach themselves to the ground
Answer: B) Unhook themselves from trees
24. What kind of tone does the comparison of lightning to a "yellow beak" and "livid claws" create in the poem?
A) Joyful
B) Peaceful
C) Sinister and menacing
D) Playful
Answer: C) Sinister and menacing
25. What is the overall mood of the poem?
A) Happy and celebratory
B) Calm and serene
C) Fearful and intense
D) Sad and melancholic
Answer: C) Fearful and intense
25 Fill in the Blanks
The wind began to ________ the grass
Answer: rock
With threatening tunes and ________, -
Answer: low
He flung a ________ at the earth,
Answer: menace
A menace at the ________.
Answer: sky
The leaves unhooked themselves from ________
Answer: trees
And started all ________;
Answer: abroad
The dust did scoop itself like ________
Answer: hands
And throw away the ________.
Answer: road
The wagons quickened on the ________,
Answer: streets
The thunder hurried ________;
Answer: slow
The lightning showed a ________ beak,
Answer: yellow
And then a ________ claw.
Answer: livid
The birds put up the bars to ________,
Answer: nests
The cattle fled to ________,
Answer: barns
There came one drop of ________ rain,
Answer: giant
And then, as if the hands
That held the dams had parted ________,
Answer: hold
The waters wrecked the ________,
Answer: sky
But overlooked my ________'s house,
Answer: father's
Just quartering a ________.
Answer: tree
The poem describes the fear and chaos caused by a ________.
Answer: thunderstorm
The wind's tunes were ________ and ominous.
Answer: threatening
The leaves detached themselves from the ________ due to the wind's force.
Answer: trees
The dust on the ground was lifted by the wind and formed shapes like ________.
Answer: hands
The lightning was compared to a ________ and later to livid claws.
Answer: yellow beak
The poem's tone becomes ________ as the storm intensifies.
Answer: menacing
25 True/False
True/False: The poem describes a peaceful, sunny day.
Answer: False
True/False: The wind in the poem is depicted as gentle and soothing.
Answer: False
True/False: The thunderstorm in the poem brings a sense of fear and danger.
Answer: True
True/False: The lightning in the poem is described as having a blue color.
Answer: False
True/False: The leaves in the poem remain firmly attached to the trees during the storm.
Answer: False
True/False: The storm in the poem only affects the natural environment, not human-made structures.
Answer: False
True/False: The speaker's father's house is completely destroyed by the storm.
Answer: False
True/False: The poem suggests that the storm has a mind of its own and intends to harm.
Answer: True
True/False: The animals in the poem, such as birds and cattle, seek shelter during the storm.
Answer: True
True/False: The thunder in the poem is described as slow and distant.
Answer: False
True/False: The storm in the poem is described as a calming and peaceful experience.
Answer: False
True/False: The poem uses personification to give human traits to the wind.
Answer: True
True/False: The lightning in the poem resembles the beak of a bird.
Answer: True
True/False: The wagons on the streets slow down during the storm.
Answer: False
True/False: The storm in the poem causes the waters to flood the sky.
Answer: True
True/False: The dust on the road remains undisturbed during the storm.
Answer: False
True/False: The speaker's tone throughout the poem is cheerful and lighthearted.
Answer: False
True/False: The storm in the poem is described as a gentle, refreshing rain.
Answer: False
True/False: The poem suggests that the storm is selective in its destruction, sparing certain areas.
Answer: True
True/False: The poem conveys a sense of wonder and admiration for the storm's power.
Answer: True
True/False: The speaker's emotions in the poem are indifferent and unaffected by the storm.
Answer: False
True/False: The storm in the poem is a metaphor for human emotions.
Answer: False
True/False: The lightning in the poem is described as having a livid (pale or bluish) color.
Answer: True
True/False: The storm in the poem only affects the natural world; humans are not impacted.
Answer: False
True/False: The poem suggests that the storm is a destructive force of nature.
Answer: True