A Roadside Stand

NCERT Book for 12th Class English Flamingo Poetry 5  A Roadside Stand is available for reading or download on this page. Candidates who are in class 12th or preparing for any test which is based on 12th Class English can refer to NCERT English Flamingo Book for their preparation. Here you can read Poetry 5 of 12th Class  English NCERT Book.

 Questions and Answers

Q.1 Have you ever stopped at a roadside stand? What have you observed there?
Ans. The poet believes that when we encounter a beautiful thing, even for a small movement, the pleasure remains with us forever. It leaves a lasting impression that inspires us to live life with hope and optimism.

Q.2 The city folk who drove through the countryside hardly paid any heed to the roadside stand or to the people who ran it. If at all they did, it was to complain. Which lines bring this out? What was their complaint about?
Ans. The city folk drove through the countryside with a mindset on their destination. They did not bother to look at the roadside stand. If at all the stopped, they were critical of its poor decoration, artless interior, and paint which marred the scenic beauty of the mountains. They also complained of the won sign put up by the stand’s owners and they wild berries were being sold in wooden quarts.

Q.3 What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand?
Ans. The poor folk of villages put up the roadside stands far- far away from the city. They waited for a fast running city car to stop there. They wanted that the city people should buy Something to order to attract the city folk they put their fruits in mountain shapes. They wanted to on some money from city people. They also wanted to feel that money in their hands. They also wanted to be well off. That was why they had put up the roadside stand in the countryside far away from the city.

Q.4 The government and other social service agencies appear to help poor rural people but do them no good. Pick out the words and phrases that the poet uses to show their double standards.
Ans. The poet Robert Frost has very correctly pictured the role of the social agencies and the government in helping poor rural folk. But actually, they do them no good. All these agencies come forward with calculated beneficial planning for themselves Their double standard is evident from :

“While greedy good-doers, beneficent beasts of prey

Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits.

That is calculated to soothe them out of their wits.”

Q.5 What is the childish longing that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?
Ans. The poor villagers have made a roadside stand. They have made it to earn some money. The poor villagers offer the city people fruits and other services. But the city people do not pay any attention to their fruits and other things. They only thought about their selfish motives. On the other hand, poor people want to earn some money from these city people. But the actual behavior of city people ruins all hopes. This is the ‘childish longing’ of poor villagers. But it is vain because of the behavior of the city people.

Q.6 Which lines tell us about the insufferable pain that the poet feels at the thought of the plight of the rural poor?
Ans. The poem ‘A Roadside Stand’ is written by “Robert Frost. Poet talks about a roadside stand that is made by the poor folk of villages. They want to earn some money from city people by selling fruits. But their waiting goes in vain. The poet gives the readers, the hint of his insufferable pain as :

Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear

The thought of much childish longing in

vain,

The sadness that lurks near the open

window there,

That waits all day in almost open prayer

Because of the suffering of poor people, the poet gets deeply hurt. It is clear in the last two lines :

I wonder how I should like you to come to me

And offer to put me gently out of my pain.