Here is a comprehensive study guide for the SEBA Class 10 English chapter, “Dust of Snow,” including a summary, complete textual question answers, previous years’ HSLC questions, and a list of most important questions in both English and Assamese, all in the requested format.
Poem: “Dust of Snow” by Robert Frost
Summary Note (কবিতাটোৰ সাৰাংশ)
English Summary:
“Dust of Snow” is a short but profound poem by Robert Frost. The poem begins with the poet in a sorrowful and depressive mood. He is standing under a hemlock tree, a poisonous tree that symbolizes his dark state of mind. Suddenly, a crow, a bird often associated with bad omens, shakes a branch of the tree, causing a fine dust of snow to fall on the poet.
This simple and seemingly insignificant event has a surprisingly powerful and positive effect on him. The cold and soft touch of the snow instantly changes his mood from one of regret and sadness to one of quiet joy. He realizes that this small moment has saved the rest of his day from being wasted in sorrow. The poem beautifully illustrates the central idea that nature has a healing power, and even the smallest, most ordinary things in the natural world can lift our spirits and bring about a significant positive change in our perspective. Frost uses negative symbols (crow and hemlock) to create a positive effect, suggesting that joy can be found in the most unexpected places.
Assamese Summary (অসমীয়া সাৰাংশ):
“Dust of Snow” ৰবাৰ্ট ফ্ৰষ্টৰ দ্বাৰা ৰচিত এখন চুটি কিন্তু গভীৰ অৰ্থপূৰ্ণ কবিতা। কবিতাটোৰ আৰম্ভণিতে কবিক এক দুখ আৰু হতাশাৰ মনোভাৱত দেখা যায়। তেওঁ এটা হেমলক গছৰ তলত থিয় হৈ আছিল, যিটো এটা বিষাক্ত গছ আৰু ই তেওঁৰ মনৰ অন্ধকাৰ অৱস্থাটোক প্ৰতীকিত কৰে। হঠাৎ, এটা কাউৰী, যাক প্ৰায়ে বেয়া শগুনৰ প্ৰতীক হিচাপে গণ্য কৰা হয়, গছজোপাৰ এটা ডাল জোকাৰি দিয়ে, যাৰ ফলত বৰফৰ মিহি ধূলি কবিৰ ওপৰত পৰে।
এই সৰল আৰু সাধাৰণ যেন লগা ঘটনাটোৱে তেওঁৰ ওপৰত এক আশ্চৰ্যজনকভাৱে শক্তিশালী আৰু ইতিবাচক প্ৰভাৱ পেলায়। বৰফৰ শীতল আৰু কোমল স্পৰ্শই তেওঁৰ মনোভাৱক অনুশোচনা আৰু দুখৰ পৰা এক শান্ত আনন্দলৈ তৎক্ষণাত সলনি কৰে। তেওঁ উপলব্ধি কৰে যে এই সৰু মুহূৰ্তটোৱে তেওঁৰ দিনটোৰ বাকী অংশ দুখত নষ্ট হোৱাৰ পৰা বচাইছে। কবিতাটোৱে সুন্দৰভাৱে এই মূল ভাৱটোক দাঙি ধৰিছে যে প্ৰকৃতিৰ এক আৰোগ্যকাৰী শক্তি আছে, আৰু প্ৰাকৃতিক জগতৰ সৰু-সুৰা, সাধাৰণ বস্তুৱেও আমাৰ মনক প্ৰফুল্লিত কৰিব পাৰে আৰু আমাৰ দৃষ্টিভংগীত এক গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ ইতিবাচক পৰিৱৰ্তন আনিব পাৰে। ফ্ৰষ্টে ঋণাত্মক প্ৰতীক (কাউৰী আৰু হেমলক) ব্যৱহাৰ কৰি এক ইতিবাচক প্ৰভাৱ সৃষ্টি কৰিছে, যিয়ে দেখুৱায় যে আনন্দ অতি অপ্রত্যাশিত ঠাইতো পোৱা যায়।
Complete Textual Question Answers (সম্পূৰ্ণ পাঠ্যভিত্তিক প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
Thinking about the Poem (কবিতাটোৰ বিষয়ে চিন্তা)
1. What is a “dust of snow”? What does the poet say has changed his mood? How has the poet’s mood changed?
(বৰফৰ ধূলি কি? কবিয়ে কি কৈছে যে তেওঁৰ মনোভাৱ সলনি হৈছে? কবিৰ মনোভাৱ কেনেকৈ সলনি হ’ল?)
Answer:
- “Dust of snow” refers to the fine, light particles of snow.
- The poet says that the falling of the dust of snow on him from the hemlock tree changed his mood.
- The poet’s mood changed from one of sadness and regret to one of happiness and optimism. Before the incident, he was in a depressive state and felt that his day was ruined, but the simple event of the snow falling on him saved the rest of his day.
2. How does Frost present nature in this poem? The following questions may help you to think of an answer.
(এই কবিতাত ফ্ৰষ্টে প্ৰকৃতিক কেনেকৈ উপস্থাপন কৰিছে? তলৰ প্ৰশ্নবোৰে আপোনাক উত্তৰ ভাবি উলিওৱাত সহায় কৰিব পাৰে।)
(i) What are the birds that are usually named in poems? Do you think a crow is often mentioned in poems? What images come to your mind when you think of a crow?
(কবিতাত সাধাৰণতে কি কি চৰাইৰ নাম লোৱা হয়? আপুনি ভাবেনে যে কাউৰীৰ কথা কবিতাত প্ৰায়ে উল্লেখ কৰা হয়? কাউৰীৰ কথা ভাবিলে আপোনাৰ মনলৈ কি ছবি আহে?)
Answer:
- Birds that are usually named in poems are those known for their beauty and sweet songs, such as the nightingale, cuckoo, sparrow, and skylark.
- No, a crow is not often mentioned in poems, especially not in a positive light.
- When we think of a crow, we usually imagine a black, harsh-sounding bird that is often seen as a symbol of sorrow, darkness, and bad luck.
(ii) Again, what is “a hemlock tree”? Why doesn’t the poet write about a more ‘beautiful’ tree such as a maple, or an oak, or a pine?
(আকৌ, “হেমলক গছ” কি? কবিয়ে কিয় মেপল, ওক বা পাইনৰ দৰে অধিক ‘সুন্দৰ’ গছৰ বিষয়ে লিখা নাই?)
Answer:
- A hemlock tree is a poisonous tree with small white flowers.
- The poet chose the hemlock tree over a more beautiful tree to set a scene of sorrow and depression. Both the crow and the hemlock tree are unconventional symbols in poetry and are typically associated with negativity. Their use effectively mirrors the poet’s initial gloomy mood.
(iii) 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?
(‘কাউৰী’ আৰু ‘হেমলকে’ কিহৰ প্ৰতীক— আনন্দ নে দুখ? কাউৰীয়ে হেমলক গছৰ পৰা জোকাৰি পেলোৱা বৰফৰ ধূলিয়ে কি বুজায়?)
Answer:
- The ‘crow’ and the ‘hemlock’ tree traditionally represent sorrow, death, and negativity.
- The “dust of snow” stands for a moment of pure, simple joy that comes from nature. It symbolizes hope and the power of a small, natural event to bring about a positive change in one’s outlook.
3. Have there been times when you felt depressed or hopeless? Have you experienced a similar moment that changed your mood that day?
(আপুনি কেতিয়াবা হতাশ বা নিৰাশ অনুভৱ কৰিছে নেকি? আপুনি এনে কোনো মুহূৰ্তৰ অভিজ্ঞতা লাভ কৰিছে নেকি যিয়ে সেইদিনা আপোনাৰ মনোভাৱ সলনি কৰিছিল?)
Answer: (This is a personal response question. A sample answer is provided below.)
Yes, there have been times when I have felt depressed. I recall a gloomy, rainy day when I was feeling very low and unmotivated. I was looking out the window when I saw a tiny sparrow taking a bath in a small puddle on the road, chirping and fluttering its wings with great joy. Watching that small bird find so much happiness in the rain made me smile. It was a simple moment, but it lifted my spirits and made me realize that one can find joy even on a gloomy day. My mood changed, and I felt much better afterward.
Previous Year HSLC Question Answers (2015-2025)
Short Questions (চমু প্ৰশ্ন)
- What did the poet see when he was in a sorrowful mood? (HSLC 2012)
(দুখৰ মনোভাৱত থাকোঁতে কবিয়ে কি দেখিছিল?)
Answer: The poem implies that while the poet was in a sorrowful mood, he was under a hemlock tree where a crow shook down a “dust of snow” on him. - Where was the crow? (HSLC 2017, 2020)
(কাউৰীটো ক’ত আছিল?)
Answer: The crow was on a hemlock tree. - What did the crow shake on the poet? (HSLC 2017, 2020)
(কাউৰীটোৱে কবিৰ ওপৰত কি জোকাৰিছিল?)
Answer: The crow shook the “dust of snow” on the poet. - What is a hemlock tree? (HSLC 2022)
(হেমলক গছ কি?)
Answer: A hemlock tree is a poisonous tree with small white flowers.
Long Questions (দীঘল প্ৰশ্ন)
- What is the central idea of the poem “Dust of Snow”? (HSLC 2021)
(কবিতাটোৰ মূল ভাব কি?)
Answer: The central idea of the poem “Dust of Snow” is that even small, seemingly insignificant moments in nature can have a profound and positive impact on a person’s mood and outlook. The poet, who was having a bad day filled with regret, experiences a sudden change of heart when a crow shakes snow on him. This simple event saves the rest of his day from being wasted. The poem teaches us to appreciate the little joys of life and highlights the healing power of nature, which can bring happiness unexpectedly. - How has the poet’s mood changed? (HSLC 2019)
(কবিৰ মনোভাৱ কেনেকৈ সলনি হ’ল?)
Answer: The poet’s mood changed from negative to positive. Initially, he was in a state of sorrow and regret (“had rued” a part of his day). However, when the “dust of snow” fell on him, his mood was instantly lifted. The incident gave his heart “a change of mood” and “saved some part” of the day he had thought was lost. His feeling of depression was washed away by a simple, beautiful act of nature.
Most Important 10 Questions and Answers (১০টা আটাইতকৈ গুৰুত্বপূৰ্ণ প্ৰশ্নোত্তৰ)
1. What is the underlying message of the poem “Dust of Snow”?
(কবিতাটোৰ অন্তৰ্নিহিত বাৰ্তা কি?)
Answer: The underlying message is that nature has a therapeutic quality. Even small, simple things in nature can bring about a significant positive change in our lives and lift our spirits when we are feeling down.
2. Why does the poet use negative symbols like the crow and the hemlock tree?
(কবিয়ে কাউৰী আৰু হেমলক গছৰ দৰে ঋণাত্মক প্ৰতীক কিয় ব্যৱহাৰ কৰিছে?)
Answer: The poet uses these negative symbols to highlight the fact that joy and positivity can come from the most unexpected and unlikely sources. By showing that a traditionally “bad” bird and a poisonous tree can be the agents of a happy change, he breaks conventional thinking.
3. What had ruined the poet’s day before the snow fell on him?
(বৰফ পৰাৰ আগতে কবিয়ে দিনটো কিহে নষ্ট কৰিছিল?)
Answer: The poem does not specify the exact reason, but it states that the poet “had rued” the day, which means he was holding it in regret and sorrow. This implies that something unpleasant had happened, putting him in a depressive mood.
4. Explain the line: “And saved some part / Of a day I had rued.”
(শাৰীটো ব্যাখ্যা কৰা: “And saved some part / Of a day I had rued.”)
Answer: This line means that the simple, positive experience of the snow falling on him saved the remainder of his day from being wasted in sadness and regret. Before this, he had written off the entire day as bad, but this incident allowed him to use the rest of the day happily.
5. What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?
(কবিতাটোৰ ছন্দ-বিন্যাস কি?)
Answer: The rhyme scheme of the poem is abab cdcd.
6. What are the two agents of nature that brought about the change in the poet’s mood?
(প্ৰকৃতিৰ কোন দুটা উপাদানে কবিৰ মনোভাৱত পৰিৱৰ্তন আনিছিল?)
Answer: The two agents of nature were the crow and the dust of snow from the hemlock tree.
7. How does the poem show that the poet was not expecting anything good that day?
(কবিতাটোৱে কেনেকৈ দেখুৱায় যে কবিয়ে সেইদিনা কোনো ভাল কথা আশা কৰা নাছিল?)
Answer: The setting itself, with the sorrowful crow and the poisonous hemlock tree, reflects the poet’s gloomy state of mind. His use of the word “rued” shows he was already regretting the day, indicating he had no hope for anything positive to happen.
8. What does the “dust of snow” symbolize in the poem?
(কবিতাত “বৰফৰ ধূলি”য়ে কিহৰ প্ৰতীক?)
Answer: The “dust of snow” symbolizes a small, natural joy or a moment of happiness that comes unexpectedly and has the power to heal and refresh the mind.
9. What literary device is used in the poem?
(কবিতাটোত কি সাহিত্যিক কৌশল ব্যৱহাৰ কৰা হৈছে?)
Answer: The main literary devices are symbolism (crow, hemlock, snow), alliteration (“saved some”), and enjambment (the continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line).
10. How does the poem inspire us?
(কবিতাটোৱে আমাক কেনেকৈ অনুপ্ৰাণিত কৰে?)
Answer: The poem inspires us to find happiness in the small, simple things in life and to maintain a positive outlook. It teaches us that even on our worst days, a small, unexpected event can change everything for the better.
