Hello friends today we are discuss this question, the question is -Give the central idea of the poem ‘On Killing a Tree.’
On Killing a Tree’ is a poem with a hard-hitting approach to the destruction of nature. It deals with the cutting of a tree which is deliberately mentioned as “killing” by the poet. The tree, the poet says, refuses to give in to man’s intention of killing it. The central idea is to make the reader realise the pain, agony and crisis that a tree undergoes when it is chopped. Another purpose of the poet is to remind man about the destruction which they are calling upon themselves by cutting trees-the primary support of life. A tree contributes to the earth in various ways. It provides food, oxygen and shelter. By abolishing trees, man is actually preparing themselves for their evil days. The tree stands as the metaphor of strength and persistence as it does not give in to man easily. Life has to be completely extricated from the dying tree by uprooting it from the ‘cave’ of earth. No scope to let the tree regenerate with new leaves or ‘miniature boughs’ can be given. So, the central idea or the theme is the revelation of the intensity of the perverse act of cutting a tree and the greed of mankind for some material gain.