The Sower : Brainstorming and Appreciation

Ice breakers On The Sower

Make a list of words related to agriculture.
Farm, crop, sowing, plough, cultivate, yield, seeds, grains, spade, scythe, sprout, pod, spray,
ii) Discuss the activities carried out by a farmer.

Ploughing    furrowing    sowing  cultivating 

iii) In our country engineering, teaching and medical field are much sought after. Other professions, occupations though they make a significant contribution to the society, do not get their due.

iv) ‘Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian Economy’ Fill in the boxes supporting this statement. Complete the web diagram.

Brainstorming on The Sower

(A1) There are a number of challenges a farmer in India faces. Discuss with your friend, how it is possible to improve the condition of farmers.

(A2) The poet has observed the sower closely. Express in your words the reverence the poet has for the sower.
Ans: The poet has great respect for the sower. The sower is described as hardworking and a man of patience. He is dominant.
(A3) The poet is prompted to call the sower an ‘august personality’ which means one who reached the highest position in his work place.
Explain this using the following points.
Hard work          Perseverance              Dedication
The sower is working hard. Though the working hours came to an end, he lingers in his work place. He sows the seeds and waits for the crop all the season. He works day and night to grow his crops.
(A4)I)  Pick out the examples of alliteration from the poem and write them down.
Ans: 1.  Sunlight, I see, dying fast – The consonantal sound ‘s’ is repeated pleasingly.
         2. Darkness deepens. -The consonantal sound ‘d’ is repeated pleasingly.
II) ‘Seems to touch the starry skies’. The poet has used word imagery. Describe
the idea and pick out other similar examples from the poem.
Ans:  The poet has created a mental picture of a farmer touching the sky filled with  stars .
Similar examples of word imagery are as follows: 1.Twilight hastens on to rule
     2. Marches he along the plain.

Poetic Devices:

1. Metaphor:
– “His hand scatters and sows the grain” – This metaphor compares the sower’s hand to a tool for planting seeds, emphasizing the act of sowing as a vital and purposeful action.

– “Scatters corn upon the earth like a sower of hopes and dreams” – Here, the sower is metaphorically described as a sower of hopes and dreams, linking the act of sowing to the broader human aspirations.

2. Simile:
– “And flings the golden grain like the thoughts of a poet” – This simile likens the scattering of grain to the way a poet’s thoughts are cast into the world. It connects the sower’s actions to the creative and expressive nature of a poet’s mind.

3. Alliteration:
– “Scatters corn upon the earth” – The repetition of the “c” sound in “scatters” and “corn” creates a pleasing, rhythmic effect, emphasizing the sower’s deliberate and methodical actions.

4. Personification:
– “The joyous earth opens and the furrow smiles” – This personification attributes human qualities to the earth, suggesting that it has the capacity to experience joy and smile. It enhances the connection between the sower and the natural world.

These poetic devices are used to enhance the imagery and emotional impact of the poem. Metaphors and similes create vivid comparisons, while alliteration adds musicality to the verses. Personification brings a sense of life and emotion to the elements of nature. Collectively, these devices contribute to the poem’s depth and its ability to evoke strong feelings and visual imagery.

Appreciation

(A5) (i) Write an appreciation of the poem considering the following points:
 • About the poem/poet/title.
 • Theme
 • Poetic devices, language, style
 • Special features/ novelties/focusing elements
 • Values, message
 • Your opinion about the poem
The poem The Sower is translation of Victor Hugo’s French poem by Torulata Datta. Torulata Datta is a bengali poetess. She is considered as the first Indian poetess to write verses in English and French. She died at the age of 21 writing many beautiful poems and a novel.

The poem ‘The Sower’ is about an old farmer. He is working in his farm tirelessly. The speaker in the poem observes the farmer. The title of the poem refers to the farmer. He is sowing seeds in the farm.

The central theme of the poem is hard work and devotion towards work. Despite the working hours are over, the farmer is working. The darkness doesn’t matter for him. He has seen many bad harvest in his life. But he is hopeful of getting more yield this time. He scatters the seeds and hopes to get growing.

The poetess has used many effective poetic devices such as inversion(Marches he…
), alliteration (Darkness deepens), personification (Shadows run) and hyperbole (his height seems to touch the starry skies.) Nature imagery used by the poet creates the mental picture before the readers’ eyes. Alternative rhyme scheme (first line rhyming with third and the second with the fourth line.) has been used in each stanza of four lines.

Farming is as important as any other profession. Devotion, patience and hard work are necessary in human life. With these qualities one can touch the sky.

Summary of ‘The Sower’

“Sower” is a poem by Victor Hugo that celebrates the hard work and dedication of a farmer sowing seeds in a field. The poem vividly describes the sower’s actions as he scatters the seeds, emphasizing the importance of this labor in ensuring future harvests. Hugo’s poem is a tribute to the resilience and optimism of those who toil in the fields, drawing a connection between the sower’s actions and the cycle of life and rebirth in nature. It conveys themes of hope, renewal, and the enduring human spirit in the face of challenges. The poem vividly portrays the sower’s actions as he spreads the seeds, underscoring the significance of this labor in ensuring future harvests. Hugo’s poem pays homage to the determination and positivity of those who work in the fields, establishing a link between the sower’s activities and the natural cycle of life and regeneration. It communicates ideas of optimism, renewal, and the enduring human spirit in the midst of difficulties.

Activity sheet on The Sower

A1. Complete the web chart about poet’s observation.

A2. “Soon shall come a time to reap”. Name and explain the figure of speech and find one another of similar type.
Ans: Inversion : The line is not in a correct prose order. Correct order – A time shall come soon to reap.
        Other examples of inversion :1. Marches he along the plain 2. Now to sow the task is set.

A3 Pick out the line that shows evening time.
Ans: The following lines indicate evening time
         1. Sunlight, I see, dying fast
         2. Twilight hastens on to rule
         3. Shadows run across the lands
A4. Compose a poem on farmer in 4 line in continuation to the following
         Waiting for the rain
         To grow the grain.
        Eager to take world’s care.
        Does he get his fare?
        Sometimes rain makes him.
       Sometimes it takes him. 

Images and symbols

In the poem “Sower” by Victor Hugo, there are several images and symbols used:

1. The Sower: The sower in the poem is a central symbol. The sower represents the hardworking laborer, often a farmer, who toils to plant seeds. This figure symbolizes diligence, hope, and the human role in nurturing and sustaining life.

2. Seeds: The seeds that the sower scatters represent potential and new beginnings. They symbolize the effort and investment required for a bountiful harvest, and they carry the promise of the future.

3. The Field: The field in which the sower works is a symbol of the natural world and the environment in which life takes root. It represents the cycle of life and the earth’s capacity to nurture and sustain life.

4. The Act of Sowing: The act of sowing, with its rhythmic and deliberate motions, symbolizes the process of creation and renewal. It underscores the importance of human effort in bringing about growth and abundance.

5. Nature: The poem draws on the broader theme of nature, with its references to the sun, sky, and earth. Nature symbolizes the eternal cycle of life, growth, and rebirth.

These symbols collectively convey themes of hard work, hope, renewal, and the interconnectedness of humanity with the natural world. The poem celebrates the significance of human labor and the role it plays in sustaining life and ensuring a future harvest.

Cherry Tree