Read the poem ‘Digging’ by Seamus Heaney --comprehension with ANSWERS

 Read the poem ‘Digging’ by Seamus Heaney, given below.

Between my finger and my thumb

The squat pen rests; snug as a gun.

Under my window, a clean rasping sound

When the spade sinks into gravelly ground:

My father, digging. I look down

Till his straining rump among the flowerbeds

Bends low, comes up twenty years away

Stooping in rhythm through potato drills

Where he was digging.

The coarse boot nestled on the lug, the shaft

Against the inside knee was levered firmly.

He rooted out tall tops, buried the bright edge deep

To scatter new potatoes that we picked,

Loving their cool hardness in our hands.

 Digging by Seamus Heaney

Based on your understanding of the poem, answer FOUR of five given questions.

(a) What is the significance of the comparison of the pen to a gun in the second line of the 

poem?

(i) It highlights the violence and aggression associated with writing.

(ii) It emphasizes the power of the written word to bring about change.

(iii) It suggests that the act of writing can be just as dangerous as using a weapon.

(iv) It demonstrates the speaker's admiration for their father's skill with both a pen and a 

spade.

(b) Which of the following statements best describes the speaker's attitude towards his

father's work in the poem?

i. The speaker admires his father's hard work and dedication to his task.

ii. The speaker is critical of his father's choice of profession and feels it is beneath him.

iii. The speaker is indifferent to his father's work and does not place much value on it.

iv. The speaker is resentful of his father for making them participate in the work.

(c) Complete the sentence appropriately.

The poet’s use of a metaphor in the line "The coarse boot nestled on the lug, ...” compares 

________________________________.

(d)What can be inferred about the setting of the poem based on the description of the sound 

of the spade sinking into the ground?

(i) The setting is rural and quiet.

(ii) The setting is urban and noisy.

(iii) The setting is industrial, yet serene.

(iv) The setting is suburban and bustling.

(e) What is the effect of the repetition of the word "digging" throughout the poem?

ANSWERS

a) (iii) . It suggests that the act of writing can be just as dangerous as

using a weapon.

[The potential impact that words can have on the world and highlights the

responsibility that writers have to use their words wisely.]

b) (i). The speaker admires his father's hard work and dedication to

his task.

[Throughout the lines, the speaker describes his father's work in detail and

shows an appreciation for the effort and skill required to do it well. The final line,

"Loving their cool hardness in our hands," suggests that the speaker has a

positive association with the work and enjoys the results of their father's labour.]

c) ...the boot to a part of a machine [implying that the foot is firmly and

securely in place, like a component of a lever]

d) (i). The setting is rural and quiet.

[The description of the "clean rasping sound / When the spade sinks into gravelly

ground" suggests a natural and peaceful environment, with no other sounds to

drown out the sound of the digging. This description, combined with the image

of the flowerbeds and potato drills, creates a picture of a rural and tranquil

setting.]

e) (Any one)

 emphasizes the physical labour involved in the work,

 creates a sense of rhythm and momentum in the poem

 underscores the speaker's appreciation for the effort and

skill required to do the work well

 draws attention to the importance of the work and creates

a sense of continuity and connection between past and

present.