A Roadside Stand [AHSEC Class 12 English Notes for 2025 Exam]

About the Poet

A highly acclaimed American poet of the twentieth century, whose poetry was first published in England before being published in the U. S. A. Characters, people and landscapes formed the subject of his writing. He is known for his poems like 'Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening,' 'Birches' and 'Mending Wall.' He received four Pulitzer Prizes in his lifetime. He worked in different capacities teaching, farming, and writing poetry. His style of writing is a blend of 19^th-century tradition and the contemporary technique of the 20^th century. His writing is marked by simplicity and directness.

Brief Summary

The poem ‘Roadside Stand’ deals with the sad plight of poor people and the indifferent attitude of the urban wealthy people to their poor counterparts in the countryside. There is a huge difference in the lives of the poor and the rich. The poor are exploited and not allowed to overcome their miserable circumstances. In addition to the apathy of the rich people, the poor are ignored by the ruling authorities too. There are false welfare schemes intended to make the rich richer and the poor poorer. The poet wishes he could put them out of their misery instantly and urges the readers to help the poor.

Analysis of the Poem

1^st Stanza Lines 1- 13:

The poet draws attention to a little old house, with a little new shed, located at the edge of the road, where traffic was speeding. The roadside stand was put up by a farmer, and it sold wild berries and squash. It had a pathetic, pleading look. It may not be pleading for a small portion of food. The appeal may be for money. The cash which is flowing buys flowers of the city before it remains and withers. This implies that the wealthy have enough money to spend on extravaganzas beyond meeting their immediate needs. The poor, on the other hand, struggle to make a hand to mouth existence. 'Polished traffic' refers to the wealthy and posh individuals from the city. They are outwardly polished and sophisticated but have an insensitive attitude. They do not understand the sufferings of the poor people, and their mind does not dwell on them. If their mind focuses on the roadside stand, even for a moment, it is only to feel irritated at the beauty of the landscape marred by the painted signs. They would notice the letters 'N' and 'S' turned wrong. They would not notice the wild berries for sale in wooden boxes along with curved neck golden squash with silver warts or paintings depicting the beautiful mountain scenery.

 Lines 14 – 22:

These rich people have the money, but they are mean. The roadside seller tells them to keep their money and go away. Their complaints about the marred scenery are not as hurtful to the farmer as the pain their unsaid words cause to his trust. Trusting sorrow implies that the people in the rural areas think that the city people would come to their help. They feel sad at the indifferent attitude of the city dwellers. The roadside sellers are running the stand, away from the city. They hope that the city people would buy their goods, enabling them to earn enough to sustain themselves. Feel in hand means to possess, to have. The city money would give them a financial boost. The farmer blames the political party in power for depriving the farmers of their rights and happiness.

Lines 23 - 31:

There was news that these poor people will be relocated to villages, where they would have access to theatres and stores. The Government would take care of them, and they won't need to think for themselves anymore. The greedy good doers are a reference to people who come with false welfare schemes. They strive to make money and derive benefits in the name of helping the poor. The promises are calculated and packaged in such a way that the poor cannot escape the trap laid out for them. They rob the poor of their sleep on the pretext of teaching them how to sleep. Previously after the hard work done during the day, they could get sound sleep at night. Now, they will be awake at night, on account of not having worked in the daytime, which they would have spent in sleep.

Lines 32 – 43:

The poet feels a lot of pain and is troubled at the plight of the poor people, who had such simple desires, which never got fulfilled. They wait for the whole day for somebody to buy their goods. However, the sound of the squealing of brakes or a stopping car results only in disappointment. Many selfish people pass by the roadside stand. Some may enquire about the price and not buy anything. While some may ask for directions, others may just turn and reverse, and some may ask if they sold gas. At this, the farmer gets angry and asks if they can't see that they didn't sell gas.

Lines 44 –51:

In the countryside, the people earn very less money. It is barely enough to sustain them and cannot raise their spirits to make them happy. The poet wishes that he could remove their pain instantly, in one stroke and relieve them of their misery. As he comes back to his senses, he sees the cars passing along without sensitivity to the roadside sellers. He wishes the readers to put him out of his pain by offering to help the poor people.

Also Read: English AHSEC Class 12 Chapterwise Notes

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS- 1 MARKS EACH

1. Who is the poet of the poem?

Ans : Robert Frost is the poet of the poem “A Roadside stand”

2. what is “A Roadside stand”?

Ans: “A Roadside stand” is a small shop by the road side in the outskirt owned by poor people.

3. where is ‘the little new stand’?

Ans: the little new stand is build in front at the edge of the road where traffic pass by.

4. why is the word ‘pathetic’ used for the road side stand?

Ans: The word ‘pathetic’ is used to show the miserable living condition of the road side stand owners.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (2 MARKS EACH)

1) What was the plea of the folk who had put up the roadside stand?

Ans. The folk who had put up the roadside stand pleaded hard for some customers. They wanted to earn money from them. City folks used to pass by on this road and hence the rural folk set up the roadside stand to attract their attention and sell their goods.

2) What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘vain’?         2012, 2017

Ans. The poet thinks that the people who are running the roadside stand suffer from a childish longing.The childish longing the poet refers to in ‘A Roadside Stand’ is the simple desire of the roadside stand sellers to sell their products. They wait beside the open window the whole day and pray for customers to turn up. This childish longing is in vain as nobody passing by buys from their stand.

3) Did ‘the polished traffic’ stop at the roadside stand and if at all they stopped, what were their reactions?

Ans. Generally, ‘the polished traffic’ or the rich and the refined did not stop at the roadside stand. They passed with a mind to go ahead. If at all, some stopped there, they were not impressed with the place. They complained of the clumsy paint of the building. They were irritated at the sight of signs ‘N’ and ‘S’ turned wrong.

4) Which things irritated the passers-by who stopped at the roadside stand?     (2014, 2018)

Or

How did the travelers on the highways react to the roadside stand? 2019

Ans. Many things irritated those passers by who stopped at the roadside stand. The badly painted buildings spoilt the landscape, the writings on the signboard were defective, the letters ‘N’ and ‘S’ weren’t properly written and most importantly, the place didn’t provide much stuff for shopping.

5) Why do the people who are running the roadside stand ‘ask for some city money’? (2013, 2015)

Ans. The people who are running the roadside stand wish that the cash rich city people may patronize and oblige them. With that money they can also bring some changes and betterment in their lives. Only some city money can change their lives.

6) Who will soothe the rural poor out of their wits and how?         2016

Ans. The greedy good doers will soothe the rural poor out of their wits with the promise of welfare schemes leading to a better life. They appear concerned about the miserable state of the poor people. However, they are without any real sensitivity to the plight of the poor and only want to use them for their own progress. The poor people are lulled by the soothing words and tricked into believing them and their false promises.

7) What was in the news as has been portrayed in the poem “The Roadside Stand”?         2015

Ans. It is in the news that the pitiful kin are to be bought out and gathered in mercifully. They would be settled in villages next to the theatre and the store. Their places will be taken over by the rich and the cunning people. The villagers ‘won’t have to think for themselves anymore’. The greedy and cruel exploiters will dominate them.

8) What was the complaint of the poet?

Ans: The real complaint of the poet was the sorrows and sufferings of the rural folks. The distastefully done paint on the shed, the wrongly turned signs did not bother him. He was more worried about the pitiable condition of the poor people and that moved his heart.

9) What would give a great relief to the poet?

Ans. The poet feels an unbearable pain at the plight of the rural poor. He can’t help accepting that it would be a great relief if these people are put out of their pain at one stroke. Their miserable living is no way better than death. The poet wants an immediate end to the sufferings of the rural poor.

10. Where and how was the roadside stand built and why?

Ans: The roadside stand was built by the rural folk on one side of the road. It was a little new shed, an extension of an old house. On the busy road, the fast moving traffic would pass in front of it. The stand had been set up to attract the city folk as customers. The idea was tobring in some cash after selling the farm products.

11. ‘Of all the thousand selfish cars’ some stop there but not for buying something. Why do they stop there at all?       2016

Ans: Generally the cars, passing through the highways does not stop at the roadside stand. If any car stop there, it is only to use the yard to back and to turn round the car. Sometime cars stop only to ask their way ahead or to ask for a gallon gas (petrol)

12. Name some of the things that the roadside stand offered for sale.      2013    2017

Ans: Wild berries and golden squash

13. Who are referred as the flower of cities?    2018

Ans. The flower of cities are those who have the money and whose cash flow supports the cities so that they do not sink and wither.

14.  What was in the news as has been portrayed in the poem “The Roadside Stand”?  2015 2020

Ans. It is in the news that the pitiful kin are to be bought out and gathered in mercifully. They would be settled in villages next to the theatre and the store. Their places will be taken over by the rich and the cunning people. The villagers ‘won’t have to think for themselves anymore’. The greedy and cruel exploiters will dominate them

Read the extracts and answer the following questions:

1. “The little old house was out with a little new shed

      In front at the edge of the road where the traffic sped,

      A roadside stand that too pathetically pled,

      It would not be fair to say for a dole of bread,

      But for some of the money the cash whose flow supports

      The flower of cities from sinking and withering faint”

Questions:

(i) Where was the shed put up?

Ans. The shed was put up at one side of the road.

(ii) What was its purpose?

Ans. The purpose was to earn some money. They expected city people to oblige them who passed from there.

(iii) Why does the poet use the word pathetic?

Ans. The poet used the word ‘pathetic’ to show that it begged in the most humble way.

(iv) Who are referred as the flower of cities?

Ans. The best things of the city are referred as the flower of cities.

2. “The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead,          2012

      Or  if ever aside a moment then out of sorts

      At having the landscape marred with the artless paint

      Of sings that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong

      Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts,

      Or crook-necked golden squash with silver warts,

      Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scence,

      You have the money, but if you want to be mean,

      Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.”

Questions:

(i) How did the traffic pass?

Ans. The traffic passed by the roadside stand without stopping there.

(ii) Why did one turn out of sorts?

Ans. The sight of the clumsy paint with which the building was painted spoiled the landscape. It irritated a person who stopped there.

(iii) What are the two things that were sold in that stand?         2012,    2013, 2017, 2018

Ans. Wild berries and golden squash.

(iv) What should one do if one wants to be mean?

Ans. One should keep one’s money and move ahead.

3. “It is in the news that all these pitiful kin

      Are to be fought out and mercifully gathered in

      To live in villages, next to the theatre and the store,

      Where they won’t have to think for themselves anymore,

      Swarm over their lives enforcing benefits

      That are calculated to soothe them out of their wits,

      And by teaching them how to sleep all day,

      Destroy their sleeping at night the ancient way.”

Questions:

(i) Why won’t these poor people have to think about themselves any more?

Ans. Now they are in the grip of selfish, cunning people who will control their lives. Hence, they wont have to think for themselves.

(ii) How does the poet describe the good doers?

Ans. The poet describes the good doers as people pretending to be doing good things.

(iii) How will the innocent rural folk be soothed cut of their wits end?

Ans. The cunning and greedy people of the city will befool them for their own advantage.

4. “No, in country money, the country scale of gain,           2018

        The requisite lift of spirit has never been found.

        Or so the voice of the country seems to complain,

        I can’t help owning the great relief it would be

        To put these people at one stroke out of their pain,

        And then the next day as I come back to into the sane

        I wonder how I should like you come to me

        And offer to put me gently out of my pain.”

Questions:

(i) Where do these lines occur?

Ans. These lines occur in the poem “The Roadside Stand” written by Robert Frost.

(ii) Why has the requisite spirit never been found?

Ans. Because the rural people are depressed because of their poverty

(iii) What does the voice of the country people seem to say?

Ans. The voice of the country people seems to complain of injustice against them. There is lack of money in their lives.

(iv) What will be of great relief for the poet?

Ans. The poet will feel a great relief if the rural people are liberated of all pains with one stroke.

5.“The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint                        2013

So much as the trusting sorrow of what is unsaid:

Here far from the city we make our roadside stand

And ask for some city money to feel in the hand

To try if it will not make our being expand,

And give us the life of the moving-pictures’ promise

That the party in power is said to be keeping from us”.

i. What is not the complaint of the poet?                                              1

Ans: The complaint of the is not that the clumsy paint of the building has  spoild the beauty of the landscape.

ii. What is the real worry of the poet?                        1

Ans: The real worry of the poet is that no one sports the people running the roadside stand.

iii. Why do the people who are running the roadside stand ask for some city money?          1

ANS: To impove their standard of living.

iv. What is the party in power doing for the rural poor?                                                        1

ANS: They make false promise to get their vote and exploit them.

6. “Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear                      2020

The thought of so much childish longing in vain,

The sadness that lurks near the open window there,

That waits all day in almost open prayer

For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car.”

Questions:

1. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘in vain’?                            1+1=2

Ans: Refer Q. No-2

2. Who waits near the open window?                                                                                              1

Ans: The people who are running the roadside stand waits near the open window.

3. What does the person waiting near the open window pray for?                                            1

Ans: The person waiting near the open window pray for customers to turn up.

 Exam Questions From 2012-2024

Read the extracts and answer the following questions

1. “The polished traffic passed with a mind ahead                       2012

Or if every aside a moment, than out of sorts

At having, the landscape marred with the artless paint

Of signs that with N turned wrong and S turned wrong

Offered for sale wild berries in wooden quarts

Or crook-necked golden squash with silver warts

Or beauty rest in a beautiful mountain scene

You have the money, but if you want to be mean

Why keep your money (this crossly) and go along.”

i.       How did the traffic pass?                                                     1

ii.     Why did one turn out of sorts?                                             1

 iii.   What are the two things that were sold in that stand?          1

 iv.    What should one do if one wants to be mean?                     1

2. “The hurt to the scenery wouldn’t be my complaint                 2013

So much as the trusting sorrow of what is unsaid:

Here far from the city we make our roadside stand

And ask for some city money to feel in the hand

To try if it will not make our being expand,

And give us the life of the moving-pictures’ promise

That the party in power is said to be keeping from us”.

i.        What is not the complaint of the poet?                       1

ii.      What is the real worry of the poet?                     1

iii.    Why do the people who are running the roadside stand ask for some city money?        1

iv.     What is the party in power doing for the rural poor?                       1

3. “The little old house was out with a                   2017

      Little new shed

      In front at the edge of the road

      Where the traffic sped,

      A roadside stand that too pathetically pled,

     It would not be fair to say for a dole

     Of bread,

     But for some of the money, the cash

     Whose flow supports

     The flower of cities from sinking and

      Withering faint.”

Questions:

i.       Where was the shed put up?                1

ii.     What was its purpose?                         1

iii.   Why does the poet use the word ‘pathetic’?        1

iv.    Who are referred to as ‘the flower of cities’?       1

4. “No, in country money, the country scale of gain,         2018

The requisite lift of spirit has never been found,

Or so the voice of the country seems to complain,

I can’t help owing the great relief it would be,

To put these people at one stroke out of their pain

And then next day as I come back into the sane,

I wonder how I should like you to come to me

And offer to put me gently out of my pain.”

Questions:

i.       Where do these lines occur?                    1

ii.     Why has the requisite spirit never been found?                     1

iii.   What does the voice of the country people seem to say?              1

iv.    What will be of great relief for the poet?                                       1

5. “Sometimes I feel myself I can hardly bear                       2020

The thought of so much childish longing in vain,

The sadness that lurks near the open window there,

That waits all day in almost open prayer

For the squeal of brakes, the sound of a stopping car.”

Questions:

1)         What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to? Why is it ‘in vain’?        1+1=2

2)         Who waits near the open window?              1

3)         What does the person waiting near the open window pray for?           1

2  Marks Questions

1. What is the ‘childish longing’ that the poet refers to in the poem ‘A Roadside Stand’? Why is it vain?         2012   2017

2. Name some of the things that the roadside stand offered for sale.          2013   2017

3. Which things irritated the passerby who stopped at the roadside stand?           2014 2018 2019

4.What is ‘in the news’ as a mentioned in ‘A Roadside Stand’?            2015

5.Why do the people who are running the roadside stand ‘ask for some city money’?          2015

6.‘Of all the thousand selfish cars’ some stop there but not for buying something. Why do they stop there at all?                2016

7.Who will soothe the rural poor out of their wits and how?         2016

8. Who are referred to as the ‘flower of cities’ in ‘A Roadside Stand’?         2018