Essay Questions

How important is the poem's title, “A Murmur in the Trees—to note?”

The poem's title is significant because it symbolizes the magical world. The speaker says that she can hear the murmurings of trees but cannot understand what they say. The trees' murmurings represent the existence of the hidden world and the strange things that happen around it without human understanding. The speaker can only imagine the hidden world because she does not fully understand it.

What is the metaphorical meaning of the road quoted by the speaker in the last stanza?

The speaker uses the road metaphorically to represent the journey of life. In the last line of the fifth stanza, the speaker says, “No fear you'll miss the Road.” The speaker directly addresses readers by promising she will stick to her road while urging them to follow their path. The road represents the speaker's life journey, and she hopes to arrive safely at her final destination.

How does the author depict the senses of sight and hearing to readers?

Throughout the novel, the speaker describes the surroundings around her to show readers the unfolding events. The poem is set at night in a mysterious atmosphere. The speaker describes the star's color and the gobbling men walking into their houses. The robins the speaker sees have colorful wings. In addition, the speaker hears the murmuring of trees and the hubbub sound of walking feet. Consequently, sight and hearing are predominant imageries used in the poem to enhance its reading experience.