Summary of The Mountain and the Squirrel

‗The Mountain and the Squirrel’ by Ralph Waldo Emerson speaks on the strengths and
weaknesses of two quarreling characters.
The poem begins with the speaker describing how a mountain and a squirrel got into an
argument. They are fighting over the squirrel‘s place in the forest. The majority of the text is
made up of the squirrel doing what it can to convince the mountain it is worthy of living
there, even though it is smaller.

Analysis of The Mountain and the Squirrel

Lines 1-4

The mountain and the squirrel

Had a quarrel,

And the former called the latter

―Little prig.‖

In the first stanza of this piece the speaker begins by stating the basic premise of the piece.
There is a mountain and a squirrel and they got into a fight of some kind. It is easy enough to
assume a setting for this piece as the mountain is a location in itself. There are likely forests
covering and surrounding it and many places for the squirrel to live and hide.

A reader should immediately notice that Emerson used the world ―quarrel‖ to describe the
fight. This makes it seem less serious then if he had chosen to actually say fight or argument.
It is a temporary upset to their normally well-balanced relationship.

The poem starts out with what seems like an aabb rhyme scheme but when the speaker gets to
the fourth line and expects a rhyme for ―latter‖ they get the word ―prig,‖ meaning self-
righteous, instead. The speaker is relaying the insult used by the mountain to refer to ―the
latter‖ or the squirrel.
Both of these characters have been heavily personified, so much so they are able to speak to
one another and interpret unwelcome actions. The choice to arrange the lines in this manner
and surprise the reader with the hard ―g‖ consonant gives further emphasis to the insult. It is
disrupting of what could be a pattern.

Lines 5-10

Bun replied,

―You are doubtless very big;

But all sorts of things and weather

Must be taken in together

To make up a year

And a sphere.

In the fifth line the speaker uses ―Bun‖ to refer to the squirrel. It is replying to the mountain
in a very clear and well-spoken way. He selects his words carefully. The squirrel starts by
acknowledging that the mountain is ―very big.‖ It has a presence the squirrel cannot deny.
Additionally he adds that ―You,‖ the mountain are only one of many things which much be
―taken in together.‖ The squirrel is attempting to set aside their differences and come to terms
with the fact that they will not always get along. One cannot hope to live in peace with every
type of being, sentient or not.

These objects, creatures, and people all ―make up a year / And a sphere.‖ The world is
constructed of the good and the bad, both are equally necessary for life to go on. Through
these lines the squirrel appears to be in a conciliatory mood but he is stealthy insulting the
mountain. It is something that he must put up with.

Lines 11-15

And I think it no disgrace

To occupy my place.

If I‘m not so large as you,

You are not so small as I,

And not half so spry:

In the next lines the squirrel lays out his argument. The basis of the quarrel is also revelled
here. He dose not see anything wrong with his occupying of one ―place‖ on the mountain.
Just as the mountain is large, with a large role to play, the squirrel is small with an equal role
to play. Both must exist.

In order to come to terms with the mountain the squirrel lays out their respective advantages
and disadvantages. First, that the mountain is much larger than he is— something he accepts
as the truth. But, the squirrel is much more ―spry.‖ It can move quickly from place to place in
a way the mountain never dreamed of.

Lines 16- 20

I‘ll not deny you make

A very pretty squirrel track.

Talents differ; all is well and wisely put;

If I cannot carry forests on my back,

Neither can you crack a nut.‖

He continues on the same track in the next set of lines. The squirrel is attempting to appease
the mountain while also showing his own advantages. They are equals in the world if not in
size, speed and abilities.

First he compliments the mountain. This is another slightly backhanded compliment as the
mountain is said to be a ―pretty squirrel track.‖ The mountain is beautiful and a perfect place
for a squirrel to roam. He admits their talents are different. The mountain is able to carry
forests on its back but it cannot ―crack a nut.‖ There is something about its inability to
complete such a simple task that lends the ending of the poem a less than forgiving tone. It is
clear the squirrel still holds a grudge against the mountain for (what a reader may assume
was) its attempt to drive the squirrel from its back.

The Road Not Taken Poem Explanation

Stanza 1
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

diverged: separated and took a different direction

yellow wood: a forest with decomposing leaves
undergrowth: dense growth of plants and bushes means the forest)

Once the poet was walking down a road and then there was a diversion, there were two
different paths and he had to choose one out them. The poet says that as he was one person,
he could travel on one road only. He had to choose one out of these two roads Yellow wood
means a forest with leaves which are wearing out and they have turned yellow in colour – the
season of autumn. It represents a world which is full of people, where people have been
living for many years. They represent people who are older than the poet. The poet kept
standing there and looked at the path very carefully as far as he could see it. Before taking the
path, he wanted to know how it was. Was it suitable for him or no. He was able to see the
path till from where it curved after which it was covered with trees and was hidden. It
happens in our life also when we have choices, we have alternatives, but we have to choose
only one out of them, we take time to think about the pros and cons, whether it is suitable for
us or not and only then, we take a decision on what path we should choose.
Stanza 2
Then took the other, just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same.
fair: As good as the other one,
claim: Better option
grassy: unused
wanted wear: had not been used
The poet kept on looking at one path for a long time to check if it is the right path for him or
not and them he decided and started walking on another path because he felt that the both
paths were equally good. He says just as fair, so, he felt that both paths were equally good
and started walking on one of them. He adds that maybe he felt that the path was better for
him so he chooses it as it had grass on it which means that it was unused. Not many people
had walked on this path earlier that is why this path was grassy. ‗And wanted wear‘ means
that it was not walked over by many people. After he walked on the path for some distance,
he realized that both the paths had been worm out the same way. Both the paths were similar
and worn out. Even in our life, we take any path or option but all of them have the same
benefits, disadvantages, problems, challenges and we must face them. We think that we are
choosing a better option, but it is not that way.

Stanza 3
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
trodden means walked over.
The poet says that both the paths were similar that morning. Both had leaves on them and no
one had stepped on them as they were still green in colour. He decided that that day he would
take one path and keep the other path for another day, although he knew that one way leads
on to another way. He knew that he could not go back on the choice that he had made.
Similarly, even in our life once we choose an option, we must keep on moving ahead with
that option and we never get a chance to come back and take the other option that we had left
earlier.
Stanza 4
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I —
I took the one less travelled by,
And that has made all the difference.
sigh: deep breath
hence: here, in the future
He says that in the future, he will take a deep breath and say that once upon a time, he had
reached such a point in life that there were two options for him and he travelled on that road
which had been travelled upon by lesser number of people. That decision of his decided his
future. Similarly, in future, when you grow up, then you will say that once upon a time, when
you were young, you had two options. The choice that you made, made you what you became
of it. This is a very strong message for all the students - that you should be wise and be
careful while making choices out of the options that you have in your life because your future
depends on the choice that you make today.
NEW SUMMARY
The poet was walking down the road, when he found a diversion where two roads diverged
in different directions. The poet feels sorry as he can not travel on both the roads. He has to
make one decision and choose a single path. At the junction, the poet stood for a long time
and tried to look at the roads as far as he could. He wanted to see the roads and wanted to
know about both paths. But, he could not see anything beyond the diversion as the roads were
curved and covered with the trees. In the stanza, the yellow wood refers to the forest with
leaves, which were shed on the road and had turned yellow. This indicates that it was autumn
season. Through this stanza, the poet wants to convey that in everyone‘s life there comes a
time when we have to make choices. We have alternatives, but we have to choose only one.
At that time, we see the pros and cons of the situation and take the time to decide which path
to take. Similarly, the poet is also taking time before making any decision.
After taking a long time, the poet decided to take the other road. He thought that both the
roads were equally good. He started walking on the road which has grass on it and feels that
it was a better road for him. The grassy road means that the road was not used and the wanted
wear means that only a few people have walked through it. After walking some distance on
the road, the poet feels that both the paths were almost the same. There was hardly any
difference between them. Through this the poet conveys that, in our life whatever decision we
take or choices we make, each choice has some advantages and some disadvantages.
Problems are everywhere, so we must be ready to face them.
The poet says that both the paths seemed to be similar that morning. Leaves were shed on
both the roads, and they were still green. It means that no one had walked on the roads. He
decided to take one path that day and the other path on another day. However, he knows that
one way leads to another way. He could not go back and take the other path once he moved
ahead with one. Similarly, in our life, when we make one decision, we can‘t go back. We
have to move ahead with the same choice and face the problems which come our way.
The poet says that in the future, he will take a deep breath and say that once upon a time he
reached a point in life where he had to make one choice. There were two options for him, and
he had to opt for one. At that time, he decided to take that road which was less travelled by
people. It means that he took that decision which rare people take. And that decision has
changed his entire life. The poet sent a powerful message that people should decide wisely in
their life because the decision they take will have an impact on the rest of their life.

Tom
As Tom begins the dreaded task of whitewashing, he sees Ben Rogers approaching. When
Ben teases Tom about not being able to go swimming and being forced to work, Tom points
out that it is not exactly work if he is enjoying himself, and he makes a great show of
applying whitewash and then stepping back to admire his own effects. When Ben wants to try
his hand at whitewashing, Tom pretends to be reluctant until Ben offers him first the core of
the apple and then the entire apple. Other boys show up--boys who "came to jeer, but
remained to whitewash," and by the middle of the afternoon, the fence is whitewashed (by the
other boys), and Tom finds himself a rich man, having collected marbles, a part of a Jew's
harp, a kite, and many other items as payment from the boys doing the work.
More in book underlined !
 The story theLookout man by Nicholas Bentley is about the protagonist
William Morris who is also the narrator and how he solves the problem which accrued one
day in the jewellery shop‖.
William Morris is 53 years old married man having a daughter who is also
married. William Morris is fond of reading and more than thirty years he had made study of
detective fiction .He works at Regnier’s , the antique Jewellery shop in knights bridge
.William Morris has miss Susskind who is the only assistant in the shop while Mr. Regnier
only attends special customers and big buyers.
One day William Morris was Re- dressing the window and he notice one girl
looking in the window in a strange manner .She was wearing and yellow over coat and she
also had a long yellow hair .He watch a little while and then was interrupted by a customer
who was between thirty five or forty years old. he ask William Morris to show him some
rings by his gestures William Morris soon come to know that he knew nothing about antique
Jewellery William Morris now knew that the man was judging the rings by the prize due to
the lack of knowledge about the antique Jewellery among them there was a one ring which
was of early seventeenth century and Mr. Regnier like that ring vary much and so that he had
a put a fancy prize on it.
After that the customer pointed out on that ring within few seconds that
ring had walked out of tray. William Morris felt quite stunned in all his 17 years .Such
incident has never happen that anything in his charge at the shop had vanished .William
Morris now knew that behind this incidence this man must be the reason but William Morris
did not had any clues or proves and therefore he could not balm the customer that man was
smart in enough and had knowledge how to thieves such precious thing within few minute.
There came another customer in the shop and that customer was the girl whom William
Morris show while redressing the window .She came in the shop to repair her chief bracelet
.William Morris was a way surprised that why would she spent many to repair such chief
bracelet when the girl ask William Morris to repair that bracelet .William Morris replied
negatively that they do not repair broken Jewellery.William thought that the girl also knew
that they do not repair such broken Jewellery from the behavior of the girl had some
connection with that man who was completely left handed when the bad of the girl slip of and
when William Morris bent down .He has everything clear in his mind about the lost ring
.William Morris ask her to stock for a while but she did not listen and she behaved as if she
did not hear anything but then William Morris ask her instornge words that if she will not
stop than he will ring alarm and the door in front of her will be locked automatically after
hearing that warning she atop William Morris went to her and ask her to return that ring
initially that girl did not want to give away the ring but ultimately she had to return that ring
to William Morris.
The face of the girl had gone very pale and she looked at William Morris in
a very frighten manner and went out the shop.
Thus because of the will and intelligence of William Morris. The shop had
it precious ring back. William Morris had had the habit of observing people incidence and
unusual situations because of that William Morris could suspect on the girl and was able to
take out the ring from the girl.
William Morris worked according to on proverbs
 “God helps those who help themselves”.

William Morris wanted to solve the problem anyhow and therefore he

was also able to find out the best possible way which can solve the problem and therefore if
we apply over minded and hard to problem .We can always find ―Workable Solution‖
necessity of the mother of invention .William Morris felt the urge and necessity to find out
the solution and therefore he was able to solve near impossible problem. All this require is
courage, Calmness and presence of mind if one learns how to acquire this thing than he can
surely learn problem solving skill.

 Popularity of “A Noiseless Patient Spider ”: This poem was

written by Walt Whitman, a great American poet. A Noiseless Patient Spider
is famous for its themes of isolation and struggle. It was first published in 1891. The
poem unfolds the story of a lonely spider, which the poet examines so carefully. It
illustrates how the spider tries to connect things while weaving its web.
 “A Noiseless Patient Spider”, As a Representative of
Loneliness: The speaker illustrates two things; the struggle of the lonely spider and
the condition of his soul. At the outset, he provides a graphic picture that the spider,
all alone on a little promontory, casts out its web-threads in a vast surrounding. He
discusses its isolation and detachment from the rest of the world. Later, he compares
his soul with that spider. He says that his soul is also struggling to seek spheres that
can connect the speaker to the immeasurable world. Unlike spider, his soul is a seeker
trying to attach itself to the vacant surroundings.
 Major Themes in “A Noiseless Patient Spider”: Isolation, struggle, and patience
are the major themes of this poem. The poet contrasts the battle of his soul with a tiny
spider. He explicitly unfolds the effort of the spider and explores the idea that only
those who work tirelessly and hold patience connect themselves to the unfathomable
world.

The poem 'A Noiseless Patient Spider' starts with the repetition of the title as 'A noiseless
patient spider' to create an image in the mind of readers. A spider is personified when it is
given the human characteristics like noiseless and patient in the poem. The speaker is looking
at this tiny creature and wants us to feel about it.

Walt Whitman (1819-1892)

The speaker of the poem further introduces a spider as a tragic, isolated and separated.
Observing the spider more closely the speaker describes the way how the spider explore the
‗vacant vast surrounding‘ by launching forth filament, filament, filament‘, repletion of the
same boring task of making strings.
There is the turning point after the fifth line in terms of the thought in the mind of the
speaker. The speaker without mentioning the spider begins identifying his soul within a tiny
creature. He comes to ask the question to his soul. He wants to know where his soul stands
actually. The readers can see the soul standing on a ―little promontory‖, like where the spider
―stood‖. Here, the speaker is trying to give the sense of how very alone his soul is – just like
that of an ―isolated spider‖. But the spider like strings are what the soul is exploring or
―seeking‖ or ―venturing‖ or ―throwing‖ the space. The speaker here tells us that the soul
always works and thinks – ―ceaselessly musing‖ – as he says in the poem. Here the speaker
finds his soul always venturing, musing, throwing and seeking to connect itself to the
vastness of the world. The soul stood isolated there without any connection. The soul will
remain in a hang until it catches somewhere. So the speaker suggests his soul to catch
somewhere until it finds gossamer threads.
The spider symbolically represents an explorer. It is the quality of the explorer not to get tired
while exploring vast surrounding. The explorer, the scientist, or the philosopher is like the
spider who stands isolated, but patiently they try to connect themselves with vacant
surrounding. For some explorer, search of invisible, unknown and unidentified become the
subject of curiosity. Only those people can be successful to connect themselves to the
measureless world who work tirelessly, holding patience with them. The poet is trying to
idolize an insect spider. Actually, the spider is a symbol for all them who works continuously
and are isolated from others.
In the poem the spider has been used as an analogy to refer the restlessness of the human
soul. As the speaker noticed, a noiseless patient spider stood isolated on a little cliff to
explore the vacant and vast surrounding. It went on lunching filament out of itself tirelessly.
It tried to connect those filaments to each other. The spider had vigor, patient, and energetic
in speeding his work. These things are the support to the basic philosophy of Whitman as
―human soul is immortal and it is always in a state of progressive development‖. This very
idea of ever developing and expanding human soul is compared with the extended metaphor
of ―a noiseless patient spider‖ in the poem.
This poem is linguistically brilliant in its composition. The poem is composed in two stanzas,
each containing five lines. The poetic lines are different in their length. The formula of
composing the first stanza has been copied in the second one. The use of alliteration,
apostrophe, and repetition are the major features in this poem. The poet also comes to ask
rhetorical questions.
The first stanza is in the mode of descriptive narration. The speaker centers himself to discuss
the spider, which is noiseless and patient. In the third line of the first stanza, we find
alliteration in the words /vacant- vast/. Similarly, the technique of repetition is highly
valorized in the fourth line. The word 'filament' has been repeated three times to signify
tirelessness of the patient spider in his exploration. In the first stanza, the word "promontory"
has been used to signal the setting of the spider. The selection of diction is also quite fantastic
in the first stanza. The words like 'explore' and 'launch' give the impression of scientific
search by an explorer. In such a context, the spider has been symbolically represented as
either a scientist or researcher.
The second stanza of the poem is fully meditative. The poet addresses his soul to know its
positions. Here the term "surrounded" has been repeated. Similarly, he uses some verbs like
'musing', 'venturing', 'seeking' and 'throwing' to indicate the deeds of human soul. The poem
is brilliant for its internal parallelism. The similar words and phrases have been used in the
first and the second stanza. Both stanzas come to use the synonymies. Parallelism can be
perceived in the words like 'isolated' / 'surrounded', 'vast surrounding' / 'measureless ocean of
space', 'tirelessly' and 'carelessly'. Seeing the struggle and attempt of the spider, the poet
comes to ask about the standpoint of his soul. Later, the poet suggests his soul to hold the
ductile anchor till it needs any bridge for its connection.
Only details