Night Mail Poem Question & Answers-Wind Chimes Class 8

“Night Mail” is a wonderful poem by Wystan Hugh Auden. The solutions to the book exercises are provided here to help you assess your understanding of the poem and see if you can answer the questions on your own.
Click here to see explanation of ‘Night Mail’ Poem

Summary:

The poem ‘Night Mail’ by W.H Auden describes the journey of the Night Mail train that travels across the country during the night. It carries letters, parcels, and money orders for all kinds of people — rich and poor, living in cities or villages.

As it climbs up hills and moves through the countryside, it passes silently through farms, grasslands, and towns. Even though the train is powerful and noisy, it does not disturb the quiet world around it.

The poet also tells us what kind of letters the train brings — letters of love, news, thanks, job applications, gossip, and even sympathy. They are written on colorful paper, some are typed, some have mistakes, but all are important to someone.

While people sleep in cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh, and Aberdeen, the train keeps going. In the morning, they wake up and wait for letters. Everyone feels excited when the postman knocks, because no one wants to be forgotten.

Word Meanings

Beattock – a hill in Dumfriesshire in Scotland, gradient – slope, moorland – hilly land covered with rough grasses, tug – to pull, yelp – a sharp cry, descends – to come down, gigantic – huge, large, glade – a small grass-covered area in a forest, boulder – stones, stare – to look at fixed eye, gaze, course – route, path, slumber – to sleep, dawn – early morning, apparatus – tools, machines, structures etc, furnaces – a structure or apparatus in which heat may be generated, chessmen – 32 pieces of chess, glen – a valley, loch – a lake, long – strongly desire for, long for news – eagerly waiting for letters, situations – jobs, opportunities, events, functions etc, declare – tell, to express feelings, ideas, thoughts, share information, timid – coward, hesitant in expressing feelings, circumstantial – personal, overseas – across the seas, Hebrides – an archipelago (a group of islands) hue – of different shades and colours, snaps – photos, scrawled – scribbled untidily, condolence – expressing sorrow at a death, outpouring – showing great emotions, coming in large amount, official – relating to office, cold – without emotions, indifferent, terrifying – creating fear, band – a group of musicians, well set – well laid or established or settled, well planned and arranged, granite – a form of igneous rocks.

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Textbook Exercises with Answers

Comprehension

A. Answer these questions with reference to the context.

1. The gradient’s is against her, but she is on time.
   a. Who is being talked about?
   b. What is ‘gradient’ and why is it ‘against her’?
   c. What is the significance of ‘but’ here?
2. Men long for news.
   a. Who are these men?
   b. Why do they long for news?
   c. What news are they waiting for?
3. For who can bear to feel himself forgotten?
   a. Who is being talked about here?
   b. When would anyone feel forgotten?
   c. How does the nightmail help these people?

Answers

1. a. The Night Mail.
   b. The ‘gradient’ is the mountain slope here. It is ‘against her’ because it (The Night mail) has to climb up this slope.
   c. The ‘but’ here signifies that though it is tough going uphill, the train is on time despite the slopy terrain.

2. a. The Men in Scotland.
   b. They long for news as they want to hear from their relatives and other near and dear ones. Moreover, there is no other source of information than the letters that the Night Mail brings.
   c. They are all waiting for all kinds of information- personal, business, happy and sad.

3. a. Those who are waiting for the postman’s knock that indicates the arrival of any letter for them.
   b. When they don’t receive any letters.
   c. The Night Mail connect people through the letters it brings. The people feel connected on receiving letters. The letters relieve them of their loneliness as they feel wanted and realise that they are cared for by others.

B. Answer these questions.

1. Explain in your words, ‘dawn freshens, the climb is done’.
2. In what context does the poet talk about the jug in the bedroom?
3. Summarise section III in your own words.
4. Describe the different kinds of terrain the night mail passes through.
5. How does the poet give the night mail a specific identity? Explain giving examples from the poem.
6. Section III lists all the types of letters the train is carrying. Identify the contrasts between the types of letters put together.
7. What is the nature of letters brought by the night mail?
8. How does the poet give a universal appeal to the train?
9. Comment on the charms of the pre-technological era.
10. In the present times of instant communication, what would a poem like this mean? Comment.

Answers:

Answer Set – 1 (Short Answers)

1. Explain in your words, ‘dawn freshens, the climb is done’.
   Ans. Morning has arrived, and the train has finished climbing uphill.
2. In what context does the poet talk about the jug in the bedroom?
   Ans. The train passes quietly by a farmhouse, and only a jug shakes slightly—showing its gentle presence.
3. Summarise section III in your own words.
   Ans. Section III lists all types of letters the train carries—happy, sad, official, personal—showing the emotions people share through mail.
4. Describe the different kinds of terrain the night mail passes through.
   Ans. The train moves through hills, moors, grasslands, farms, towns, and industrial areas.
5. How does the poet give the night mail a specific identity? Explain giving examples from the poem.
   Ans. The poet personifies the train by calling it “her” and giving it human-like actions, such as snorting and climbing.
6. Section III lists all the types of letters the train is carrying. Identify the contrasts between the types of letters put together.
   Ans. The letters are happy and sad, personal and official, short and long, neat and messy.
7. What is the nature of letters brought by the night mail?
   Ans. They are emotional, varied, and important to the people who receive them.
8. How does the poet give a universal appeal to the train?
   Ans. By showing it connects all people, in all places, carrying all kinds of messages.
9. Comment on the charms of the pre-technological era.
   Ans. It was a time when letters were valued, and people waited with hope for news from loved ones.
10. In the present times of instant communication, what would a poem like this mean? Comment.
    Ans. It reminds us to value real connection and emotions, even in an age of instant communication.

Answer Set – 2

1️⃣ Explain in your words, ‘Dawn freshens, the climb is done’.

Answer:
This line means that morning is beginning and the night train has completed its uphill journey. The air is becoming cool and fresh, and now the train will start going downhill.

2️⃣ In what context does the poet talk about the jug in the bedroom?

Answer:
The poet says that when the train passes by a farm, no one wakes up, but a jug in the bedroom gently shakes. This shows the powerful yet smooth movement of the train. It is so strong that it causes small movements, but still gentle enough to let people sleep.

3️⃣ Summarise section III in your own words.

Answer:
Section III talks about the many kinds of letters the Night Mail is carrying — happy letters, sad letters, love letters, job applications, bills, gossip, and family messages. Some are typed, some handwritten, some with photos or drawings. The poet shows that these letters connect people emotionally, and each one is important in its own way.

4️⃣ Describe the different kinds of terrain the night mail passes through.

Answer:
The Night Mail train passes through hills, cotton-grass fields, moorlands, dark valleys (glens), and areas near lakes (lochs). It also moves through industrial places with furnaces and cranes, and quiet farmlands.

5️⃣ How does the poet give the night mail a specific identity? Explain giving examples from the poem.

Answer:
The poet gives the Night Mail a human-like identity by using personification. He calls the train “she,” and describes it as snorting, climbing, pulling, and shovelling steam. This makes the train seem alive and hard-working, like a strong person doing a duty.

6️⃣ Section III lists all the types of letters the train is carrying. Identify the contrasts between the types of letters put together.

Answer:
There are many contrasts shown:

• Joy vs. sorrow (letters of joy and letters of condolence)
• Formal vs. personal (official letters and love letters)
• Neatly typed vs. full of spelling mistakes
• Long vs. short, colourful vs. plain

This contrast shows that all kinds of people and emotions are carried by the train.

7️⃣ What is the nature of letters brought by the night mail?

Answer:
The letters are emotional and meaningful. They bring news, love, sorrow, information, and hope. Some are simple, some official, but all are important to the person receiving them.

8️⃣ How does the poet give a universal appeal to the train?

Answer:
The poet makes the train important for everyone — rich or poor, young or old, city or village. It carries messages for all types of people, so everyone can connect with it. The poem shows that every human has the need to feel remembered, which makes it universal.

9️⃣ Comment on the charms of the pre-technological era.

Answer:
In the pre-technological era, letters were the main way to connect with people. They were personal, heartfelt, and waited for with excitement. Receiving a letter gave joy and warmth, unlike today’s fast messages.

🔟 In the present times of instant communication, what would a poem like this mean? Comment.

Answer:
Today, we use emails, texts, and instant messaging. But a poem like Night Mail reminds us of the emotional value of slow and thoughtful communication. It shows how waiting and receiving a letter can be special and touching, even today.

Answer Set – 3

1. It refers to the arrival of the dawn and a new day begins. At dawn the Night Mail has reached the top of the hill Beattock.
2. The rumble of the train causes vibrations that makes the table and the jug on it to tremble and shake.
3. Section III talks about the kind of letters, the kind of paper they are written on, and the different tones of the letters carried by the Night Mail.
4. The Night Mail climbs uphill, passes grasslands and farms, goes downhill, and passes through the industrial area of Glasgow, passes by valleys and lakes.
5. The poet personifies the Night Mail by giving it human qualities. He portrays the train as a lady who enjoys the journey through different terrains. Everyone eagerly waits for her arrival.
6. They are personal and official letters, happy and sad letters, love letters and letters of gossip.
7. They cover all aspects of human communication-happy, sad, official communication, news etc.
8. The poet does this by giving a universal need for communication of all kind. Everyone is waiting for someone to write to them and the train fulfils their wishes.
9. In the pre-technological era, there were no phones or any fast electronic means of communications. People communicated through letters that took many days to reach their destinations. During those days the people eagerly waited for letters. The letters had their own charm at that time. In the poem, it has been very vividly described as how the people long for the letters and how different kinds of letters are written and sent.
10. In the present time of instant (quick and fast) communication, the poem has little relevance. Its relevance lies only in telling or reminding of the past days of pre-technological era and importance of letters at that time in the life of common people.

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Poetry Appreciation

A. Find four more examples of internal rhyme from this section.

Ans. 1. chatty—catty 2. boring—adoring 3. bushes—coaches 4. joy—boy

B. Mention any three figures of speech that have been used by the poet. Give an example for each category.

Ans.
1. personification—the night mail is given human qualities.

2. transferred epithet—silent miles

3. simile—like gigantic chessmen

C. The night mail has been personified in the poem. What qualities of the train have been mentioned by the poet?

Ans. It is thought of as a lady, tireless, enjoys her journey, bringer of news.

D. Comment on the rhyme scheme of the poem.

Ans. aabbccddeeff

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