Read the poem and answer the questions given below it.
Rain on the Tin Roof
At six the sky above our town turns grey,
and the first big drops come down, slow and few:
plink on the tin, then plonk, then plink again,
until the roof is drumming through and through.
The fan slows down; the lights go out next door,
and then our own. Ma strikes a single match.
The lantern shows our faces, gold and still,
while the wind keeps tugging at the window latch.
Our phones are dead; the TV screen is black.
No one will hear the cricket score tonight.
For once the house forgets its little screens
and sits together in one ring of light.
Dadaji tells the story of the flood,
the year the river came up to our door;
the roof keeps time above him all the while,
and we have heard it twenty times before.
By ten the roar has softened to a hum
that lulls my little sister where she lies.
The lights come on again. Nobody moves.
We listen to the rain with half-closed eyes.
Which of the following best describes the mood of the poem?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
The correct answer is Option (1) → Warm and contented
The poem gives a cosy picture of a family happy to be together on a rainy night.
- The lantern shows their faces “gold and still”, and they sit “in one ring of light”. This is a warm scene.
- At the end “Nobody moves”, and they listen to the rain “with half-closed eyes”. They are contented, which means happy with what they have.
Why the Other Options are Incorrect?
Option 2: Anxious and fearful — Incorrect. Contradicted: Anxious means worried about what may happen. The flood is an old story. They have “heard it twenty times before”. No one is afraid of the rain. Example: Riya was anxious while she waited for her results.
Option 3: Bored and restless — Incorrect. Contradicted: Restless means unable to stay still or calm. The family sits quietly and does not move even when the lights return. Example: The children grew restless during the long speech.
Option 4: Sad and wistful — Incorrect. Wrong focus: Wistful means quietly sad and longing for something. The family enjoys the evening as it is. It does not long for anything. Example: She gave a wistful look at her old school.