Some say the world will end in fire some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favour fire.
(Stanza 1)
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-14 11:18 · grounding stimulus+chapter
Model Answer
I. According to Robert Frost, fire refers to desire (human greed, passion, and intense longing).
II. The poet believes fire symbolises desire — a burning, consuming passion that can destroy the world. Ice symbolises hate — cold, indifferent, and equally destructive. Just as fire can burn everything, hate (ice) can make the world perish through cruelty and bitterness. Both emotions are extreme and capable of causing complete destruction, making them equally devastating.
III. In the line "But if it has to perish twice," 'it' refers to the world.
IV. The rhyme scheme of Stanza 1 is ABA (fire–desire–fire pattern: fire/ice/desire = ABA).
The correct option is A:
- "away" / "still" / "say" → ABA rhyme scheme, matching Stanza 1.
Source: Fire and Ice, Robert Frost — Class 10 First Flight, Chapter 2
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Explanation
- I: "Desire" is directly stated in the poem — examiners expect this exact word.
- II: 2-mark answer needs both symbols explained with their effect — fire = desire, ice = hate, both destructive.
- III: "It" clearly refers to the world — the subject of the entire poem.
- IV: Stanza 1 rhymes: fire(A), desire(B), fire(A) — that's ABA. Option A follows the same ABA pattern (away/still/say = A/B/A). Options B and C do not match.