A Considerable Speck – Contextual Q&A
Question 1
"A speck that would have been beneath my sight
On any but a paper sheet so white
Set off across what I had written there.
And I had idly poised my pen in air
To stop it with a period of ink
When something strange about it made me think."
(i) Why is the speck visible to the poet? (3)
(ii) What does "idly poised my pen in air" reveal about the poet's initial attitude? (3)
(iii) What does "to stop it with a period of ink" suggest about the poet's intention? (3)
(iv) What is significant about "something strange about it made me think"? (3)
(v) How do these opening lines establish the poem's turning point from indifference to observation? (4)
Answer:
(i) The speck is visible only because it contrasts against the white sheet of paper. Under normal circumstances, on any other background, it would be "beneath my sight"—invisible and unnoticed. The stark whiteness of the paper provides the contrast necessary to detect something so tiny.
(ii) "Idly poised my pen in air" suggests the poet is not fully engaged, not thinking carefully about what he is doing. "Idly" means carelessly, thoughtlessly, without concern or intention. This reveals that his initial attitude toward the speck is one of casual indifference—he has not considered the speck as significant enough to warrant careful attention.
(iii) "To stop it with a period of ink" suggests the poet intends to crush or kill the speck. A "period" is a punctuation mark, but here it means a dot of ink that would crush the tiny creature. The phrase plays cleverly on the double meaning of "period"—both a stop in writing and the stopping (killing) of the mite. This reveals an instinctive human reaction to destroy something considered insignificant without thinking.
(iv) "Something strange about it made me think" marks a turning point. The speck's behavior is unusual—it moves with apparent purpose, not randomly like dust would. This causes the poet to pause and reconsider. The strangeness prompts reflection, suggesting that observation and thinking can overturn initial assumptions.
(v) These lines establish the turning point by moving from casual indifference ("idly poised") to sudden reflection ("made me think"). The poet progresses from being ready to casually destroy the speck to recognizing something unusual that demands reconsideration. The transition from action (about to crush it) to thought (made me think) shows how careful observation can transform our perspective about what we initially dismiss as insignificant.
Question 2
"This was no dust speck by my breathing blown,
But unmistakably a living mite
With inclinations it could call its own.
It paused as with suspicion of my pen,
And then came racing wildly on again
To where my manuscript was not yet dry;"
(i) How does the poet's perception of the speck change in the first three lines? (3)
(ii) What does "with inclinations it could call its own" suggest about the mite? (3)
(iii) Why does the mite "pause as with suspicion of my pen"? (3)
(iv) What does the mite's movement to "where my manuscript was not yet dry" show about its behavior? (3)
(v) How do these lines demonstrate that the poet recognizes intelligence in the mite? (4)
Answer:
(i) The poet's perception shifts from seeing the speck as inert matter (dust) to recognizing it as a living being. The phrase "This was no dust speck" is emphatic—the poet is correcting his initial assumption. He moves from the assumption that it is lifeless debris to the certainty that it is "unmistakably a living mite." This is a fundamental perceptual shift from object to organism.
(ii) "With inclinations it could call its own" means the mite has its own desires, instincts and purposes. It is not passively blown about but actively motivated by its own will. "Inclinations" suggests intention and individual preference. This reveals the poet's recognition that even a tiny creature has agency and self-directed motivation, not mere mechanical reaction.
(iii) The mite pauses and seems suspicious of the poet's pen because it recognizes potential danger. The pen is poised above it, a threat. The mite's wariness shows it can perceive threats and act defensively. This demonstrates that despite its tiny size, the mite has sensory awareness and can make judgments about danger.
(iv) The mite's movement to the wet manuscript shows intelligent self-preservation. It runs from the threat (the pen) and seeks potentially safer ground. Its direction toward the manuscript is not random but purposeful—it is escaping from one danger to try another location. This behavior suggests strategic thinking.
(v) These lines demonstrate the poet's recognition of intelligence through several specific observations: the mite has "inclinations" (independent will), it pauses "as with suspicion" (ability to perceive and react to danger), and it moves "wildly on again" with apparent purpose. The progression from physical movement to attributed motivation ("with suspicion") to intelligent behavior shows the poet acknowledging that intelligence is not unique to humans but exists in microscopic form in the mite.
Question 3
"Then paused again and either drank or smelt—
With loathing, for again it turned to fly.
Plainly with an intelligence I dealt.
It seemed too tiny to have room for feet,
Yet must have had a set of them complete
To express how much it didn't want to die."
(i) What does the mite's reaction to the ink reveal about it? (3)
(ii) What is the significance of "with loathing, for again it turned to fly"? (3)
(iii) What does "Plainly with an intelligence I dealt" mean? (3)
(iv) What is paradoxical about "It seemed too tiny to have room for feet, / Yet must have had a set of them complete"? (3)
(v) How do these lines show the poet's growing respect and admiration for the mite? (4)
Answer:
Question 4
"It ran with terror and with cunning crept.
It faltered: I could see it hesitate;
Then in the middle of the open sheet
Cower down in desperation to accept
Whatever I accorded it of fate. ...
I have a mind myself and recognize
Mind when I meet with it in any guise."
(i) What contrasting qualities does the mite display in "It ran with terror and with cunning crept"? (3)
(ii) What does "It faltered: I could see it hesitate" reveal about the mite's state? (3)
(iii) Why is the mite's cowering "in the middle of the open sheet" particularly vulnerable? (3)
(iv) What is the significance of "I have a mind myself and recognize / Mind when I meet with it in any guise"? (3)
(v) How do these lines show the poet's transformation from would-be killer to respectful observer? (4)
Answer:
(i) The mite displays both emotional reaction (terror—fear) and intelligent strategy (cunning—clever planning). Terror is instinctive; cunning is rational. By showing both, Frost reveals that the mite is not merely reacting emotionally but actively strategizing, combining fear-driven movement with thoughtful evasion. The mite is neither purely driven by panic nor purely by intellect but by a combination of both.
(ii) "It faltered: I could see it hesitate" shows the mite is uncertain and deliberating. "Faltered" means unsteady, wavering; "hesitate" means pausing to decide. These words reveal the mite is experiencing indecision, genuinely thinking about what to do next. This is not automatic instinct but active deliberation—the mite is weighing options even in its desperate fear.
(iii) The "middle of the open sheet" is completely exposed and defenseless. There is nowhere to hide, no shelter, no escape. The mite has nowhere left to go and must face the poet directly. In this exposed position, the mite's fate is entirely in the poet's hands. This setting emphasizes the mite's powerlessness and the poet's absolute power to determine its fate.
(iv) This statement is the poem's philosophical climax. The poet asserts that he has the capacity to recognize intelligence wherever he encounters it, regardless of form or size. This is a profound recognition of universal mind—intelligence is not the exclusive property of humans or even large creatures but exists in "any guise." The poet is committing himself to honoring intelligence wherever it appears.
(v) The poet's transformation is complete by these lines. Earlier, he idly poised his pen to crush the mite without thought. Now, facing the mite's desperate struggle, its cunning, its hesitation (all signs of intelligence), and its cowering acceptance of fate, the poet recognizes something worthy of respect. His statement "I have a mind myself and recognize / Mind" reveals that he has been changed by his observation. He can no longer kill the mite because he has recognized its intelligence and value. The would-be killer has become a respectful observer.
Question 5
"I have none of the tenderer-than-thou
Collectivistic regimenting love
With which the modern world is being swept.
But this poor microscopic item now!
Since it was nothing I knew evil of
I let it lie there till I hope it slept."
(i) What does "tenderer-than-thou / Collectivistic regimenting love" refer to? (3)
(ii) What is Frost criticizing through the phrase "with which the modern world is being swept"? (3)
(iii) Why does the poet specifically address "this poor microscopic item now"? (3)
(iv) What is the significance of "Since it was nothing I knew evil of"? (3)
(v) How do these final lines crystallize the poet's ethical vision and his decision to spare the mite? (4)