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My Mother at Sixty Six Question Solutions
Table of Contents
My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answer
H S 2nd Year
-Kamala Das
My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answer
Textual Question Solutions
(Think it out). Each bearing 2 Marks
Q.1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Ans: The poet feels pain and ache looking at her old mother. Her mother was old and she looked pale and ash-like. Here the poet’s pain and ache is about the feeling of growing old which leads to death.
Q.2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Ans: The term ‘sprinting’ refers to running fast. Here the poet describes the young trees as ‘sprinting’ because when she looks outside from a fast-moving car, the young trees seem to pass behind with the speed of the car. Here ‘sprinting’ symbolises ageing or growing old.
Q.3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes?
Ans: The poet has brought in the image of ‘the merry children spilling out of their homes in the poem for poetic effect. It contrasts with the condition of the poet’s old mother. She is sad, pale and ash-like because of old age. On the other hand, the children are full of life and spirit because they are young.
Q.4. Why was the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon?
Ans: The poet’s mother has been compared to ‘late winter’s moon’ because as the late winter’s moon looks pale and ash-like, so the poet’s mother turned pale because of growing old.
Q.5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Ans: Along with the smiling, the parting words of the poet were ‘see you soon, Amma’. The words and the smile signify the poet’s fear of losing her old mother because being old her mother may die at any time. So she wishes her mother to live long so that she may meet her mother again. By smiling the poet tries to hide her feeling of sorrow because of her mother.
My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answer
Additional Question Solutions
Short Answer-type Question:
- Where is the poet Kamala Das driving to?
Ans: Kamala Das was driving to the Cochin airport from her parent’s home.
- What are the ‘merry children spilling out of their homes’ symbolic of?
Ans: ‘The merry children out of their homes’ symbolises youthfulness and cheerfulness. The image of the ‘merry children’ stands in the poem as a contrast between young age and old age. Old age is full of gloom and inactivity while young age is full of cheerfulness and activity.
- What do ‘young sprinting trees’ signify in the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’?
Ans: The young sprinting trees signify youthfulness, cheerfulness and activity. The image of the sprinting trees is used as a contrast between young age and old age.
Reading Extract and Answering
Q.1. Read the following extracts and answer the questions that follow:
(a) ‘……. and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile….’
Questions:
(i) What was the childhood fear that now troubled the poet? 1
(ii) What do the poet’s parting words suggest? 2
(iii) Why did the poet smile and smile? 1
Ans: (i) The poet’s childhood fear was that she would lose her mother one day- either soon or late.
(ii) The poet’s parting words suggest that she does not want to lose her mother.
(iii) The poet smiled and smiled to hide her sorrows which she felt for her ageing mother.
(b) ‘but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma
all I did was smile and smile and smile ….’
Questions:
(i) What did the speaker do after the security check? 1
(ii) Why did the poet compare her mother’s face to a ‘late winter’s moon’? 2
(iii) What was the poet’s childhood fear? 1
Ans: (i) After the security check, the poet looked again at her mother’s face which looked pale and wan.
(ii) The poetess’s mother has been compared to ‘late winter’s moon because as the late winter’s moon looks pale and ash-like so the poet’s mother turned pale because of growing old.
(iii) The poet’s childhood fear was that she would lose her mother one day- either soon or late.
(c) ‘But soon put that thought away,
and looked out at Young Trees sprinting,
the merry children spilling out of their homes.’
Questions:
(i) Who looked at the young trees? 1
(ii) Which thought did the speaker put away? 1
(iii) What do young sprinting trees signify? 1
(iv) What did the poet see the children doing? 1
Ans: (i) The poet Kamala Das looked out at the young trees.
(ii) The poet put away the thought of the pain that she felt looking at the face of her old mother.
(iii) The ‘sprinting trees’ signify ageing or growing old.
(iv) The poet saw the children playing with merriment out of their homes.
(d) “Driving from parent’s home to
Cochin last Friday morning,
I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse…”
Questions :
(i) Where was the speaker driving to? 1
(ii) What did she notice when her mother sat beside her? 1
(iii) Find two words from the passage that mean ‘sleep’ lightly’ and ‘dead body’. 2
(iv) Why was her mother’s face like that of a corpse? 1
Ans: (i) The speaker was driving to Cochin airport from her parents’ home.
(ii) She noticed that her mother was dozing sitting beside the poet, She looked pale, ash-like and gloomy like a corpse.
(iii) The word in the poem that means ‘sleep lightly’ is ‘doze’ and the word that means ‘dead body’ is ‘corpse’.
(iv) The poet’s mother’s face was like that of a corpse because she grew old and became gloomy, pale and ash-like. 0 0 0.
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My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answer
My Mother at Sixty Six: Summary
“My Mother at Sixty-Six” is a poignant and introspective poem by Kamala Das, reflecting on the themes of aging, mortality, and the deep bond between a mother and daughter. The poem captures a moment in the poet’s life when she is confronted with the reality of her mother’s aging and the inevitable separation that looms ahead.
The poem begins with the poet describing a recent drive from her parent’s home to the airport, during which she looks at her mother sitting beside her. The mother, aged sixty-six, is dozing off with her mouth open, an image that evokes vulnerability and fragility. The poet is struck by the pallor of her mother’s face, which she compares to that of a dead body. This comparison fills the poet with a sudden, acute sense of fear and realization of her mother’s mortality.
To distract herself from these unsettling thoughts, the poet turns her attention to the world outside the car window. She notices the trees speeding by and the lively, energetic children running out of their homes. These images stand in stark contrast to her mother’s stillness and aging, highlighting the difference between youth and old age, vitality and frailty.
As they reach the airport and it is time for the poet to leave, she experiences a familiar pain of separation. The poet recalls her childhood fear of losing her mother, a fear that resurfaces with renewed intensity. She masks her anxiety with a smile and reassures her mother that she will see her soon. Despite her attempts to appear cheerful and composed, the poet is deeply affected by the sight of her mother standing at the airport’s security check, looking frail and helpless.
The poem concludes with the poet’s silent resolve to cope with her emotions. She waves goodbye, aware of the sadness that lingers within her. The poem encapsulates a moment of profound emotional conflict, where the poet grapples with the natural process of aging and the looming inevitability of death, while trying to maintain a brave facade for her mother.
“My Mother at Sixty-Six” eloquently captures the complexities of the mother-daughter relationship, particularly as they navigate the challenges of aging and impending loss. Through vivid imagery and a deeply personal narrative, Kamala Das explores universal themes of love, fear, and the passage of time, resonating with readers on a deeply emotional level. 0 0 0.
My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answer
About the Poet: Kamala Das
Early Life and Background
Kamala Das, born Kamala Surayya on March 31, 1934, in Punnayurkulam, Kerala, India, was a prominent Indian English poet, novelist, short story writer, and memoirist. She was born into a literary family—her mother, Nalapat Balamani Amma, was a renowned Malayali poet, and her father, V.M. Nair, was a senior executive in the automobile industry and a journalist. Growing up in a culturally rich environment, Kamala was exposed to literature and the arts from a young age.
Education and Personal Life
Kamala Das received her early education at various schools in Kerala, including the prestigious Catholic boarding school, Sacred Heart Convent. She was married at the age of 15 to Madhava Das, a banker, with whom she had three sons. The marriage was both a source of personal challenges and a profound inspiration for her writing. Kamala Das often wrote about her personal life, including the emotional and physical experiences of her marriage, bringing a raw and honest perspective to her work.
Literary Career
Kamala Das began writing at an early age, initially publishing in the Malayalam language under the pen name Madhavikutty. Her first collection of poems in English, “Summer in Calcutta,” was published in 1965, marking her entry into Indian English literature. The collection was well-received for its bold and unapologetic exploration of female sexuality, love, and identity.
Her subsequent collections, including “The Descendants” (1967), “The Old Playhouse and Other Poems” (1973), and “Only the Soul Knows How to Sing” (1996), further established her as a pioneering voice in contemporary Indian poetry. Kamala Das’s poetry is characterized by its confessional style, vivid imagery, and emotional intensity. She often delved into themes of love, longing, betrayal, and the complexities of womanhood.
In addition to poetry, Kamala Das wrote short stories, essays, and novels. Her autobiographical work, “My Story,” published in 1976, created a sensation for its candid revelations about her personal life and relationships. The book became a bestseller and was translated into several languages.
Recognition and Awards
Throughout her career, Kamala Das received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to literature. Some of her notable accolades include the Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award for her short stories in 1969, the Sahitya Akademi Award for her poetry in 1985, and the Asian World Prize for Literature in 1984. She was also shortlisted for the Nobel Prize in Literature.
Conversion to Islam and Later Life
In 1999, Kamala Das made headlines when she converted to Islam and adopted the name Kamala Surayya. Her decision to convert was met with both criticism and support, reflecting the polarized views on religious conversion in India. Despite the controversy, Kamala remained unapologetic and continued to write about her experiences.
Kamala Das passed away on May 31, 2009, in Pune, Maharashtra, India, after a long battle with diabetes and related complications. She was laid to rest in the Palayam Juma Masjid in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Kamala Das’s legacy as a pioneering and fearless writer endures through her extensive body of work. She is remembered for her contributions to Indian English literature and her unapologetic exploration of female identity and sexuality. Her writing continues to inspire and influence new generations of poets and writers, making her a significant figure in the literary landscape of India.
Kamala Das’s bold and confessional style broke new ground in Indian literature, providing a voice to the unspoken experiences of women and challenging societal norms. Her work remains a testament to her courage, creativity, and enduring impact on the world of literature. 0 0 0.
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