Summary
The narrator and his elder brother were very poor when this incident happened. 10 years and fourteen years,
they decided to give their mother a Mother’s Day Gift. Their father worked as a waiter so he could not find money to
buy a Mother’s Day gift for his sons. The children had to find money to buy the gift. Finally they made money by
working very hard and bought two gifts for their mother. Did the mother love their gifts? What was the half gift?
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Lesson Plan
The two brothers make plans – What to buy!
Nick’s Gift
Joe’s Gift – Half a Gift
The two brothers make plans – What to buy!
What for did Joe and Nick want a gift?
Joe, the narrator and Nick, his four year older brother wanted a gift to present to their mother on the Mother’s Day.
Why was it hard for the boys to buy gifts for their mother?
The two boys were very poor. Besides, it was a time when the first World War was just over so poverty was common.
Their father worked as a waiter and he had no steady job. Although father was able to arrange birthday and
Christmas gifts for the family, he could not afford the luxury of buying Mother’s Day gifts.
How did Nick and Joe find money to buy their Mother’s day gifts?
Nick and Joe found money by working for a secondhand furniture store that had opened on the block. They worked in
the delivery section. It was a very hard job. They had to load the furniture on a wobbly pushcart and then carefully
pushed the cart through traffic, to the customer’s home. For this, they were paid a nickel each and sometimes a tip.
The work was heavy but the boys didn’t mind that. What does this show?
The boys had great love for their mother. It was Nick who got inspiration to think of a Mother’s Day gift. When he told
this to Joe, he too was excited. They thought that their mother should feel important in the midst of her struggles. The
two boys were eager about the excitement their mother would feel on receiving a gift.
What was father’s reaction on learning what the boys were secretly planning?
When the boys secretly told their father about the gift, he was very pleased. Stroking their heads, he remarked that it
was a fine idea. He further said that their gifts would make their mother very happy.
Nick’s Gift
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What was Nick’s Mother’s Day gift for mother?
Nick bought a new scrubbing pail with the wringer and the fresh mop in it.
Why did Nick decide to buy a scrubbing pail as his Mother’s Day gift?
Nick was four years elder to the narrator. He was already aware of the hard work his mother was doing for all of
them. He had made a note how his mother scrubbed the floor – with scouring powder, scrubbing brush, and mopping
up the dirty water with old rags made of discarded underwear. It was the job she hated most in the world. She
cleaned the floor sitting back on her heels.
How did mother feel when she saw Nick’s gift for her?
At first mother was surprised at Nick’s gift but soon her surprise gave way for disappointment.
Why did mother feel disappointed on seeing Nick’s gift?
Nick’s gift for his mother was a new, expensive scrubbing pail with wringer and fresh mop in it. When he presented
her the pail, mother didn’t feel cheered. She disapproved of a scrubbing pail as a Mother’s Day gift because she
wished her sons to help her scrub the floor for her. As a mother who always did her household chores, she wanted
rest for a day.
What did Nick feel when mother declined his gift?
Nick was greatly hurt when mother disapproved of his hard-earned gift. Without a word he picked up the scrubbing
pail and mop and blindly trudged down the stairs. He decided to return the gift back to the shop from where he had
bought it so dearly.
How did father bring a happy end to the gift incident?
The narrator’s and Nicks father was a man with great presence of mind. When he saw how sad Nick had become
when his gift was refused by his mother, he brought him back to her with a freshly made up explanation that Nick was
about to clean the floor.
In your opinion, who lives a harder life – mother or father?
It is very hard to say who lives a harder life. In the past, mothers had a very tough life. They had to do all the works
from cooking to cleaning the whole house. Her works started early in the morning to late night. In many houses, it
was mother who went to sleep at last. She could not complain. Woman has been taught by her mothers and fathers
that she is supposed to be a silent sufferer in the family. Luckily today, hardship of women has been reduced by
awareness and lifestyle. In cities some women are lucky to have servants yet they have to do a major portion of the
work. In villages and in poor families, woman is still unfortunate. On the other hand, man’s life involves greater risk
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than work. He lives a life away from his dear ones. In offices or while participating international conferences, man
forgets his family. When he returns home after work or after a long break, his dear ones surround him with complains.
For children, father is a protecting figure who lives for earning for the family.
What makes you think that the narrator’s mother had a load of struggles to face at home?
The narrator Joe’s mother worked all day, cooking and buying and tending to the two boys and her husband in illness
and stoking the stove in the kitchen with wood and coal to keep everyone warm in the winter. She did her own
washing of family clothes in the bathtub. Most remarkably, she did all these things silently. She had complaints but
she didn’t complain. When she cleaned the floors, mother moved on her knees.
Joe’s Gift – Half a Gift
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Why did Joe say that his gift was ‘half the scrubbing pail?’
Joe, the younger brother, had bought a decorated comb for his mother as a Mother’s Day gift. When he was asked
what gift he had bought for his mother, Joe said it was just half a scrubbing pail because he learnt that helping one’s
mother was more important than buying gifts for her.
Justify the title of the story.
I put the comb in my pocket and ran after him. He was crying and I felt so bad I began to cry, too.
Do you think all the mothers should be loved and cared for like the narrator’s mother in the story? Explain.
Yes, all the mothers should be loved and taken care of.
No,” said Father firmly, taking the pail. “It is a fine gift. A wonderful gift. I should have thought of it myself. Women
sometimes don’t see how to escape their burdens. They escape in pretty baubles rather than lighter work.” We all
went upstairs again, Nick climbing very reluctantly. Inside the kitchen Mother was still scrubbing, but not vigorously.
Slowly. Sadly. Without a word Father soaked the puddle of dirty water up with the mop and using the foot wringer on
the bucket, neatly squeezed it dry. “You did not let Nick finish,” he said to her sternly. “Part of his gift was that he was
going to wash the floor from now on.” He looked at Nick. “Isn’t that so, Nick?” With a flush of shame Nick understood
the lesson. “Yes, oh, yes,” he said in a low, eager tone. Quickly, repentantly.
She did not laugh much, but when she smiled at the boys it was a beautiful thing and worth waiting for.
“What are you going to give her?” asked Father, thoughtfully. “How much money have you?” “Enough,” said Nick
mysteriously. Father smiled. “We’re going to give separate presents,” I announced importantly.
“Pick carefully,” my father counseled. “You tell Mother,” said Nick, looking at me for approval, “so she can enjoy
thinking about it.” I nodded. My father said, “That is a big thought to come from so small a head. And wise.”
Nick flushed with joy. Then he put a hand on my shoulder and said quickly, “Joe thought of it, too.” “No,” I said, “I
didn’t.” I wanted no credit for what was not mine. “But my present will make up for it.”
“The thought belongs to everybody,” said Father smiling. “Everybody. Nick, too, got the thought elsewhere.”
For the next few days we enjoyed the game of secrecy with my mother. A shining look came into her face as she
worked near us, pretending not to know, and she smiled often. The air was full of love.
Nick and I discussed what to buy. We became involved in a competition of taste.
“Let’s not tell each other what we’re getting,” said Nick, exasperated with me, for my mind was not q.s settled as his
and scooted around like a fly in summertime.
“We might get the same thing,” I wailed. “No, we won’t,” said Nick. “I have more money than you.”
I did not like this remark, though it was fair enough, since I had spent some of my earnings for candy, while Nick had
determined to spend everything on the gift.
After careful deliberation I bought for my mother a comb decorated with little shiny stones that could even be
mistaken for diamonds. Nick came back from the store with a pleased look. He liked my gift very much and wouldn’t
tell about his.
“We will give the gifts at a certain moment I have picked,” he said.
“What moment?” I asked mystified. “I can’t tell, because it has something to do with my gift. And don’t ask me again
what it is.”
THE next morning Nick kept me close and when my mother got ready to wash the floor he nodded to me and we ran
to get our gifts.
Mother said, “It is too heavy work for a fourteen-year-old boy.” It was then I realized how smart Father was. “Ah,” he
said cunningly, “not with this wonderful wringer and scrub pail. It’s much easier. Your hands stay clean, and your
knees don’t hurt.” Again Father demonstrated quickly.
Mother said, looking sadly at Nick, “Ah, a woman can become so stupid.”
She kissed Nick and he felt better. Then they turned to me. “What is your gift?” asked Father. Nick looked at me and
paled. I felt the comb in my pocket. It would make the scrubbing pail, again, just a scrubbing pail. After all, a comb
with shining stones just like diamonds.
More
I WAS ten years old then, and my brother, Nick, was fourteen. For both of us this purchase of a gift for our mother on
Mother’s Day was an occasion of excitement and great importance. It was our first gift to her
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