My Mother at Sixty-Six
By Kamala Das
I. Read the following extract and choose the most appropriate option for
each question.
I saw my mother,
beside me, doze, open mouthed,
her face ashen like that of a corpse and realised with pain that she was as old
as she looked
but soon put that thought away,
and looked out at Young Trees sprinting,
1.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Kamala Das turned her attention from her mother, because
She was feeling guilty.
She was shirking her responsibility
She was trying to escape from pain filled emotions.
She didn’t like the idea of her mother growing old.
2.
a)
b)
c)
d)
The poetic device used in the third line is also found in
Leena is the Latha Mangeshkar of Hyderabad.
Ayra is as cool as a cucumber to receive the heavy news.
The elephant is heavier than many other animals.
He is a tiger.
3.
a)
b)
c)
d)
The words ‘doze’ and ‘ashen’ reflect that the mother was
Tired and sleepy
Pale and old
Lost strength and vigour as she had grown old
Hale and healthy
4.
a)
b)
c)
d)
What did the poet realize seeing her mother beside her in the car?
That her mother may not survive for long
That her mother was suffering
That her mother wanted her to be with her.
That she wanted to go with her daughter.
‘Thought Away’ means.
a) Diverted
5.
b) Escaped
c) Drifted
d) Avoided
6.
a)
b)
c)
d)
‘Trees sprinting’ is a,
Metaphor
Personification
Simile
Alliteration
7.
a)
b)
c)
d)
The literary devices used in the above extract are
Simile and Refrain
Simile and Personification
Simile and Alliteration
Only Simile
II. Read the following extract and choose the most appropriate option for
each question.
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......
1.
a)
b)
c)
d)
Kamala Das comparing her mother to winter moon signifies,
Human life is as short as that of the moon.
Though the mother is old, she is still beautiful
Winter is the last season of the year
Mother is about to die
Though she feels painful, Kamala Das smiles on …
To hide her sad feelings and emotions
To encourage her mother to smile and feel good
Not to dishearten her mother by showing her worried face
d) All the above
2.
a)
b)
c)
3. The narrator is only using her smile to
(a) overcome her pain
(b) make herself happy
(c) to make her mother happy
(d) to hide her pain
4. “Smile and smile and smile” is
(a) Refrain
(b) Repetition
(c) Simile
(d) Anaphora
5. What was the expression of the poet’s face while parting from her mother?
(a) satirical
(b) hopeful
(c) sad
(d) guilt
III.
Choose the correct option:
The tone of the poem is
Pensive and sorrowful
Disillusioned and unhappy
Happy but discontented
d) Remorseful
1.
a)
b)
c)
2. The poem is made up of
(a) twenty lines
(b) a single sentence
(c) ten stanzas
(d) five stanzas
3. What question arises from the complexity of the situation in the poem?
(a) what to do in old age
(b) how to take care of one’s parents
(c) how to stay hopeful
(d) how to strike a balance between duties and responsibilities
4. What is the universality of the theme of the poem?
(a) death is a truth
(b) Life’s reality
(c) feeling of guilt
(d) to show old age
5. What do the running trees signify?
(a) youth and energy
(b) passing of the days
(c) fast moving change in human life from childhood to old age
(d) none
6. What did the poet realize with pain?
(a) her mother’s old age – close to death
(b) she is inconsiderate towards her mother
(c) old age is painful
(d) she has duties
7. The narrative style of the poem signifies…
(a) differing thoughts
(b) many thoughts
(c) contrasting thoughts
(d) a single thread of thought mixed with harsh realities
8. How is the imagery of ‘young trees and merry children’ a contrast to the mother?
(a) mother is old in comparison to the trees and children
(b) mother’s face is ashen while the trees are green and children are happy
(c) like spring and autumn season
(d) Mother’s health-hopelessness: trees and merry children- youthfulness and hope
9. In the poem, My Mother at Sixty-six, all that the poet did was smile and smile and smile…,
Her smile is
a. sudden, in response to her mother’s.
b. meaningful and loaded with love.
c. accompanied with tears of farewell.
d. put on to cheer her mother.
Study the two statements, in each question, labeled as Assertion (A)
and Reason (R).
IV.
Point out if:
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false.
1.
Assertion:
Kamala Das was honest and didn‘t have any hesitation in
describing her mother‘s ageing face.
Reason:
She compares her mother‘s face to a corpse.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
2.
Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
A is true but R is false
A is false but R is true
Both A and R are false.
Assertion:
Reason:
Kamala Das didn‘t like her mother growing old.
She turns her attention away from her mother.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false.
3.
Assertion: The poet feels the pain of separation at the airport
Reason: She started smiling at her.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false..
4.
Assertion: The poet gracefully accepts the reality of her mother
growing old.
Reason: She left for her destination without much difficulty.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false.
5. Assertion:
The poet didn‘t reveal her sorrow on her face in the
airport.
Reason: She didn‘t like to create a scene there.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false.
6. Assertion:
Reason:
Kamala Das took her mother to airport.
She wanted to spend some more time with her.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false.
7.
Assertion:
Reason:
The poet compares her mother to young trees.
Her mother was also young once.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false…
Assertion:
The poet advocates the aged parents should be taken
care of by their children.
Reason: She looked after her mother by being by her side.
8.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false…
9. Assertion:
Reason:
The poet compares her mother to a winter moon
Winter moon doesn‘t shine well like in other seasons.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false
10.Assertion: Kamala Das feared losing her mother or her
company from her childhood days.
Reason: So, Kamala Das was expecting this and hence ready
for this to happen.
(a) Both, A and R, are true and R is the correct explanation of A
(b) Both, A and R, are true but R is not the correct explanation of A
(c) A is true but R is false
(d) A is false but R is true
(e) Both A and R are false…
i.
V.
ii.
iii.
iv.
VI.
1.
Answer in 30-40 words
The pain of separation is expressed both literally and metaphorically in this
poem. Elucidate.
Comment on the tone of the poem with references to “My Mother at SixtySix”.
Imagery was an effective literary device to bring out the contrast between the
“merry children” and mother. Comment.
The poet does not directly mention the fear of her mother’s death and yet she
is successfully able to convey the same through different poetic techniques.
Answer in 125-150 words
Imagine the mother gets to know of the poet persona’s fears. Write a letter, as
the mother, telling the daughter why she must not dwell on these fears.
You may begin this way:
My dear Kamala I am writing to you because when you left me at the airport, I
felt something wasn’t right. Judging by how little you spoke that day
………………………
2.
Imagine you are the poet’s friend. Write a dialogue exchange between yourself
and the poet where the latter confides in you about her fears and asks for your
advice. What would your advice be –to face her fears, to ignore them or
something else?