CBSE Class 11 English Mothers Day Questions Answers Worksheet Set 02

Introduction

The play written by J.B. Priestley reveals how a mother’s efforts are ignored by her family. It narrates how the family members who work for eight hours a day look down on her, although she works for the whole day and all week. After all she does for them, they take her for granted. They make her feel obligated to provide for them and do not even appreciate her efforts. The play portrays the experience of a mother, Mrs Pearson. On a daily basis, her kids disrespect and disregard her. In her own home, she is treated as a slave. Thus, she feels ignored and embarrassed every day, not only from her daughter, Doris and son, Cyril but also from her husband, George Pearson who has completely turned a blind eye from his wife. The rest of the play revolves around how her friend, Mrs Fitzgerald, who is a fortune teller, helps her earn the place and respect that she deserves as the woman of the house.

THEME

‘Mother’s Day’ is a play written by J. B. Priestley. It is a satirical and humorous depiction of the status of women, in particular, a housewife in a family. The author brings out the plight of a mother very realistically in the play. Mrs Annie Pearson, mother, is not treated well by her husband and children. With the help of her neighbour and a magic spell, which temporarily allows them to interchange their roles, she stands up for her rights. Mrs Annie Pearson’s family is shocked at the change, but they learn to behave properly with her. So finally, she gets the respect that she deserves.

Characters

Mrs Annie Pearson
Wife of George Pearson, a loving wife and mother, fond of her husband and children, does her best to keep them happy, simple-hearted, gentle to a fault, too weak to protest, works day and night with no rest, submissive

George Pearson
Husband of Mrs Annie Pearson, about fifty, self-important and pompous, neglects his wife, club members backbite and make fun of him

Doris Pearson
Daughter of George Pearson, a spoilt girl of around 20, the elder. She is already in an affair with a young boy, named Charlie Spence

Cyril Pearson
Son of George Pearson, a spoilt child

Mrs Fitzgerald
A neighbour of Mrs Annie Pearson, a bold, talented, strong, liberated, dominating and aggressive woman, knows some magic, drinks, smokes and plays cards, lives life on her own terms

Summary

Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald are neighbours. One afternoon Mrs Fitzgerald visits Mrs Pearson. The two women sit comfortably in the living-room. While taking tea, Mrs Fitzgerald tells Mrs Pearson her fortune with the help of cards. According to her, Mrs Pearson’s problem is that she is excessively fond of her husband and children. She runs after them all the time, takes their orders as if she was the servant of the house, and stays at home every night while they go out enjoying themselves. They have come to believe that she is there simply to wait on them, so they take no notice of her. Mrs Fitzgerald advises her that she should assert her rights as the mistress of the house if she wants them to treat her properly.

Mrs Fitzgerald asks her to let them wait or look after themselves. Mrs Pearson says that she can’t do it. At this, Mrs Fitzgerald tells her a plan and says that they would change their personalities with each other. She had learnt this art when she was in the East. Mrs Pearson hesitates. But Mrs Fitzgerald holds her hands, asks her to keep quiet and not to think about anything and look at her. The two women stare at each other. Mrs Fitzgerald recites a spell. Gradually, their personalities change bodies. Now Mrs Pearson is bold and domineering while Mrs Fitzgerald is nervous and agitated.

After a few moments, Doris Pearson enters the room violently and orders her mother to iron her yellow silk as she is to wear it that night. She is astonished to see her mother smoking. Mother has not got her tea ready. She is in no mood to iron her yellow silk for her. She is rather thinking of going out and getting a meal at the Clarendon. Doris is astounded at the unusual behaviour of her mother. Then she tells her mother that she is going out with Charlie Spence. Mother severely asks her whether she could not find anybody better than buck teeth and half-witted Charlie Spence. This is too much for Doris. She runs out of the room with tears in her eyes.

Then Cyril Pearson enters. She has not put his things out though she had promised that morning to look through them in case there was any mending. He wonders what is going on in the house. He stands aghast when she tells him that she wants stout to drink and moves to the kitchen. She takes a bottle of stout and a half-filled glass. Cyril and Doris are unable to control their laughter. Mrs Pearson looks at them with contempt and asks them to behave like grown-ups. With tearful eyes, Doris asks why she is talking like that and what wrong they had done. She asks mother whether she had fallen or hit herself with something. Mother rebukes her for asking such a silly question. Doris begins to cry. Mother coldly asks her to stop crying noisily like a baby.

Just then, George Pearson enters. He notices Doris’s tears and asks why she is crying. Doris runs out of the room sobbing. He is astonished to see his wife sipping stout. He tells her that he doesn’t want any tea as he would have supper at the club. Mrs Pearson tells him that there is no tea ready. He is annoyed to know that his wife didn’t get tea ready for him. Mrs Pearson laughs at his childishness and remarks that if he behaved like that at the club they would laugh at him even more than they do now. George is surprised to know that they laugh at him at the club. Mrs Pearson continues that he is one of their standing jokes. They call him Pompy-ompy Pearson because they think he is too slow and pompous. George is shocked. He staggers out of the room.

There is a knock at the door. Cyril hurries out and re-enters bringing in Mrs Fitzgerald. She asks Mrs Pearson whether everything is all right. Cyril remarks sulkily that everything is wrong. Mrs Pearson asks him sharply to keep quiet. Cyril walks out of the room. Mrs Fitzgerald is surprised at this turn of events and asks Mrs Pearson nervously what she had been doing. Mrs Pearson tells her calmly that she had just been putting them in their places, and they will be eating out of her hand soon. Just then, George enters the room. He is looking very sullen. Mrs Fitzgerald watches all this helplessly. She is utterly confused. She tries to stop Mrs Pearson in vain. George and Doris are bewildered at this turn of events. They stare at Mrs Fitzgerald. She requests them to leave her alone with Mrs Pearson and promises that everything will be all right. George and Doris leave the room. Mrs Fitzgerald urges Mrs Pearson that they should now regain their proper personalities.

Mrs Pearson wants to continue it a bit more but Mrs Fitzgerald would not listen to her. She says that they are already very miserable and she cannot bear it any more. She stretches her hands across the table eagerly. Mrs Pearson takes them. They stare at each other, and exactly as before Mrs Pearson recites the spell. They become their proper personalities. Mrs Fitzgerald advises Mrs Pearson not to go soft on them again, otherwise it will all have been wasted. Mrs Fitzgerald warns her that she must not start giving explanations or ask for apologies, otherwise she will be straight back where she was.

When Mrs Fitzgerald leaves the room, she finds George, Doris and Cyril standing in a row at the doorway. The family looks anxiously at Mrs Pearson. She smiles. They feel much relieved and they smile back at her. Mrs Pearson tells them what she thought they would do at night. They would have a nice family game of rummy. Then the children could get the supper ready while she has a talk with their father. Thus, Mrs Fitzgerald helps Mrs Pearson to become the boss of her family. When she goes out, the family lovingly clusters around the mother.

John Boynton Priestley was an English novelist, playwright, screenwriter, broadcaster and social commentator. His Yorkshire background is reflected in much of his fiction, notably in ‘The Good Companions’, which first brought him to wide public notice. He was born on September 13, 1894 in Manningham, Bradford, West Riding of Yorkshire, England and died on August 14, 1984 in Warwickshire, England. He is noted for his varied output and his ability for shrewd characterisation. His plays are more varied in tone than his novels.

Questions

Question. This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family.
(i) What are the issues it raises?
(ii) Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine? How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?
Answer: (i) The main issue that the play raises is that the lady of the house, who is just like an axis, is never given her due respect, especially, if she is a simple housewife. The family members take her for granted. She works like an unpaid servant. The second issue is that the mistress of the house should assert her position very firmly to the family members. She should be ready to put across her views with determination rather than surrender meekly.
(ii) The issues raised in the play are genuine even though they have been treated with satire and humour. The problem that we come across in our life has been depicted in the chapter very sensitively. The lady of the house should be the master of the house and she should make sure that all the family members give her the due respect and recognition that she deserves. The issue is convincingly resolved in the play. The transformation of the personalities is symbolic. The author has portrayed the fact that sometimes one has to put one’s foot down.

Question. If you were to write about these issues today what are some of the incidents, examples and problems that you would think of as relevant?
Answer: If I were to write about some of the relevant issues today, I won’t have to go very far. The same incident happened in my house also. We are three brothers and sisters, all school-going children. My father works in an office. My mother gets up early in the morning to prepare four sets of breakfasts and tiffins. We take our time to get ready, but if there is a delay even of five seconds on the part of my mother, we all bring the roof down. The same ritual takes place in the evening as well. Mother gets up before all of us and goes to bed after everyone else. We had all taken her presence for granted. One day, my grandmother fell sick and mother had to go for two days. Without her, the entire house looked as if it was hit by a tornado. We all waited for her as if we were waiting for some miracle to happen. When, finally she came, we all heaved a sigh of relief and vowed never to take her lightly.

Question. Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message? Discuss.
Answer: Drama is a mode of representing something that is fictional through the medium of dialogue and performance. Since it consists of both visual and auditory elements, it is known to have a substantial effect on the minds of people. The effect is known to be better than something that is read or just simply heard. Thus, if a social message that holds a lot of importance is brought to life through drama, it holds immense potential to herald a change. The play ‘Mother’s Day’ makes the viewers/readers hear what is unsaid, feel what is not explicitly mentioned and conclude what is right or wrong on their own. This motivates them to bring changes in their own lives. This is the power of drama. Hence, drama can be considered a medium good enough for conveying a social message.

Additional Questions

Extract-based Questions

Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.

[As she is about to rise, Mrs Fitzgerald reaches out across the table and pulls her down.]
MRS FITZGERALD: Let ’em wait or look after themselves for once. This is where your foot goes down. Start now. [She lights a cigarette from the one she has just finished.]
MRS PEARSON: [embarrassed] Mrs Fitzgerald—I know you mean well—in fact, I agree with you— but I just can’t—and it’s no use you trying to make me. If I promise you I’d really have it out with them, I know I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise.
MRS FITZGERALD: Then let me do it.
MRS PEARSON: [flustered] Oh no—thank you very much, Mrs Fitzgerald—but that wouldn’t do at all. It couldn’t possibly be somebody else—they’d resent it at once and wouldn’t listen—and really I couldn’t blame them. I know I ought to do it—but you see how it is? [She looks apologetically across the table, smiling rather miserably.]
MRS FITZGERALD: [coolly] You haven’t got the idea.

Question. About whom are the women in the extract talking?
Answer: The women are talking about Mrs Pearson’s family and how they would not comply or even listen to her.

Question. What is the contrast in the personalities of the two women in the extract? Choose the correct option.
(a) Polite vs Assertive
(b) Gentle vs Sensible
(c) Scared vs Brave
(d) None of the options
Answer: (a) Polite vs Assertive

Question. Which of the following explains “This is where your foot goes down”?
(a) To physically fix your foot down to the floor
(b) To restraint yourself against a strong person
(c) To adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience
(d) To give into what is expected
Answer: (c) To adopt a firm policy when faced with opposition or disobedience

Question. What does Mrs Fitzgerald mean by ‘let me do it’?
Answer: When Mrs Pearson tries to clarify what her neighbour had meant, Mrs Fitzgerald says that Mrs Pearson had no idea. She is referring to her idea of exchanging their personalities.

MRS PEARSON: I might. Who d’you think?
DORIS: [staring at her] Mum—what’s the matter with you?
MRS PEARSON: Don’t be silly.
DORIS: [indignantly] It’s not me that’s being silly— and I must say it’s a bit much when I’ve been working hard all day and you can’t even bother to get my tea ready. Did you hear what I said about my yellow silk?
MRS PEARSON: No. Don’t you like it now? I never did.
DORIS: [indignantly] Of course I like it. And I’m going to wear it tonight. So I want it ironed.
MRS PEARSON: Want it ironed? What d’you think it’s going to do—iron itself?

Question. Why is Doris consistently reacting ‘indignantly’ towards her mother Mrs Pearson?
Answer: Doris is consistently reacting with anger towards her mother, Mrs Pearson, as she is acting unusual and is not complying to Doris’s demands.

Question. Identify the tone in which Mrs Pearson talks.
(a) Cool and incisive
(b) Flattering and apologetic
(c) Brave and strong
(d) Taunting and angry
Answer: (a) Cool and incisive

Question. Choose the words that describe Doris’s personality on the basis of the given extract.
(1) Spoilt
(2) Independent
(3) Bad tempered
(4) Kind
(a) (1) and (2)
(b) (1) and (3)
(c) (2) and (4)
(d) (2) and (3)
Answer: (b) (1) and (3)

Question. What does the extract reflect upon the relationship between Doris and Mrs Pearson?
Answer: Doris is a selfish child who only talks to her mother to get her work done. She takes her mother for granted and the extract reflects that.

MRS FITZGERALD: I did. Twelve years I had of it, with my old man rising to be Lieutenant Quartermaster. He learnt a lot, and I learnt a lot more. But will you make up your mind now, Mrs Pearson dear? Put your foot down, once an’ for all, an’ be the mistress of your own house an’ the boss of your own family.
MRS PEARSON: [smiling apologetically] That’s easier said than done. Besides I’m so fond of them even if they are so thoughtless and selfish. They don’t mean to be...
MRS FITZGERALD: [cutting in] Maybe not. But it’ud be better for them if they learnt to treat you properly...
MRS PEARSON: Yes, I suppose it would, in a way.

Question. What does the phrase ‘put your foot down’ suggest?
Answer: The phrase ‘put your foot down’ suggests that Mrs Fitzgerald wanted Mrs Pearson to be more firm and assertive with her family.

Question. “Besides I’m so fond of them even if they are so thoughtless and selfish.” In the given line, Mrs Pearson is trying to:
(a) defend her family members
(b) defend her own disposition
(c) blame her subservient personality
(d) state that she won’t be able to do anything
Answer: (b) defend her own disposition

Question. How would you describe Mrs Pearson?
(a) pleasant, unhappy, impatient, in her forties
(b) considerate, caring, worried, in her forties
(c) compliant, caring, worried-looking, in her forties
(d) pleasant, worried-looking, in her forties
Answer: (d) pleasant, worried-looking, in her forties

Question. What do you infer from the line ‘he learnt a lot, and I learnt a lot more’?
Answer: From this line, we can infer that Mrs Fitzgerald was proud and confident of her own knowledge and experience gained from her husband’s military career.

MRS PEARSON: [embarrassed] Mrs Fitzgerald—I know you mean well—in fact, I agree with you— but I just can’t—and it’s no use you trying to make me. If I promise you I’d really have it out with them, I know I wouldn’t be able to keep my promise.
MRS FITZGERALD: Then let me do it.
MRS PEARSON: [ flustered] Oh no—thank you very much, Mrs Fitzgerald—but that wouldn’t do at all. It couldn’t possibly be somebody else—they’d resent it at once and wouldn’t listen—and really I couldn’t blame them. I know I ought to do it—but you see how it is? [She looks apologetically across the table, smiling rather miserably.]

Question. How does Mrs Fitzgerald plan to help Mrs Pearson?
Answer: Mrs Fitzgerald plans to help Mrs Pearson by swapping personalities with her and then teaching the family a lesson.

Question. Mrs Pearson was _____________ about Mrs Fitzgerald’s plan.
(a) excited
(b) hesitant
(c) sure
(d) envious
Answer: (b) hesitant

Question. Select the suitable option from the given statements, based on your reading of the extract.
(1) Mrs Pearson is not appreciative of the fact that Mrs Fitzgerald wants to teach her family a lesson.
(2) Mrs Fitzgerald wants Mrs Pearson to get respect from her family members.
(a) (1) is false but (2) is true
(b) Both (1) and (2) are true
(c) (2) is a fact but unrelated to (1)
(d) (1) is the cause for (2)
Answer: (a) (1) is false but (2) is true

Question. What does the line ‘I know I ought to do it — but you see how it is’ indicate about Mrs Pearson?
Answer: The line indicates that Mrs Pearson felt guilty and conflicted about her inability or unwillingness to stand up for her family.

MRS FITZGERALD: [with Mrs Pearson’s personality] Oh—it’s happened.
MRS PEARSON: [complacently] Of course it’s happened. Very neat. Didn’t know I had it in me.
MRS FITZGERALD: [alarmed] But whatever shall I do, Mrs Fitzgerald? George and the children can’t see me like this.
MRS PEARSON: [grimly] They aren’t going to—that’s the point. They’ll have me to deal with—only they won’t know it.
MRS FITZGERALD: [still alarmed] But what if we can’t change back? It’ud be terrible.
MRS PEARSON: Here—steady, Mrs Pearson—if you had to live my life it wouldn’t be so bad. You’d have more fun as me than you’ve had as you.

Question. What does the phrase “Didn’t know I had it in me” suggest?
Answer: The phrase ‘Didn’t know I had it in me’ suggests that Mrs Pearson (who has Mrs Fitzgerald’s personality) was surprised and impressed by her own ability or power to swap bodies with Mrs Fitzgerald.

Question. In what endeavour does Mrs Fitzgerald help Mrs Pearson?
(a) To see the future
(b) To make her family treat her well
(c) To run errands
(d) None of the options
Answer: (b) To make her family treat her well

Question. Explain, ‘You’d have more fun as me than you’ve had as you’.
Answer: It means that Mrs Pearson (who has Mrs Fitzgerald’s personality) thought that the real Mrs Pearson would be able to have a more enjoyable and exciting life as Mrs Fitzgerald than she could have as herself.

Question. When do Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald get back to their original selves?
(a) When Mrs Pearson’s family gets to know about them
(b) When they both get bored
(c) When the situation goes out of hand
(d) None of the options
Answer: (c) When the situation goes out of hand

Short Answer Questions

Question. What was Mrs Fitzgerald’s opinion of Mrs Pearson’s attitude?
Answer: Mrs Fitzgerald felt that Mrs Pearson’s attitude did no good to her family members. Tending to their needs, taking their orders, and staying at home every night while they went out to enjoy themselves made them spoilt.

Question. What does Mrs Fitzgerald offer to do for her?
Answer: Mrs Fitzgerald sensed that Mrs Pearson was far too gentle, submissive and generous to tackle her family. So, she offers to make them realise the error of their ways not as Mrs Fitzgerald but as Mrs Pearson. She offers to change their bodies and then return back.

Question. What is the first reaction of Doris on seeing her mother? Why?
Answer: Doris was taken aback to see her mother smoking and playing cards. When Doris asked her what she was doing, she was startled to get the answer—‘whitewashing the ceiling.’ Moreover, her conduct was not nervous and apologetic but cool and incisive.

Question. What did Doris want her mother to do? How did the mother react?
Answer: Doris wanted her mother to iron her yellow silk dress that she must wear that night. She also wanted her mother to make tea for her. But the mother refused to make her tea and iron her dress, telling her that she put in twice the hours Doris did but got neither wages, nor thanks for it.

Question. What did Mrs Pearson say to Doris that really bothered her?
Answer: Mrs Pearson asked where Doris would wear her yellow silk dress. She said that she planned to go out with Charlie Spence. Mrs Pearson told her to find somebody better and insulted Charlie Spence by calling him buck-toothed and half-witted.

Question. What did Mrs Pearson say to Cyril that shocked him?
Answer: When Cyril walked in and insisted on getting the tea and his clothes ready, he was stunned to hear that she didn’t like mending. She went on to tell him that when he does not want to do something, he does not do it. So, she has planned to do the same. This shocked Cyril as he could not believe his ears.

Question. What is Mrs Pearson’s reaction on seeing her children giggling when she returns to the room?
Answer: When her children were giggling, Mrs Pearson asks them the reason for their amusement. Doris answers that she had never understood their jokes. To which Mrs Pearson retorts rudely, saying that she was bored at their jokes even before they were born. Doris gets tearful and Mrs Pearson blames them for being selfish about their needs.

Question. What reason did she give Cyril for not making tea?
Answer: When Cyril asked for tea, as he had been working for eight hours in the day, Mrs Pearson replied saying that she had done her eight hours and henceforth, she would work for only forty hours a week. She declared that she would also want her two days off on the weekend, just like them.

Question. What, according to Mrs Pearson, were her plans for the weekends?
Answer: Mrs Pearson tells her children that she would have her two days off for the weekends. She agreed to make beds and cook a little as a favour, conditional to how she was treated. She also tells her children that in case they did not like the arrangement, she would go elsewhere for the weekends.

Question. What was the truth about Mr George Pearson that hurt him the most?
Answer: Mrs Pearson told George that he was one of the standing jokes in the club. He was called ‘Pompy-ompy Pearson’ because they thought that he was slow and pompous. She was surprised that he spent so much time at a place where people always ridiculed him, leaving his wife at home.

Question. What were the two slips that could have let out the real identity of Mrs Fitzgerald?
Answer: Mrs Fitzgerald, in her nervousness, addresses Mr Pearson, as George. Mr Pearson is surprised to be called by his first name, but Mrs Pearson covers it up for Mrs Fitzgerald. Later, when Mrs Fitzgerald attempts to slap George, following an argument, the real Mrs Pearson exclaims and calls out to her ‘Mrs Fitzgerald’, which confuses George.

Question. How was the experience for the two women after the change of bodies?
Answer: The real Mrs Pearson (now Mrs Fitzgerald) had not enjoyed the experience as she had to see her family being treated roughly and rudely by Mrs Fitzgerald. On the other hand, Mrs Fitzgerald had enjoyed the experience, as she had been able to teach Doris, Cyril and George Pearson a lesson to value Mrs Pearson.

Question. How are Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald contrasted?
Answer: The two ladies are sharply contrasted. Mrs Pearson is a pleasant but worried-looking woman in her forties. She speaks in a light, flurried sort of tone, with a touch of suburban Cockney. Mrs Fitzgerald is older, heavier and has a strong and sinister personality. She smokes. She has a deep voice, rather Irish perhaps.

Question. Who is Mrs Fitzgerald?
Answer: Mrs Fitzgerald is Mrs Pearson’s neighbour and good friend. She is also a fortune teller, an art which she had learnt and perfected when she was in the East. She played a significant role in changing the attitude of Mrs Pearson’s family towards her.

Question. What was the style of prediction used on Mrs Pearson?
Answer: Mrs Fitzgerald is quite equivocal in her predictions. While speaking about Mrs Pearson’s future, she states categorically that it could be a good fortune or a bad one, and what follows would depend on Mrs Pearson herself now. It was for her to make up her mind and then everything will be there right in front of her.