GSEB Class 12 English Flamingo Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty-six Solutions

Think It Out:

Question 1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Answer: When the poet looks at her mother's pale and lifeless face, her old, familiar pain or ache returns. She may have felt this fear since her childhood. Growing old is a natural process that everyone goes through. Time and aging do not spare anyone. They have not spared the poet's mother and probably will not spare the poet either. With this aging, separation and death become certain.
In simple words: The poet feels a familiar ache when seeing her mother's aged face, a fear of separation and death that reminds her of childhood worries.

Exam Tip: When describing emotions, ensure you explain both the emotion itself (pain/ache) and its cause, linking it back to specific details from the text (mother's pale face, childhood fear).

Question 2. Why are the young trees described as 'sprinting'?
Answer: The poet is driving to Cochin airport. When she looks outside the window, the young trees seem to be moving quickly past the car, as if in a race. Due to the speed of the car, they appear to be running fast or sprinting.
In simple words: The young trees are called 'sprinting' because from the moving car, they appear to be running quickly past, creating a sense of rapid motion.

Exam Tip: Pay attention to personification and imagery. 'Sprinting' suggests energy and movement, contrasting with other elements in the poem.

Question 3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes?
Answer: The poet has included the image of happy children 'spilling out of their homes' to show a contrast. The joyful children coming out in large numbers create a picture of happiness and a lively overflow of life. This image stands in sharp contrast to the 'dozing' old mother, whose 'ashen' face looks dead and pale, much like a corpse. She represents aging, decline, and inactivity. The difference between the two images makes the poetic effect stronger.
In simple words: The poet uses the image of happy children bursting out of their homes to highlight a strong contrast with her aging, lifeless mother, emphasizing themes of youth versus old age.

Exam Tip: Contrasting images are often used in poetry to emphasize themes. Identify the two contrasting elements and explain what each represents (e.g., life vs. death, youth vs. old age).

Question 4. Why has the mother been compared to the 'late winter's moon'?
Answer: The poet's mother is sixty-six years old. Her shrunken, pale face looks like a corpse. She has lost the brightness and strength of youth. Similarly, the late winter's moon appears hazy and dim. It also lacks brightness and power. This comparison feels natural and fitting. The simile used here is both appropriate and impactful.
In simple words: The mother is compared to a 'late winter's moon' because both are dim, weak, and lacking their former brightness, symbolizing old age and declining vitality.

Exam Tip: When analyzing similes, explain what characteristics are shared between the two things being compared and how this comparison adds meaning to the poem.

Question 5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Answer: The poet's parting words of reassurance and her smiles provide a sharp contrast to the old familiar pain or fear from her childhood. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her true feelings. The parting words: "See you soon, Amma" give an assurance to the elderly lady whose 'ashen face' looks like a corpse. Similarly, her continuous smiles are an attempt to overcome the pain and fear deep inside her heart.
In simple words: The poet's parting words and smiles hide her deep fear and pain about her mother's aging, serving as a brave attempt to reassure her mother and herself.

Exam Tip: Discuss the underlying emotion versus the outward expression. Often, characters hide their true feelings to comfort others or themselves.

Gseb Class 12 English My Mother At Sixty-Six Additional Important Questions And Answers

Answer The Following Questions In Four To Five Sentences Each:

Question 1. Where was the poet going and who was with her?
Answer: The poet was driving from her parents' home towards the Cochin airport. Her mother had come to see her off and was sitting beside her. The poet's mother was dozing with her mouth open. The words 'living' and 'doze' create a contrast between phases of dynamic activity and static inactivity, respectively.
In simple words: The poet was traveling to Cochin airport from her parents' home, and her mother was with her, dozing.

Exam Tip: Always provide complete information. Mention both the destination and the companion clearly, adding relevant details if they highlight a theme.

Question 2. What was the poet's childhood fear?
Answer: A child always fears being separated from their parents. In the same way, the poet's childhood fear was that of losing her mother or her company. This deep-seated fear resurfaces as she observes her mother's aging.
In simple words: The poet's childhood fear was the worry of losing her mother or her mother's companionship, a common concern for children.

Exam Tip: Connect childhood fears to the present situation in the poem to show a deeper understanding of the poet's emotions.

Question 3. What does the poet's mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her ageing decay?
Answer: The poet's mother is sixty-six years old. She is sitting next to the poet and dozing with her mouth open. This indicates old age. Often, elderly people keep their mouths open to help with breathing issues. Her face looked pale and faded, like ash. In reality, she appears like an image of death because her 'ashen' face looks similar to a corpse.
In simple words: The poet's mother looks old, with a pale, ashen face and open mouth, symbolizing decay. The poet uses images like 'corpse' and 'ash' to show her aging and decline.

Exam Tip: When asked about imagery, list the specific images used (e.g., 'ashen face', 'corpse') and explain what each one represents in terms of the theme (aging, death, decay).

Question 4. What does the poet realise with pain? Why does the poet 'put that thought away' and look outside?
Answer: The lifeless and faded face of the poet's mother causes her heart pain. Her mother looks lifeless, like a corpse, presenting an image of inactivity, decay, and death. The old lady seems to be lost in her thoughts. The poet needs a distraction, a change, so she pushes that thought away and looks outside. Out there, she finds a picture of life, happiness, and activity.
In simple words: The poet painfully realizes her mother's aging and impending death. She looks outside to escape these sad thoughts and find distraction in the lively world.

Exam Tip: Explain the contrast between the inner and outer worlds. The outside world often serves as an escape or a contrast to internal turmoil.

Question 5. Describe the world inside the car and compare it to the activities taking place outside.
Answer: Inside the car, the pale and faded face of the poet's mother looks lifeless, like a corpse. Her dozing with her mouth wide open suggests passivity, decay, and death. Outside the car, the poet observes young trees rushing past them. They appear to be running quickly or sprinting. Happy children are cheerfully leaving their homes. These outside images present a picture of life, energy, and activity.
In simple words: Inside the car, the poet sees her mother, lifeless and old, representing decay. Outside, she observes sprinting young trees and joyful children, symbolizing vibrant life and energy.

Exam Tip: Clearly delineate the 'inside' and 'outside' scenes. Use contrasting adjectives to highlight the difference in mood and imagery (e.g., lifeless vs. lively, decay vs. dynamism).

Question 6. Why does the poet look outside? What does she see happening outside?
Answer: The thought of her aging mother, at sixty-six, and her pale, 'ashen' face looking like a corpse, becomes too much for the poet to bear. She needs a distraction, a diversion, so she looks outside. She watches young trees that rush past them and appear to be sprinting. Then she sees happy children coming out of their houses and having fun.
In simple words: The poet looks outside to escape the painful thought of her mother's aging and death. She sees fast-moving young trees and joyful children leaving their homes.

Exam Tip: Explain the poet's motivation for looking outside (distraction, emotional escape) and then describe the specific visual details that offer this contrast.

Question 7. How has the poet contrasted the scene inside the car with the activities going on outside?
Answer: The poet has used beautiful images to emphasize the clear contrast between the scene inside the car and the activities happening outside. The 'ashen' face of the poet's mother is pale and lifeless, looking like a corpse. She is dozing and lost in her own thoughts. The image of the 'dozing' mother is contrasted with the 'spilling' of children. The 'ashen' and 'corpselike' face is contrasted with the young trees seen sprinting outside the car's window.
In simple words: The poet contrasts her mother's pale, lifeless face inside the car, symbolizing decay, with the lively images outside—sprinting trees and children 'spilling' out—representing energy and life.

Exam Tip: Focus on identifying pairs of contrasting images (e.g., 'dozing mother' vs. 'sprinting trees', 'ashen face' vs. 'merry children') and explaining the significance of each contrast.

Question 8. Why is the poet's mother compared to the late winter's moon?
Answer: The poet's mother has been compared to the late winter's moon to highlight the similarity of aging and decay. The late winter moon looks hazy and dim; it lacks brightness and strength. The poet's mother also has an 'ashen' face resembling a corpse. She has lost her brightness and strength of youth. This comparison makes the impact stronger.
In simple words: The mother is compared to a late winter's moon because both appear dull, weak, and lacking their former radiance, symbolizing the decline that comes with old age.

Exam Tip: Reiterate the specific qualities of the late winter's moon (hazy, obscure, lacking strength) and directly link them to the mother's aged condition.

Question 9. What is the poet's familiar ache and why does it return?
Answer: The poet feels pain at the aging and decline of her mother. The fear is that with aging comes decay and death. The sight of her old mother's 'ashen' and corpse-like face awakens "that old familiar ache" in her heart. Her childhood fear comes back. She is also pained and scared by the thought that she might have to face all these things herself one day.
In simple words: The poet's familiar ache is the childhood fear of losing her mother, which returns when she sees her mother's aged, lifeless face, reminding her of inevitable decay and death.

Exam Tip: Emphasize the connection between the present observation and the past fear, showing how the mother's appearance triggers deep-seated anxieties in the poet.

Question 10. How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?
Answer: Kamala Das felt great distress after seeing her mother's lifeless and faded face. The elderly lady seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. The poet then shifted her attention away from her mother and looked outside. The world outside was full of life and activity. The young trees appeared to be running fast. The children looked happy as they moved out of their homes.
In simple words: Kamala Das tries to push away thoughts of her aging mother by looking outside the car at the lively young trees and happy children, seeking distraction in their energy.

Exam Tip: Highlight the method of distraction used by the poet (looking outside) and describe the specific vibrant images she observes that offer a temporary escape.

Question 11. Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding goodbye to her mother? OR With fear and ache inside her heart and words of assurance on lips and smile on the face, the poet presents two opposite and contrasting experiences. Why does the poet put on a smile?
Answer: The 'wan', 'pale' face of the poet's mother at sixty-six presents an image of decay and death. It brings back that old familiar fear of separation. She fears the ultimate fate of all human beings. But she has to act bravely. She regains control of herself. She composes herself and tries to appear normal. She utters words of assurance that they will meet again soon. She tries to hide her pain and fear by smiling constantly.
In simple words: The poet smiles and says "See you soon, Amma" to hide her deep pain and fear about her mother's aging and death, trying to appear brave and normal for her mother.

Exam Tip: Emphasize the duality of the poet's actions—outward cheerfulness versus inner fear. This contrast reveals the depth of her emotional conflict.

Question 12. What poetic devices have been us by Kamala Das in 'My Mother at Sixty-six'
Answer: The poem 'My Mother at Sixty-six' is rich in imagery. Kamala Das uses the device of comparison and contrast very effectively. The use of similes is very effective. The face of the poet's old mother is often described as 'ashen'. This 'ashen' face is 'like that of a corpse'. The poet uses another simile. The 'wan, pale face of the mother is compared to 'a late winter's moon'. The poem excels in showing contrasts. The old 'dozing' lady inside is contrasted with the young trees 'sprinting' and happy children 'spilling' out of their homes.
In simple words: Kamala Das uses imagery, comparison, and contrast in 'My Mother at Sixty-six'. She uses similes like 'ashen like a corpse' and 'wan, pale as a late winter's moon', and contrasts the 'dozing' mother with 'sprinting' trees and 'merry children'.

Exam Tip: When listing poetic devices, provide specific examples from the poem for each device (e.g., specific similes, contrasting images) to illustrate your point.

Figures Of Speech

Choose The Figures Of Speech In The Following Lines:

Question 1. '........ her face ashen like that of a corpse ........'
(a) Metaphor
(b) Exaggeration
(c) Simile
(d) Personification
Answer: (c) Simile
In simple words: This line uses "like" to compare the face to a corpse, which is the key characteristic of a simile.

Exam Tip: Remember that a simile uses 'like' or 'as' to compare two different things, while a metaphor directly states one thing is another.

Question 2. '.......that she was as old as she looked.......'
(a) Repetition
(b) Comparison
(c) Simile
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: The phrase "as old as she looked" uses "as" for comparison, and the phrase itself implies a direct comparison, so both comparison and repetition (of "as") are present.

Exam Tip: Be careful to identify all applicable figures of speech. Sometimes a phrase can exemplify more than one literary device.

Question 3. 'Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling'.
(a) Internal Rhyme
(b) Personification
(c) Metaphor
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: 'Trees sprinting' is personification because trees can't sprint. 'Children spilling' implies a lively overflow, like water, which is a metaphor.

Exam Tip: Personification attributes human qualities to inanimate objects or animals. Metaphor makes a direct comparison without using 'like' or 'as'.

Question 4. '........wan, pale as a date winter's moon.........'
(a) Simile
(b) Personification
(c) Exaggeration
(d) Synecdoche
Answer: (a) Simile
In simple words: The use of "as" to compare the wan, pale face to a late winter's moon makes this an example of a simile.

Exam Tip: The presence of comparison words like 'as' or 'like' is a strong indicator of a simile. Identify the two items being compared.

Question 5. '.................... but all I said was, see you soon, Amma'
(a) Apostrophe
(b) Alliteration
(c) Internal Rhyme
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (b) Alliteration
In simple words: The repetition of the 's' sound in "said was, see you soon" is an example of alliteration.

Exam Tip: Alliteration involves the repetition of the initial consonant sound in words close together. Read the line aloud to identify repeated sounds.

Question 6. '.............all I did was smile and smile and smile'
(a) Alliteration
(b) Repetition
(c) Internal Rhyme
(d) Both 'A' and 'B'
Answer: (d) Both 'A' and 'B'
In simple words: "Smile and smile and smile" shows repetition of the word 'smile'. The 's' sound also repeats, indicating alliteration.

Exam Tip: When a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis, it's repetition. Also, check for alliteration if the repeated word starts with the same sound as other nearby words.

Reading Comprehension (Textual)

Read The Following Stanzas And Answer The Questions Given Below Them:

Question 1. Driving from my parents home to Cochin last Friday morning, 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...'
Questions:
(1) Where was the poetess driving to? Who was sitting beside her?
(2) Why was the face of the poetess's mother looked like that of a corpse?
Answer:
1. The poetess was driving from her parents' home to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her.
2. The face of the poetess's mother looked pale, faded, and lifeless, like a dead body, because she had grown old.
In simple words: The poetess was heading to Cochin airport with her mother. Her mother's face looked like a corpse because old age had made it pale and lifeless.

Exam Tip: For reading comprehension, extract direct answers from the provided passage. Ensure you address all parts of each sub-question.

Question 2. '...she looked but soon put that thought away, and looked out at Young Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes, .......'
Questions:
(1) What did the poetess realise? How did she feel?
(2) What did she notice in the world outside?
Answer:
1. The poetess realised that her mother was lost somewhere else in her thoughts. It pained her.
2. The poetess noticed that the young trees growing outside passed by as if they were sprinting, and happy children were coming out of their houses.
In simple words: The poetess realized her mother was lost in thought, which saddened her. Outside, she saw young trees sprinting and happy children leaving their homes.

Exam Tip: When a question asks about feelings, describe the emotion (e.g., "pained") and provide the reason based on the text. For observations, list the specific things seen.

Question 3. '......... 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:
(1) What did the poetess do after the security check?
(2) Why did the poetess compare her mother's face to a late winter's moon?
(3) What is her childhood fear?,
(4) How do the parting words of the poet and her smile present a contrast to her real feelings?
Answer:
(1) After the security check, the poetess stood a few yards away from her mother and looked at her face again.
(2) The poetess compares her mother's face to a late winter's moon because the late winter moon lacks brightness and strength. The pale and colorless face of the mother resembles the late winter moon.
(3) Her childhood fear is the fear of aging and ultimate death/separation.
(4) The poetess's parting words of assurance and her smiles present a sharp contrast to the old familiar ache or childhood fear. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide what is going on inside her mind.
In simple words: After security, the poetess re-examined her mother's face. She compared it to a late winter's moon due to its lack of brightness, revealing her childhood fear of aging and separation. Her comforting words and smiles hid her true, painful feelings.

Exam Tip: Break down multi-part questions into individual points. For comparisons, always explain the shared characteristics that make the comparison apt.

My Mother At Sixty-Six Summary In English

My Mother At Sixty-Six Introduction:

Kamala Surayya (born: 31 March 1934-31 May 2009), widely known by her previous pen name Madhavikutty and Kamala Das, was an Indian English poet and a leading Malayalam author from Kerala, India. Her popularity in Kerala is mainly based on her short stories and autobiography, while her published works in English, written under the name Kamala Das, are noted for their poems and explicit autobiography.

She was also a widely read columnist and wrote on various topics including women's issues, child care, and politics, among others. She was born into a conservative Hindu Nair (Nalapat) family with royal ancestors. She converted to Islam on December 11, 1999, at the age of 65 and took on the name Kamala Surayya.

My Mother At Sixty-Six Summary:

This is a touching poem written by Indian poet Kamala Das, who wrote under the pen name 'Madhavikutty'. In this poem, she describes her feelings of love and attachment towards her aging mother.

Once, the poet went to visit her mother. She was returning to Cochin airport. She looked at her mother, who was sitting beside her in the car. Her mother had fallen asleep, and her aging face was ashen, like smoke. Her mouth was open, and she looked like a dead body. The poet realized that her mother was old. She felt pain and sympathy for her. Her mother needed love, care, and affection.

To escape her gloomy feelings, the poet shifted her gaze and looked out of the car's window. There she saw young trees quickly passing by. Little children were running out of their houses into the playgrounds. These things were the opposite of her mother's aging face. They symbolized energy, life, and happiness.

As they reached the airport and the poet was about to leave for her airplane, she glanced at her mother one last time. Her mother appeared weak and pale, just like the moon in the winter season, which seems to have lost all its strength. The poet felt the pain and fear of losing her mother. She remembered her childhood when she used to fear losing her mother.

As a child, she could not bear to be separated from her mother, even for a few moments. Now the loss would be permanent, as her mother was likely to die, and she would lose her forever. The poet did not show her feelings. She smiled and said, "See you soon, Amma" because she wanted her mother to live, and they could meet again.