Amanda
Amanda
Answer the following questions from the text book.
1. How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
Ans) Amanda is a 9-10 year old school going girl who is soon entering teenage. We
know this because she is being asked to finish, tidy her room and clean her shoes.
Her parents stop her from eating chocolates since she is developing acne. She imagines herself as Rapunzel, mermaid or an orphan. These hints point to the fact that she is a very young girl.
2. Who do you think is speaking to her?
Ans) One of her parents is speaking to her. Most probably it is her mother. In traditional households, the mother is held responsible for the conduct of a child.
In this case also, the range of instructions suggests that the speaker is Amanda’s
mother.
3. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Ans) Amanda wishes to be a mermaid so she could carelessly move along on a languid,
emerald sea. She just wishes to be carried away by the green sea waves slowly and gradually. Amanda longs for a place where she is all by herself as her happiness is
not dependant on any other human being. Hence, she desires to be a mermaid
because for a child, a mermaid is a symbol of freedom and wonder.
4. Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?
Ans) No, Amanda is not an orphan, though she wishes to be one. She is so stressed
with the continuous nagging of her parents that she imagines herself to be better
without them. The mere presence of her parents around her depresses her.
Amanda is a little girl who seeks ‘golden’ silence and ‘sweet’ freedom. She wishes
to roam around the streets and draw patterns with her bare feet. Indeed it is
depressing that Amanda wishes to be an orphan.
5. Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?
Ans) Rapunzel’s story revolves around her life on a tower. Rapunzel was made to live
on a high tower by a witch. She eventually got used to living there. She was
happy and satisfied with her life. Rapunzel had very long golden hair, using which
the witch used to pay her a visit. The fate of Rapunzel took a turn when one day a prince came to meet her using her hair. The witch had punished both of them by separating them. Finally, they met after a couple of years only to be united forever this time. Amanda wishes to live like Rapunzel on a high tower away from everyone. She seeks peace and harmony. That is the reason Amanda wishes to be like Rapunzel. However, she also makes a point that in order to avoid being
disturbed she would never let her hair down for anyone to climb to her. She
needs no one to make her life happy.
6. What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
Ans) A girl like Amanda yearns for freedom and space for herself. She is incapable to
fulfill the expectations of her parents. Amanda is no less than a symbol for all the
children who face similar fate irrespective of class, colour or nationality.
Traditional societies demand a certain type of behaviour from the individuals and
the training to produce such behaviour begins at a very young age. Parents
ignore the innocence and understanding level of their children, thus killing their
imagination and thoughts.
7. Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
Ans)No, Amanda is neither sulking nor moody. She is simply not interested enough in the nagging business of her parents. Amanda cares more about her imagination
and thought process over the manners her parents are trying to inculcate into her.
Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:
1. State the key points in the poem Amanda. What do you learn from it?
Ans)Every child is special in itself. Parents should give enough space to children, as
they learn through experiences as well. Children tend to learn certain bad habits;
to undo that requires great level of understanding and the right approach. One
cannot teach their child everything in one day and expect them to behave properly thereafter. It is natural for a childlike Amanda to seek freedom at her age. To curb that freedom means to make her angry and moody. The upbringing of a child should not be about dos and don’ts only. To have nagging parents judging every action of a child would do more harm than good. We witness miserable failure of parents when Amanda wishes to be an orphan so that she
could be free.
Answer the following questions from the text book.
1. How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
Ans) Amanda is a 9-10 year old school going girl who is soon entering teenage. We
know this because she is being asked to finish, tidy her room and clean her shoes.
Her parents stop her from eating chocolates since she is developing acne. She imagines herself as Rapunzel, mermaid or an orphan. These hints point to the fact that she is a very young girl.
2. Who do you think is speaking to her?
Ans) One of her parents is speaking to her. Most probably it is her mother. In traditional households, the mother is held responsible for the conduct of a child.
In this case also, the range of instructions suggests that the speaker is Amanda’s
mother.
3. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Ans) Amanda wishes to be a mermaid so she could carelessly move along on a languid,
emerald sea. She just wishes to be carried away by the green sea waves slowly and gradually. Amanda longs for a place where she is all by herself as her happiness is
not dependant on any other human being. Hence, she desires to be a mermaid
because for a child, a mermaid is a symbol of freedom and wonder.
4. Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?
Ans) No, Amanda is not an orphan, though she wishes to be one. She is so stressed
with the continuous nagging of her parents that she imagines herself to be better
without them. The mere presence of her parents around her depresses her.
Amanda is a little girl who seeks ‘golden’ silence and ‘sweet’ freedom. She wishes
to roam around the streets and draw patterns with her bare feet. Indeed it is
depressing that Amanda wishes to be an orphan.
5. Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?
Ans) Rapunzel’s story revolves around her life on a tower. Rapunzel was made to live
on a high tower by a witch. She eventually got used to living there. She was
happy and satisfied with her life. Rapunzel had very long golden hair, using which
the witch used to pay her a visit. The fate of Rapunzel took a turn when one day a prince came to meet her using her hair. The witch had punished both of them by separating them. Finally, they met after a couple of years only to be united forever this time. Amanda wishes to live like Rapunzel on a high tower away from everyone. She seeks peace and harmony. That is the reason Amanda wishes to be like Rapunzel. However, she also makes a point that in order to avoid being
disturbed she would never let her hair down for anyone to climb to her. She
needs no one to make her life happy.
6. What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
Ans) A girl like Amanda yearns for freedom and space for herself. She is incapable to
fulfill the expectations of her parents. Amanda is no less than a symbol for all the
children who face similar fate irrespective of class, colour or nationality.
Traditional societies demand a certain type of behaviour from the individuals and
the training to produce such behaviour begins at a very young age. Parents
ignore the innocence and understanding level of their children, thus killing their
imagination and thoughts.
7. Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
Ans)No, Amanda is neither sulking nor moody. She is simply not interested enough in the nagging business of her parents. Amanda cares more about her imagination
and thought process over the manners her parents are trying to inculcate into her.
Answer the following questions in 100-120 words:
1. State the key points in the poem Amanda. What do you learn from it?
Ans)Every child is special in itself. Parents should give enough space to children, as
they learn through experiences as well. Children tend to learn certain bad habits;
to undo that requires great level of understanding and the right approach. One
cannot teach their child everything in one day and expect them to behave properly thereafter. It is natural for a childlike Amanda to seek freedom at her age. To curb that freedom means to make her angry and moody. The upbringing of a child should not be about dos and don’ts only. To have nagging parents judging every action of a child would do more harm than good. We witness miserable failure of parents when Amanda wishes to be an orphan so that she
could be free.
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