NCERT Solutions For Class 12 Flamingo English My Mother at Sixty-six

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               Poem - My Mother at Sixty-six

Ques. 1: Through the thoughts of the poetess how does the poem complete a cycle?

Ans:     The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty Six’ begins on a disappointed note and talks about sadness associated with ageing. Towards the end, the reference to old age and dying again brings the subject of ageing a reality that the poetess can’t escape.

Ques. 2: What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?

Ans:     The poet is pained to see the ageing and unwell mother. She knew that ageing is a natural process. She feels the pain of separation as she knows that human beings are mortal. The fear of losing her mother returns to her time and again. When she watching her mother doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse, lost in her own world, she knows that death is inevitable.

Ques. 3: Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?

Ans:     The poet is driving from her parental home to Cochin. When she looks outside, the young trees seen to be walking past them. The poet presents a contrast b/w dazing old mother and the sprinting trees. The young trees are a total of contrast to the poet’s sick mother sitting inside the car.

Ques. 4: Why has the poet brought the image of ‘merry children spilling out of their homes’?

Ans:     The poet has brought the image of merry children spilling out of their homes to present a contrast, inside the car the poet’s mother old, dazing, open mouthed, pale and ashen face. In contrast outside the active energetic children are coming out of their homes.

Ques. 5: Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter moon’?

Ans:     The poet’s mother is sixty six years old. She has lost her charm, attraction, beauty, shine and strength of youth. As in the winter, the moon looks hazy and dull. In the same used here is apt and effective.

Ques. 6: What do the parting words of the poem and her simile signify?

Ans:     Through out the journey and after the poet is worried about her mother. While parting she only says ‘see you soon amma’. This not only gives hope to the mother but reassures the daughter as well. In order to hide her feeling and fear she smiles and smiles.

        

IMPORTANT STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow each:

1. Driving from my parents home to Cochin last Friday morning, 1 saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realized with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon

Questions
(a)Where was the poet driving to? Who was sitting beside her?
(b)What did the poet notice about her mother?
(c)Why was her mother’s face looked like that of a corpse?
(d)Find words from the passage which mean :
(i) sleep lightly (ii) dead body (iii) felt.

Answers:
(a)The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her.
(b)She noticed that her mother was dozing with her mouth open.
(c)Her mother’s face looked pale, faded and lifeless like a dead body because she had grown old.
(d)(i) doze (ii) corpse (iii) realized.

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
(a)What did the poet realise? How did she feel
(b) What did she do then?
(c)What did she notice in the world outside?
(d)Find words from the passage which mean: (ii) running fast (ii) happy (iii) moving out.

Answers:
(a)Her mother was lost somewhere else in thoughts. It pained her.
(b)The poet withdrew her thoughts from her mother and looked outside.
(c)The young trees growing outside went past as if they were sprinting. Happy children were coming out of their houses.
(d)(i) sprinting (ii) merry (iii) spilling.

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
(a)What did the poet do after the security check?
(b)Why did the poet compare her mother’s face to a late winter’s moon?
(c)What is her childhood fear ?
(d)How do the parting words of the poet and her smile present a contrast to her real feelings?

Answers:
(a)After the security check, the poet stood a few yards away from her mother and looked at her face again.
(b)The late winter moon lacks brightness as well as strength. The pale and colorless face of the mother resembles the late winter moon.
(c)The fear of ageing and ultimate death or separation.
(d)The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smiles present a stark contrast to the old familiar ache or childhood fear.