CBSE Class 12 English HOTs My Mother at Sixty Six Set 02

Think it Out

Question. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels? Or What familiar ache and childhood fear did Kamala Das feel?
Answer: The pain and ache that the poet feels is an old familiar pain indicating that the pain had been felt by the poet before in her life. This pain is related to the fear of loss and separation from her mother.

Question. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?
Answer: The young trees are described as sprinting because they appear to be moving in the opposite direction of the car in which the poet is traveling to the airport. Further, such a description conveys a sense of vitality and energy. It is highlighting the difference between the swift energy of youth and the more measured, steady pace of later life.

Question. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’? Or Why has the poet mentioned ‘merry children spilling out of their homes’ in the poem?
Answer: The poet has used this imagery to bring out the contrast between children, who are energetic and full of life, and her mother, who is old, pale and lifeless.

Question. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’? Or Why does Kamala Das compare her mother to a late winter’s moon?
Answer: The poet has compared her mother to a late winter’s moon to emphasise that her mother’s face looks dull and colourless due to her old age. Just as a ‘late winter’s moon’ looks hazy and appears to lack brightness and lustre due to mist and fog, similarly, the poet’s mother, who is now old, looks pale and devoid of exuberance.

Question. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Answer: The poet’s parting words, ‘See you soon, Amma’ and her smile signify hope and assurance, not only to herself but also to her mother, that they will meet again.

Exam Pattern Questions

Extract Based Questions

Read the extract given below and answer the following questions that follow.

Driving from my parent’s
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 but soon
put that thought away...

Question. What is the significance of comparing the mother’s face to that of a corpse?
Answer: By comparing the mother’s face to that of a corpse, the poet highlights the old age and the fact that her mother is nearing death.

Question. Choose the option that displays the same literary device as in the given lines of the extract.
her face
ashen like that
of a corpse ...
(a) Just as I had this thought, she appeared and...
(b) My thoughts were as heavy as lead that evening when ...
(c) I think like everyone else who...
(d) I like to think aloud when ...
Answer: (b) My thoughts were as heavy as lead that evening when ...

Question. Complete the following suitably.
The poet ............ the inevitability of fate that was to dawn upon her mother.
Answer: didn't want to confront

Question. Select the correct option from those given in bracket, to fill in the blank.
The given poem can be said to be ............ (an argument/ a recollection)
Answer: A recollection

Question. Choose the option that applies correctly to the two statements given below.
Assertion: The poet wards off the thought of her mother getting old quickly.
Reason: The poet didn’t want to confront the inevitability of fate that was to dawn upon her mother.
(a) Assertion can be inferred but Reason cannot be inferred.
(b) Assertion cannot be inferred but Reason can be inferred.
(c) Both Assertion and Reason can be inferred.
(d) Both Assertion and Reason cannot be inferred.
Answer: (c) Both Assertion and Reason can be inferred.

Question. Why did the poet put the thought away?
Answer: The poet put the thought away because she could not stand the pain that was associated with the thought.

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, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, 

Question. Identify the phrase that indicates youthful energy.
Answer: ‘Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling’

Question. Which thought is the poet trying to put away?
(a) Missing the flight
(b) Fear of losing her mother
(c) Leaving her mother behind
(d) Reaching Cochin
Answer: (b) Fear of losing her mother

Question. The poet’s mother is described as ‘open mouthed’ because ............ .
(a) she is curious
(b) she is surprised
(c) she was dead
(d) she was dozing
Answer: (d) she was dozing

Question. Complete the following analogy.
Children spilling: Metaphor :: ............ : Personification
Answer: Young Trees

Question. The sight of the trees and the children helped the poet ............ .
Answer: divert her mind from the sad and melancholy thoughts her mind had started thinking.

Question. In the given extract, the phrase ‘realised with pain’ indicates the poet’s
(a) anxiety
(b) desperation
(c) troubled past
(d) ill-health
Answer: (a) anxiety

.... but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes, 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, 

Question. Select the correct option. The impact of ‘merry children’ on poet’s mind
(a) caused anxiety
(b) created a sense of longing
(c) brought comfort
(d) reminded her of her own childhood
Answer: (a) caused anxiety

Question. The tone of the poet expressed in the above lines is
(a) sadness and helplessness
(b) excitement and eagerness
(c) appreciation and gratitude
(d) anger and anxiety
Answer: (a) sadness and helplessness

Question. The words ‘wan, pale’ indicate the mother’s ............ .
Answer: old and sickly appearance.

Question. Complete the following sentence appropriately. The poet looked at her mother again to ............ .
Answer: observe her after the airport’s security check.

Question. Explain one inference that can be drawn from the line ‘felt that old familiar ache’.
Answer: The poet came to the realisation of her mother’s old age and imminent death which caused her to feel the pain of loss and separation from her mother.

Question. ‘Put that thought away’. What is the intention of poet that can be inferred from the above line?
Answer: The poet’s intention was to put away the painful thought of her mother’s ageing and declining health and the possibility of losing her mother.

“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.”

Question. Why did the poet look at her mother again?
Answer: The poet looked at her mother’s face again to bid her good bye.

Question. Mother’s face has been compared to
(a) full moon brightness
(b) late winter’s moon and its paleness
(c) young children
(d) young tree
Answer: (b) late winter’s moon and its paleness

Question. Answer in one word. The figure of speech used in the lines ‘pale as a winter’s moon’ is ............ .
Answer: Simile

Question. Select the correct option from those given in bracket to fill in the blank. The reason of mother’s pale face is ............ (mother’s depleting energy/mother’s stress).
Answer: mother’s depleting energy

Question. On the basis of the extract, choose the correct option with reference to the two statements given below.
1. The poet is in a dilemma.
2. The poet wants to look at her mother.
(a) (1) can be inferred from the extract but (2) cannot
(b) (2) can be inferred from the extract but (1) cannot
(c) Both (1) and (2) can be inferred from the extract
(d) (2) is the reason for (1) and can be inferred from the extract
Answer: (b) (2) can be inferred from the extract but (1) cannot

Question. What do you think the poet is feeling in the extract?
Answer: The poet is feeling sad and painful in the extract.

but after 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...

Question. Choose the correct option. In the above extract, the narrator feels
(a) satisfied
(b) fearful
(c) nostalgic
(d) regretful
Answer: (b) fearful

Question. Identify the word in the extract that means colourless.
Answer: Pale

Question. Complete the following analogy correctly. She sang like a bird : Simile :: All I did was smile and smile and smile : ............ .
Answer: Repetition

Question. Read the following statement and choose the correct option.
1. The poet had gone through the security check.
2. She did not want to look at her mother.
(a) (1) is true but (2) is false
(b) (1) is false but (2) is true
(c) Both (1) and (2) are true
(d) Both (1) and (2) are false
Answer: (a) (1) is true but (2) is false

Question. What childhood fear is the poet referring to?
Answer: The childhood fear referred to by the poet is the fear of losing her mother forever.

Question. Fill the blank with appropriate words with reference to the extract. Pale as a winter’s moon suggests ............ .
Answer: lack of youth energy and fading away of life.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question. What are the feelings of the poet about her aged mother with reference to the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’? 
Answer: In ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’, the poet feels a deep sense of concern and sorrow for her aging mother. Describing her as ‘ashen’ and ‘pale’ the poet expresses fear of losing her. The contrast between youthful vitality and her mother’s frailty evokes love.

Question. Why does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?
Answer: Kamala Das finds it hard to accept the fact of her mother is growing old as it brings back her childhood fear of losing her mother forever. She makes a deliberate effort to drive or put away such thoughts by looking outside the car at the sights passing by.

Question. What were the poet’s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them? Or What were Kamala Das’ fears as a child? Why do they come back when she is going to the airport?
Answer: During her childhood, Kamala Das was insecure about losing her mother just as all young children often are. The same old feelings come back to haunt her when she sees her mother’s pale and lifeless face. She is tortured by the fact that she may not see her alive again. She hides her feelings by smiling.

Question. What is the significance of the word ‘but’ in ‘but all I said was, see you soon, Amma?
Answer: The word ‘but’ in this context is used to emphasise the contrast between the narrator’s thoughts and feelings and the words she actually said. The narrator is reflecting on their mother’s age and how it made her feel sad, but despite this, she still manages to put on a brave face and say, ‘see you soon, Amma’.

Question. In the last line of the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’, why does the poet use the word ‘smile’ repeatedly?
Answer: In the last line of the poem, the poet has repeatedly used the word ‘smile’ to mask her painful feeling of parting from her mother. She also wanted to reassure her mother of hope and happiness by smiling in front of her.

Question. ‘See you soon Amma.’ How are these words contrary to the speaker’s emotions?
Answer: The poet’s comforting words and smile starkly contrast with the childhood fear felt by her. They signify a conscious effort to conceal deeper emotions. The poet hides her doubts regarding her mother’s declining health which makes her fear the separation. The statement showing assurance and cheer attempts to hide the underlying anxiety and concern.

Question. The pain of separation is expressed both literally and metaphorically in this poem. Elucidate. 
Answer: The pain of separation in ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ is one of physical separation since the poet was leaving her mother in Cochin while catching flight. The metaphorical separation is one that the poet fears. She fears an eternal separation from her mother because of her impending death.

Question. Comment on the tone of the poem with references to ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’. 
Answer: The tone of this poem is predominantly pensive and sorrowful. The poem starts with an observing tone wherein the poet suddenly notices that her mother looks as old as she is. Then comes the sad, sombre and anxious realisation that her mother is growing old and frail. Hence, to distract herself, the poet turns away from her mother to look at the trees and the children. Then, the poet looks at her mother again at the airport which increases her sadness and there is an intense emotional connection between her and her mother. The poem ends on the note of acceptance, reassurance and concealment.

Question. Imagery was an effective literary device to bring out the contrast between the ‘merry children’ and mother. Comment.
Answer: Yes, Imagery was an effective literary device to bring out the contrast between the ‘merry children’ and mother. In the poem, the poet looks away from her mother’s face in the car to see through the window children rushing out of their homes. The contrast is all the more sharper since the poet has juxtaposed two vastly different images - old age and childhood - right next to each other.

Question. State the common issue faced by most of the aged in the current times, with reference to the poem, ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’. 
Answer: In the present day world, there are many maladies that afflict the older population of the world. In this fast paced life, our elders have to face the absence of supporting presence. They suffer from loneliness when children move away for better education and employment opportunities. This malady is depicted by Kamala Das in My Mother At Sixty Six. The poet has to leave her mother alone in her old age when she is nearing death due to her other responsibilities and commitments.

Question. Interpret the use of visual imagery by Kamala Das in her poem to depict the passage of time. 
Answer: Kamala Das’ poetry ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ consists of many instances of imagery. One such imagery is of her aging mother which is described as ‘pale as a late winter’s moon’. This image conveys the fragility and the inevitability of ageing along with the physical changes brought by time. With this image, it evokes a sense of gentle and serene decline rather than abrupt decay.

Question. The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ touches upon the transient nature of life. Comment.
Answer: It is true to say that the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ touched upon the transient nature of life. The rapid movement of the trees and the cheerful children spilling out of their homes contrast the mother’s ageing appearance. This contrast highlights how life moves swiftly, and youthful energy contrasts with the reality of ageing.

Question. What is the significance of the ellipses (....) at the end of the poem?
Answer: The ellipses at the poem’s end are significant as they create a sense of open-mindedness and leave the poem unresolved. The poet ends the poem with a series of ellipses after repeating the word ‘smile’ three times, indicating that the poet’s emotions are complex and difficult to express fully in words. The ellipses suggest that there is more to be said or felt. Further, it allows for a sense of universality. It leaving room for interpretation of the reader’s own emotions and experiences related to ageing, mortality, and their relationship with their parents.

Question. How does the poem present the theme of unspoken emotions in the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’?
Answer: The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ touches on the theme of unspoken emotions. The speaker notices her mother’s ageing, yet she doesn’t vocalise her feelings of concern or sadness. The poet chooses to leave her feelings of pain unsaid, perhaps because the emotions are too overwhelming or because the relationship between the poet and her mother is deeply personal and cannot be fully conveyed through words alone.

Question. Justify the statement below with reference to the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ in 40-50 words. ‘Being conscious of our mortality helps us cherish our moments with each other.’
Answer: It is true to say that being conscious of our mortality helps us cherish our moments with each other. Our awareness of our mortality makes us truly appreciate the people and things in our lives. In the poem, the poet talks about her fears of losing her mother which is an inescapable truth of life. The awareness of this fact, however, must have made her cherish the time that she spent with her mother even more.

Question. In the poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’, the poet hides her emotions from her mother. Do you think it was right of her to do so? Explain your answer in 40-50 words.
Answer: I think it was right of the poet to bid good-bye to her mother with a smile on her face as there was no point in upsetting her mother with her own emotions as she was leaving. As adults, we need to realise when to express our emotions and when not to.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question. Analyse the concept of losing our dear ones on account of old age in the context of the poem.
Answer: The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ brings out the natural complexities of the human mind and the natural fear of losing our parents, which is common to the hearts of all humans. Ageing is an indispensible part of human life which we have to accept, irrespective of the pain it cultivates in our hearts.
This pain and its acceptance has been aptly presented by Kamala Das in her poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ wherein the sudden realisation of the poet’s mother’s old age pains her. The poet realises that her mother is growing old and would die soon when she sees her sleeping in the car. The realisation brings pain which is unbearable for the poet and she tries to distract herself. In the end, she accepts the reality of her mother’s impending death and the separation.
Just like the poet, we also must accept the reality of mortality of our parents, albeit with pain and immense sorrow.

Question. Imagine the mother gets to know of the poet's personal fears. Write a letter, as the mother, telling the daughter why she must not dwell on these fears. You may begin this way. Pallipuram Cochin, Kerala. 22nd August, 60. 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 ......... (continue) ...... With love, Amma. 
Answer: 22nd August, 60
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, I was worried about what was making you anxious.
After much thinking, I now know that you are worried about me, my health and my impending death. Sweetheart, both of us know that whoever is born must die. I am a mortal and would have to be separated from you. But remember that I will always love you. So why waste your time and worry with such fears. Let’s spend the time we have together with much fun and frolic. I know, my saying this would not reduce your stress, but worry not, your mother will forever be with you.
With love
Amma

Question. 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? 
Answer: Poet: I am worried this was the last time I saw my mother. Just the thought of this separation is unbearable to me. What if I am not there with her when she dies? What will I do without her?
Friend: Kamala, relax! I know your fears. Trust me, I had felt the same. But look at me now, I have accepted the reality and to tell you the truth she is alive and you still have some time to spend with her.
Poet: But we will be separated!
Friend: Kamala, that is the reality of life. Everyone must die one day. We need to accept this truth and make the most of the time we have with our friends and family. Your worries, Kamala, would not go away but it would hamper the time you have left with her. So why worry?
Poet: I guess you are right. Mom also wrote the same thing to me. I cannot promise obviously but I will try.

Question. Khalil Gibran has said, “And ever has it been known that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation.” Both Franz and the poet are emotionally overwhelmed at the thought of separation. Comment with reference to ‘The Last Lesson’ and ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’. 
Answer: Khalil Gibrans’s statement stands true for both Franz, the young boy in ‘The Last Lesson’ and the poet, Kamala Das, of ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’.
For Franz, his teacher M. Hamel was a strict and cranky man. He does not really like the man and is often scared of him. He prefers to stay out rather than attending his lesson. However, when he gets to know that M. Hamel would be leaving the village the next day, his opinions for his teacher changed. He felt deep regard and love for the man who used to teach him.
The poet, Kamala Das loved her mother. However, her emotional attachment to her mother becomes intensified as she realises that she would soon be separated from her mother. She had felt the pain of separation before too but this time, the pain is unbearable. Hence, at the airport, her love shines through in her attempt to reassure her mother of meeting soon.