Class 12 English Flamingo Poem My Mother at Sixty Six by Kamala Das

Complete Text

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, 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,

but all I said was, see you soon,

Amma,

all I did was smile and smile and

smile......

Summary

The poem by Kamala Das reflects the poet's emotions as she drives with her aging mother and realizes the fragility of life. The poet sees her mother doze beside her, her face looking ashen, and is struck with a deep pain and ache for her mother's aging and vulnerability. The sight of the merry children and young trees outside the car window tries to ease the poet's thoughts, but after the airport security check, the poet sees her mother again, pale and wan, and feels the familiar ache and fear from her childhood. Despite these emotions, the poet tries to hide her feelings and merely says goodbye, smiling.

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Imagery Used in the Poem

Mother's appearance as a corpse: The appearance of the poet's mother as a corpse symbolizes the poet's fear of losing her and the fragility of life. This image highlights the contrast between life and death and underscores the pain and ache the poet feels for her mother's aging.

Young trees sprinting: The image of young trees sprinting symbolizes energy, vitality, and growth. This image provides a momentary distraction for the poet and serves to highlight the contrast between the vitality of youth and the fragility of old age.

Merry children spilling out of their homes: The image of merry children spilling out of their homes symbolizes youth, innocence, and happiness. This image provides a momentary distraction for the poet and serves to heighten the poet's awareness of the fragility of life and the inevitability of aging and loss.

Late winter's moon: The comparison of the poet's mother to a late winter's moon symbolizes her pale and wan appearance, as well as her vulnerability and distance. This image emphasizes the poet's fear of losing her mother and underscores the contrast between the vitality of youth and the fragility of old age.

Smile: The image of the poet smiling serves as a mask for the deep pain and fear she feels. It expresses the poet's attempt to hide her emotions and to be strong in the face of her mother's aging and vulnerability. The smile also expresses the poet's love for her mother and the hope of a future reunion.

Question 1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?

Answer:

The poet feels a deep pain and ache for the aging and vulnerability of her mother. She compares her appearance to that of a corpse and is reminded of his childhood fear of losing her. Despite this pain, the poet tries to mask his emotions and merely says goodbye and smiles.

Question 2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?

Answer:

The young trees are described as "sprinting" because she is fast moving in her car, as she drives from her parent's home to Cochin. The use of the word "sprinting" also implies a sense of liveliness and swift movement, which contrasts with the tired and vulnerable appearance of the poet's mother. The sight of the young trees provides a momentary distraction for the poet, but does not ease the deep pain and ache she feels for her mother's aging.

Question 3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’?

Answer:

The image of the merry children is brought in by the poet to provide contrast to the vulnerability of her aging mother and to show the energy and joy of youth. The sight of the children spilling out of their homes, full of life and happiness, provides a momentary distraction for the poet and a contrast to her own feelings of pain and fear. The children symbolize youth, vitality, and innocence, and the sight of them serves to heighten the poet's awareness of the fragility of life and the inevitability of aging and loss.

Question 4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?

Answer:

The poet compares the appearance of her mother to a "late winter's moon" to describe her mother's pale, wan appearance after the airport security check. The comparison to a "late winter's moon" emphasizes the mother's fragile and vulnerable state and the poet's fear of losing her. The image of the moon also suggests a sense of distant coldness and detachment, which mirrors the poet's attempt to hide her emotions and to say goodbye with a smile. The comparison serves to underscore the deep pain and ache the poet feels for her mother's aging and to highlight the contrast between the vitality of youth and the fragility of old age.

Question 5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?

Answer:

The parting words of the poet, "see you soon, Amma," and her smile signify her attempt to hide her emotions and to be strong in the face of her mother's aging and vulnerability. The words and smile serve as a mask for the deep pain and fear the poet feels, as she is reminded of the inevitability of loss and the fragility of life. The words and smile are a way for the poet to maintain a sense of hope and optimism, despite her feelings of sadness and fear. They also express the poet's love for her mother and the hope of a future reunion.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1. The pain of separation is expressed both literally and metaphorically in this poem. Elucidate.

[CBSE Question Bank, 2021]

Answer:

The poem, My Mother at Sixty Six, describes the scene where a mother and daughter are driving to their hometown Cochin. The mother dozes off and when the daughter looks at her ashen unmoving body, she suddenly gets frightened that she is dead. The daughter realizes that her mother is quite old and she could lose her to death at any time. This makes her pensive and she reflects on the love for her mother. The poet narrates the bonding between the duo and brings forth the pain and fear experienced by the daughter of losing her mother due to the inevitable reality of life which is death.

Question 2. Comment on the tone of the poem with reference "My Mother at Sixty Six".

[CBSE Question Bank, 2021]

Answer:

The tone of this poem is predominantly pensive and sorrowful. The poet suddenly notices that her mother looks as old as she is. However, it does not surprise her because she has always been aware of the certainty of her mother's death. As she does when she turns away from her mother to look at the Q.7. trees and the children, she has simply chosen not to think about losing her mother anytime soon. Yet that fear has always plagued her and it plagues her still. This saddens her and one can see her silent tears even when she has forced herself to smile.

Question 3. Imagery was an effective literary device to bring out the contrast between the "merry children" and mother. Comment.

[CBSE Question Bank, 2021]

Answer:

The poet has used the image of merry children spilling out of their homes to bring a contrast between old age and childhood. Her mother's pale, colourless face stands for old and fading age. Merry children symbolise the spring of life, vigour and happiness. They also symbolize the spontaneity of life in contrast to the passive and inactive life of her aged mother.

Question 4. The poet does not directly mention the fear of her mother's death and yet she is successfully able to convey the same through different poetic techniques. Discuss.

[CBSE Question Bank, 2021]

Answer:

The poem 'My Mother at Sixty-six' is rich in imagery. Kamala Das uses the devices of comparison and contrast. The use of simile is very effective. The face of the poet's old mother is 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 contrasts. The old ‘dozing’ lady inside is contrasted with the young tress ‘sprinting’ and merry children ‘spilling’ out of their homes.

Question 5. Kamala Das speaks of an old familiar ache...' What do you think is the reason for this feeling?

[CBSE SQP, 2020-21]

Answer:

As a child, Kamala Das had a fear of losing her mother. She always felt sad when she was separated from her mother and was scared that she might not be alive the next time she came back.

[CBSE Marking Scheme, 2020-21]

Question 6. What kind of pain does Kamala Das feel in 'My Mother at Sixty-Six?

[Delhi Set-1, 2017]

Answer:

Value Points: -pain of separation - losing her mother-childhood fear-mother getting old.

[CBSE Marking Scheme, 2017]

Detailed Answer: Kamala Das feels pained at the thought of her mother getting old. She was pained to think that she may lose her mother soon. She had the fear of losing her mother and getting separated from her permanently.

Question 7. Why are the young trees described as sprinting?

[Delhi Set-II, 2017, Comptt., Delhi Set-II, 2017]

Answer:

Value Points: - Image of youthfulness energy -vitality-full of life-contrast to mother's pale/ old face.

(Any two) [CBSE Marking Scheme, 2017]

Detailed Answer: The young trees running spiritedly in the opposite direction stand in sharp contrast to the poetess' aged and pale-looking mother. The trees symbolize youth and life, whereas the old mother represents old age and is moving towards the grave. They symbolise the quick passage of time that has brought old age to her.

Question 8. Having looked at her mother, why does Kamala Das look at the young children?

[Outside Delhi Set-1, 2017]

Answer:

Value Points: to drive away pain-fear of separation from her mother-children symbolic of life/energy/ dynamism/happiness-to distract from thoughts of her ageing mother.

(CBSE Marking Scheme, 2017)

Detailed Answer: Kamala Das looked at the young children, as they represented youth, which is full of life and energy. She wanted to drive away the fearful and disturbing thought that her mother was getting old and weak and might die soon.

Question 9. Why has the mother been compared to the 'late winter moon'?

[Comptt., Outside Delhi Set-I, 2017]

Answer:

Value Points: Pale wan colour/mother had lost her glow on her face.

[CBSE Marking Scheme, 2017]

Detailed Answer: The mother has been compared to the 'late winter moon' because she has become pale like the moon in the winter. She is dull and lifeless. Her face has lost her glow and is misted with wrinkles, as the winter of moon shrouded with clouds.

Question 10. What did Kamala Das think when she looked at her mother?

[Comptt. Outside Delhi Set-III, 2017]

Value Points: - dozing like a corpse/as old as she looked-fear that she may not meet her mother.

[CBSE Marking Scheme, 2017]

Detailed Answer: Kamala Das' mother was dozing, as she was sitting in the car. Her face looked pale and like a dead body. Kamala Das thought that her mother would not live long and felt pain that she might not meet her again.

Question 11. What were the poet's feelings as she drove to Kochi Airport?

[Comptt., 2015]

Answer:

Value Points: Fear of separation/worried about her ageing mother/fear of losing her mother/ anxiety.

[CBSE Marking Scheme, 2015]

Detailed Answer: Her feelings at the airport were of fear because she was afraid that her mother was going to die because she was looking very weak and she was not sure whether she would be able to meet her mother again. She hid her fear by smiling and assured her mother that they would meet again.

Long Answer Type Questions

Answer the following questions in 120-150 words:

Question 1. Imagine the mother gets to know of the poet persona's 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

22 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

[CBSE Question Bank, 2021]

Answer:

Value Points: poet's words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real feelings- parting words: "See you soon, Amma", give an assurance to the mother- poet's continuous smiles are an attempt to overcome the ache and fear inside her heart- latent fear of losing mother could be felt at the surface- mother grown weak and frail- effect of old age- ageing is a natural process-time and ageing spare none- with this ageing, separation and death become inevitable- the advice: don't be pained and frightened by the idea that she (poet) may have to face all these things herself- everyone has to face this situation one day or the other- human life is transient and people are mortal beings who have to suffer through the pangs of death

Detailed Answer:

Pallipuram

Cochin, Kerala

22 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 understand that you were trying to hide your fears. You are afraid that you are going to lose me and I am going to die soon. My child, you can put your fears to rest as I am enjoying the prime of my health. I am doing my daily chores actively and I do not feel tired so soon. I am looking forward to meet you soon. If all my plans work, I will be shifting near you in another month or so.

Having said that, my child, you need to understand that the death is the ultimate truth of life. The one who is born has to die. All of us have to meet this fate sooner or later. So, as your guide and mentor, I would advise to face this truth boldly as a day will come when this truth will be realised in my case also. Remember, when that day comes, I want you not to grieve but to cherish the happy moments we shared and move on with your life.

Looking forward to see you soon.

With love

Amma

Question 2. 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?

Q[CBSE Question Bank 2021]

Answer:

Value Points: Aged people usually undergo pangs of loneliness and need companionship The pes simistic approach they develop towards life can be. shunned only if we provide them with abundant love, care, importance and empathy. They expect their children to sit calmly and talk to them about the happenings of their lives and to take their sug- gestions for making significant decisions. Their lost vitality can thus be easily rejuvenated. This happiness will encourage them to live life enthu- siastically

Detailed Answer:

Poet : Hi, how are you doing?

Friend : I am good, but you are not your usual self What happened? You seem lost somewhere

else

Poet : I met my mother over the weekend. She is just sixty-six but was looking older than her age

Friend : O, they all look like that. My father is only fifty-nine but he already looks like seventy. Poet : Not only that, but her health was also looking deteriorated I had to shift over here due to professional work. It was a pain leaving her alone at home I have not spent enough time with her lately. There is so much I want to discuss with her, but don't have time

Friend: Don't worry, she will be well. We all seem afraid of the impending truth. But, come on, face your fears boldly. Take a week's off and spend time with her. At least, you will not regret later in life.

Poet: But, boss will not allow me to take off. You know the work pressure we have right now at office

Friend: Don't worry, I will take care of that. I will work overtime couple of days and cover up for you

Poet: Thanks dear, you are truly a friend indeed. I will talk to boos in the morning. Thanks and good night

Friend: So, cheer up now! All will be well Good night.

Monday, January 30, 2023