(Page 62)
Question 1.
How old do you think Amanda
is? How do you know this?
Answer:
Amanda is about a 9-10 year old school going girl. She is being scolded for
things typical for that particular age. Her parents are trying to inculcate in
her good manners and etiquettes. Amanda is very innocent and immature.
Question 2.
Who do you think is speaking
to her?
Answer:
One of her parents is speaking to her. Most probably it is her mother. In a
traditional household mother is held responsible for the conduct of child. In
this case also, the range of instructions suggests that the speaker is
Amanda’s mother.
Question 3.
Why are stanzas 2, 4 and 6
given in parenthesis?
Answer:
Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they reflect the inner
thoughts of Amanda. They can be taken as the reaction of the child for the
instructions given in stanzas 1, 3 and 5. Here, there is an alternate sequence
of scolding of the mother, and corresponding reaction to it given by the
child. Also, parenthesis is used here to make the reading of ‘ the poem
friendly
Question 4.
Who is the speaker in stanzas
2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the speaker in stanzas
1, 3, 5 and 7?
Answer:
Speaker of the stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is the child, Amanda. No, she is not
paying any attention to the speaker of stanzas 1, 3 and 5 as she is lost in a
world of her own. Her imagination provides her an escape from her sorry
reality.
Question 5.
What could Amanda do if she
were a mermaid?
Answer:
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, mermaid is a symbol of freedom and wonder.
Question 6.
Is Amanda an orphan? Why does
she say so?
Answer:
No, Amanda is not an orphan, though she wishes to be one. She is so much
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 streets and draw patterns with her bare
feet. Indeed it is horribly depressing that Amanda expects being an orphan.
Question 7.
Do you know the story of
Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?
Answer:
Story of Rapunzel – 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.
Question 8.
What does the girl yearn for?
What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
Answer:
A girl like Amanda yearns for
freedom and space for herself. She is incapable to fulfil 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 begins at a very young age. Parents ignore the
innocence and understanding level of their children and thereby the young ends
up killing their imagination and thoughts.
Question 9.
Read the last stanza. Do you
think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
Answer:
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.