JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 6 My Mother at Sixty – Six
JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 6 My Mother at Sixty – Six
JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions chapter – 6 My Mother at Sixty – Six
Jammu & Kashmir State Board JKBOSE 10th Class English Solutions
J&K class 10th English My Mother at Sixty – Six Textbook Questions and Answers
My Mother at Sixty – Six Summary in English
It was a Friday morning. The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her in the car. The mother was then sixty-six years old. While going, the poet turned to look at her mother. She found that the mother was dozing and her mouth was open. Her face was as pale as that of a dead person. The poet painfully realised that her mother was not going to live long. But soon she drove this painful thought away from her mind. She started looking at the young trees on the roadside that seemed to be running fast. She saw children running out of their houses in joy.
After reaching the airport, the poet went through the security check. Her mother was standing outside a few yards away. After the security check, the poet again looked at her mother from that distance. The mother’s face was pale white. It was as pale as the face of the moon in late winter. The poet felt an old familiar ache in her body. It was like she used to feel in her childhood when some fear overpowered her. Yet she spoke no word to her mother. All that she said was, “See you soon, Amma.” The only thing the poet did was smile and smile and smile.
My Mother at Sixty – Six Summary in Hindi
कविता का संक्षिप्त परिचय
शुक्रवार की प्रातः थी । कवयित्री अपने माता / पिता के घर से कोचीन के हवाई अड्डे को जा रही थी। उसकी मां कार में उसके बगल में बैठी हुई थी। मां की आयु तब छिआसठ वर्ष की थी । जाते हुए कवयित्री ने मां की तरफ़ देखने के लिए सिर घुमाया। उसने देखा कि मां ऊंघ रही थी और उसका मुंह खुला हुआ था। उसका चेहरा इतना ही पीला था जितना किसी मृत व्यक्ति का। कवयित्री को पीड़ापूर्ण अनुभव हुआ कि उसकी मां अधिक देर जीवित नहीं रहेगी । किन्तु फिर शीघ्र ही उसने इस पीड़ाजनक विचार को अपने मन से निकाल दिया। उसने सड़क किनारे उगे छोटे-छोटे पेड़ों को देखना शुरू कर दिया जो तेज़ भागते हुए प्रतीत हो रहे थे। उसने बच्चों को अपने घरों से बाहर खुशी में भागते हुए देखा। हवाई-अड्डे पर पहुंचने के बाद कवयित्री ने सुरक्षा जांच करवाई। उसकी मां कुछ गज़ दूर बाहर खड़ी थी । सुरक्षा जांच के बाद कवयित्री ने उतनी दूर से फिर अपनी मां की तरफ़ देखा। मां का चेहरा पीली सफेदी लिए हुए था । यह उतना ही पीला लग रहा था जितना पीला शीत ऋतु के अन्तिम दिनों में चांद प्रतीत होता है । कवयित्री को अपने शरीर में एक पुरानी जानीपहचानी पीड़ा सी महसूस हुई । यह उसी तरह की थी जैसी वह अपने बचपन में महसूस किया करती थी जब उस पर कोई भय छा जाता था। फिर भी उसने अपनी मां से कोई शब्द न कहा । केवल जो बात उसने कही, यह थी – ‘अम्मा, तुम्हें फिर दोबारा जल्दी मिलूंगी।’ केवल एक काम जो कवयित्री ने किया, वह यह था कि वह मुस्कराती रही और मुस्कराती रही ।
MAIN POINTS OF THE POEM
1. It was a Friday morning. The poet was driving to the Cochin airport, Her sixty-six-year-old mother was sitting beside her.
शुक्रवार की प्रातः थी। कवयित्री कार में सवार हुई कोचीन के हवाई अड्डे को जा रही थी। उसकी छिआसठ-वर्षीय मां उसके बगल में बैठी हुई थी ।
2. The poet turned to look at her mother. She saw that the mother looked as pale as death. A sad thought came into the poet’s mind.
कवयित्री ने अपनी मां की तरफ़ देखने के लिए अपना सिर घुमाया । उसने देखा कि उसकी मां मृत्यु के समान पीली लग रही थी । कवयित्री के मन में एक उदासी – भरा विचार आ गया ।
3. But she soon drove this thought away and started looking at the trees that seemed to be running fast. She saw children running out of their homes in joy.
किन्तु शीघ्र ही उसने इस विचार को अपने मन से निकाल दिया तथा पेड़ों की तरफ देखना शुरू कर दिया जो तेज़ी से भागते हुए प्रतीत हो रहे थे। उसने बच्चों को खुशी में अपने घरों से बाहर को भागते हुए देखा।
4. After reaching the airport, the poet went through the security check. Standing a few yards away, she again looked at her mother. The mother looked very pale and weak.
हवाई-अड्डे पर पहुंचने के बाद कवयित्री ने सुरक्षा जांच करवाई। कुछ गज़ दूर खड़े हुए उसने फिर अपनी मां की तरफ़ देखा। मां बहुत पीली और कमज़ोर लग रही थी ।
5. But the poet said nothing but this : “Amma, see you soon.” Then she smiled and smiled and smiled. That was all she did.
किन्तु कवयित्री ने इसके अतिरिक्त कुछ न कहा, “अम्मा, शीघ्र ही तुमसे दोबारा मिलूंगी ।” तब वह मुस्कराती रही और मुस्कराती ही रही । उसने केवल इतना ही किया ।
LINEWISE WORD-MEANINGS AND EXPLANATIONS
Lines 1-5
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 ………..
Word-meanings : 1. beside – next to, at the side of, बगल में, समीप; 2. doze – to sleep lightly for a short time, ऊंघना, झपकी लेना; 3. ashen — very pale, without colour because of illness or fear, पीला, विवर्ण; 4. corpse-dead body of a human, शव, लाश।
Explanation: The poet recalls the day when she was driving from her parent’s home to Cochin where she was to catch a flight. It was a Friday morning and her mother was also sitting by her side. She was going to the airport to see off the poet. But whenta the poet turned to look at her mother, she found her dozing. Her mouth was open and her face looked very pale like that of a corpse. A painful thought came to the poet’s mind. She realised that her mother had really become very old and would not live for long.
कवयित्री को वह दिन याद आता है जब वह कार में सवार हुई अपनी मां के घर से कोचीन जा रही थी जहां उसे एक वायुयान पकड़ना था। शुक्रवार की प्रातः थी तथा उसकी मां भी उसके बगल में बैठी हुई थी। वह कवयित्री को विदा करने के लिए हवाई अड्डे पर जा रही थी । किन्तु जब कवयित्री ने अपनी मां की तरफ़ देखने के लिए सिर घुमाया तो उसने देख कि वह ऊंघ रही थी। उसका मुंह खुला हुआ था तथा उसका चेहरा एक मुर्दे के चेहरे के जैसा बहुत पीला लग रहा था। एक पीड़ाजनक विचार कवयित्री के मन में आया । उसे महसूस हो गया कि उसकी मां वास्तव में बहुत बूढ़ी हो गई थी तथा अधिक समय तक जीवित नहीं रहेगी।
Lines 5-10
…………. 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 ………..
Word-meanings : 1. put that thought away — turned her mind away from that thought, उस विचार से अपना ध्यान दूसरी तरफ़ लगा लिया; 2. sprinting – running very fast, बहुत तेज़ी से दौड़ना; 3. merry – happy and cheerful, प्रमुदित, अति प्रसन्न; 4. spilling—coming out in large numbers, बड़ी संख्या में बाहर आते हुए ।
Explanation : The poet soon drove away from her mind the thought of her mother’s pale and aged face. She started looking out at the young trees that seemed to be running fast. She looked at the children running out of their houses in joy. At last they reached the airport and the poet went through the security check. Now standing a few yards away, she looked at her mother once again. It is to be noted that the poet had not spoken a word to her mother all through the drive. And even now she just looks at her from a distance. Perhaps it is a sad reflection of how indifferent the modern youth have grown towards their aged elders.
कवयित्री ने शीघ्र ही अपनी मां के पीले और बूढ़े चेहरे के विचार को अपने मन से निकाल दिया। वह बाहर की तरफ़ छोटे-छोटे पेड़ों को देखने लगी जोकि तेज़ गति से दौड़ते हुए लग रहे थे । वह उन बच्चों को देखने लगी जो खुशी में अपने घरों से बाहर भागते हुए आ रहे थे । अन्त में वे हवाई अड्डे पर पहुंच गईं तथा कवयित्री ने सुरक्षा सम्बन्धी जांच करवाई। अब कुछ गज़ दूर खड़े हुए उसने एक बार फिर अपनी मां को देखा । यह बात ध्यान देने योग्य है कि कवयित्री ने कार में आते दौरान अपनी मां से एक शब्द भी नहीं बोला था । तथा अब भी वह एक दूरी से उसकी तरफ़ केवल देखती ही है। शार इस बात का एक शोचनीय प्रतिबिम्ब है कि आधुनिक युवा लोग अपने बड़े-बूढ़ों के प्रति कितने विमुख हो गए हैं ।
Lines 10-14
………….. 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 …..
Word-meanings : 1. wan— looking pale and weak, पीला, विवर्ण; 2. pale—with skin almost white, हल्के पीले रंग का; 3. ache —continuous feeling of pain, पीड़ा, दर्द।
Explanation: After her security check, the poet looked at her mother who was standing a few yards away outside. The mother looked very pale and weak. Her face looked pale white like the face of late winter’s moon. The poet felt in her body an old familiar ache. It was like she used to feel in her childhood when some fear overpowered her. Still she spoke no word to her mother. The only thing she said was: “See you soon, Amma.” All she did was smile and smile and s smile. These lines convey the idea that the youngers do feel for their elders, but they don’t communicate it properly.
अपनी सुरक्षा जांच के पश्चात् कवयित्री ने अपनी मां की तरफ़ देखा जो कुछ गज़ की दूरी पर बाहर खड़ी थी मां बहुत पीली और कमजोर लग रही थी। उसका चेहरा शीत ऋतु के अन्तिम दिनों के चांद की भान्ति पीली सफेदी लिए हुए दिखाई दे रहा था। कवयित्री को अपने शरीर में एक पुरानी जानी-पहचानी पीड़ा – सी महसूस हुई। यह उसी तरह की थी जैसा वह अपने बचपन में महसूस किया करती थी जब उस पर कोई भय छा जाता था। फिर भी उसने अपनी मां से कोई शब्द न बोला। केवल जो उसने कहा, यह था – “अम्मा, तुम से जल्दी फिर मिलूंगी।” केवल जो काम उसने किया, यह था कि वह मुस्कराती रही और मुस्कराती रही। ये पंक्तियां इस विचार को व्यक्त करती हैं कि युवा लोग अपने बड़े-बूढ़ों के लिए सहानुभूति तो रखते हैं, किन्तु वे इसे उपयुक्त ढंग से व्यक्त नहीं करते हैं।
TEXTUAL QUESTIONS
Thinking about the Poem :
Q. 1. How does the poet describe her mother in the poem ?
Ans. The poet says that her mother has grown very pale and weak. She looks as pale as death. She realises that her mother is not going to live long. This thought fills her with much pain.
Q. 2. Why does the poet look outside ? What activities does the poet see outside the car window ?
Ans. The poet’s mind is filled with the painful thoughts of her mother. She looks outside the car in order to divert her mind and forget her pain. Outside, she sees trees that seem to be running fast towards her. Then she sees little children running joyfully out of their homes. The poet uses these images for the purpose of contrast.
Q. 3. Why are the young trees in the poem described as sprinting ?
Ans.The poet is driving to the airport. She looks outside and finds the trees coming fast towards her. They seem to be running fast. In fact, it is only the car that is running, not the trees.
Q. 4. Why is the mother compared to the late winter’s moon ?
Ans. Winter, like old age, is a time of inactivity. Old age is the last phase of human life, just as winter is the last phase of year. And in old age, a man grows pale like death, just as the moon in late winter looks pale white.
Q. 5. What childhood fears do you think the poet is referring to in the poem, My Mother at Sixty-six?
Ans.When a child is not able to see its mother, it begins to cry. It always fears that it will lose its mother. That is why it does not want to lose sight of its mother even for a moment. These very childhood fears filled the poet’s heart at the moment. She feared that she would never again see the face of her mother.
Q. 6. What does Kamala Das do after the security check? What does she notice ?
Ans. After the security check, the again looks s at her mother who is a few yards away. The sight of the mes pale weak face gives her pain. Then she says with a smile, “See you soon, Amma.” Thus she tries to cheer up her mother.
Q. 7. ‘but all I said was, see you soon, Amma; all I did was smile and smile…..
(a) What does the poet actually feel at this moment?
Ans. She feels that she would perhaps never see her mother again. She smiles merely to reassure her mother.
(b) Why did the poet say ‘see you soon, Amma’? What does the poet actually mean by ‘smile and smile and smile …’ ? What kind of a smile is it?
Ans. The words spoken by the poet were just a formality. In fact, she had nothing to say to her. Her smile is also on the surface only. It does not spring from the heart. Because of the pain in her heart, she could not say any word to her mother. The fate was but too evident. The smile was simply a thin lid on the bitter reality.
Q. 8. 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 realized with pain
That she might not live long …….
(a) Where was the poet driving to ? Who was sitting beside her ?
Ans. She was driving to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her.
(b) What did the poet notice about the mother?
Ans. She noticed that her mother looked as pale as death. She looked very very old.
(c) Why did the mother’s face look like that of a corpse ?
Ans. Because it was ashen pale (very pale).
Q. 9. Discuss mother-daughter relationship in the poem.
Ans. The mother-daughter relationship as described in the poem seems to be very formal. The daughter sees that her mother is looking as pale as death. She doesn’t feel the pain or shock that a daughter is supposed to feel. Rather she tries to drive the thought away from her mind by looking outside the car. And even at the airport, she doesn’t depart with a loving hug. She simply says, “See you soon, Amma,” and smiles and smiles and smiles, as if there is nothing to worry.
Q. 10. My Mother at Sixty-six’ is an emotional account of the poet towards the numbered days of her mother. Discuss.
Ans. To be honest, I don’t find any emotions involved in the poet’s account of her mother. She sees that her mother looks very weak and old. She is as pale as death. But instead of saying some pleasing and encouraging words to the mother, the poet prefers to look outside the car in order to divert her mind. And then at the airport, she gives her mother no parting hug. She simply says with a smile, “See you soon, Amma.”
Q. 11. The poet compares her mother to many things. Pick out two similes which reinforce this comparison.
Ans. 1. her face ashen like that of a corpse.
2. wan, pale as a late winter’s moon.
Q. 12. What image does the poet use to describe death in the poem ?
Ans. The poet uses the image of the wan late winter moon to describe death. Just as the wan winter moon grows thinner and thinner and at last disappears completely into a dark night, so also old age takes a man nearer and nearer and nearer to death and at last man disappears for ever into the dark night of death.
Q. 13. Cite an example of one device of contrast that the poet has used.
Ans. The poet gives the image of ‘merry children spilling out of their homes’. This image helps to bring out the contrast between childhood and old age. While childhood is a period of carefree merry-making, old age is a period of death-like sadness. With childhood, the journey of life begins, and with old age, the journey ends.
Q. 14. Smile and smile and smile…. is a poetic device. What is it called ?
Ans. It is called repetend which means repeated recurrent sound.
Q. 15. Comment upon the poetic devices of “My Mother At Sixty-six”.
Ans. In this poem the poet has used various poetic devices. To reinforce the comparison between her mother and many other things, she has used the poetic device, similes in the lines (i) her face ashen like that of corpse (ii) wan, pale as a late winter’s moon. She has used the image of the wan late winter moon to describe death. In the line ‘smile, smile and smile’ she has used the poetic device repetend which means repeated sound.
EXAMINATION-STYLE QUESTIONS
EXTRACT 1
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 ………………
Questions
1. Where was the poet driving to ? Who was sitting beside her ?
2. What did the poet notice about her mother?
3. Match the correct combination.
| A | B |
|
(a) ashen
(b) corpse
(c) realized
|
(i) understood
(ii) very pale (face)
(iii) d dead body of a human
|
4. The poet noticed her mother sitting …………
5. Give the name of the poem and the poet.
Answers
1. She was driving to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside her 2. She noticed that her mother looked as pale as death.
3. (a) ashen = very pale (face)
(b) corpse = dead body of a human
(c) realized = understood
4. open-mouthed.
5. The name of the poem is ‘My Mother At Sixty-Six’ and the poet is Kamala Das.
Or
Questions
I. Complete the summary :
The poet says that she was . She noticed her mother her. Her mother was pale like a She tried to to Cochin last Friday along with her open mouthed, beside Her looks grieved the poet. out of the window. the scene by
II. Study the following expressions used by the poet. Choose the most appropriate suggestion for each expression and write the answer against each expression :
| Expressions from the Poem | To suggest that |
|
(a) Corpse
(b) Ashen
(c) Doze
|
(i) …………………….
(ii) …………………..
(iii) ………………….
|
(i) to play
(ii) pale
(iii) to have a light sleep
(iv) a dead body
(v) sleep during night
(vi) a coffin
Answers
I. driving; mother; was sitting; corpse; avoid ; looking.
II. (a) Corpse = a dead body (b) Ashen = pale (c) Doze = to have a light sleep.
Or
Question
What image does the poet use to describe death in the poem ?
Answer
The poet uses the image of the pale winter moon to describe death. The pale winter moon grows thinner and thinner with the passing of each day. At last it disappears completely into a dark night. So also, old age takes a man nearer and nearer to death. At last, the man disappears for ever into the dark night of death.
EXTRACT 2
…………….. 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 ………………
Questions
1. Who looked out at young trees? Which thought did she put away?
2. What do the young sprinting trees signify ?
3. Give the meanings of the following words :
(a) sprinting (b) merry.
Answers
1. The poet looked out at young trees. She put away the thought of her mother’s pale and aged face.
2. They signify the vitality of youth.
3. (a) sprinting = running very fast
(b) merry = happy and cheerful.
EXTRACT 3
…………..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
1. How did the poet feel and why?
2. What did the poet say and to whom?
3. Match the correct combination.
| A | B |
|
(a) wan
(b) familiar
(c) pale
(d) ache
|
(i) usual, known
(ii) looking pale and weak
(iii) pain
(iv) colourless.
|
4. The poetic device used in the expression ‘smile and smile and smile is …………..
5. Give the name of the poem and the poet.
Answers
1. She felt a familiar ache in her body on seeing the pale white face of her mother. 2. She said to her mother, “See you soon, Amma.”
3. (a) wan = looking pale and weak (b) familiar = usual, known (c) pale = colourless (d) ache = pain
4. repetend 5. The name of the poem is ‘My Mother At Sixty-Six’ and the poet is Kamala Das.
Or
Questions
I. Complete the Summary
After reaching the (a) ………… , the poet went through the security check. Her mother was standing (b) …………… yards away. The mother’s face was (c) ………….. It was as pale as the face of the moon in late winter. The poet felt an old familiar (d) ………….. in her body. It was like she used to feel in her (e) …………… when some fear overpowered her. Yet she spoke no word to her mother. All that she said was, “See you soon, Amma.” The only thing the poet did was smile and (f) ……….. and smile.
II. Study the following expressions used by the poet. Choose the most appropriate suggestion for each expression and write the answer against each expression :
| Expressions from the poem | To suggest that |
|
(a) Wan
(b) Familiar ache
(c) See you soon
|
(i) …………………….
(ii) …………………..
(iii) ………………….
|
(i) inner conscience
(ii) colourless
(iii) smiling with joy
(iv) well-known pain
(v) hope to meet you soon
Answers
I. (a) airport; (b) a few; (c) very pale and weak; (d) ache; (e) childhood; (f) smile.
II. 2. (a) Wan – colourless; (b) Familiar ache – well-known pain; (c) See you soon – hope to meet you soon.
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