My Mother at Sixty-Six - Important Questions | Class 12th | Notes
1. Short Answer Questions
Q1. What is the significance of the title "My Mother at Sixty-Six"?
Answer: The title highlights the poet’s emotional state when she realizes her mother is aging and approaching the final stage of life. The age sixty-six symbolizes old age, mortality, and the inevitable process of aging.
Q2. Where was the poet going and with whom?
Answer: The poet, Kamala Das, was driving from her parents' home to the Cochin airport. She was accompanied by her mother.
Q3. What did the poet notice about her mother while driving to the airport?
Answer: The poet noticed that her mother’s face looked pale and lifeless, like a corpse. She was sleeping with her mouth slightly open, which made the poet feel anxious about her mother’s declining health and approaching death.
Q4. Why did the poet look out of the car window?
Answer: The poet looked out of the car window to distract herself from the painful realization of her mother’s aging and mortality. She tried to focus on the lively world outside, full of trees and children, to escape her gloomy thoughts.
Q5. What do the young trees and merry children symbolize?
Answer: The young trees and merry children symbolize youth, life, energy, and renewal. They are a contrast to the poet's aging mother, emphasizing the inevitability of aging and the cycle of life.
Q6. What was the poet’s childhood fear?
Answer: The poet’s childhood fear was the fear of losing her mother. This fear resurfaces when she sees her mother’s aged face and realizes that death is inevitable.
Q7. How does the poet try to console herself before leaving for the airport?
Answer: The poet consoles herself by smiling and saying goodbye to her mother, even though she feels sad and worried. She tries to put on a brave front to hide her emotions.
Q8. Why does the poet compare her mother’s face to a corpse?
Answer: The poet compares her mother’s face to a corpse to highlight her pale, lifeless appearance, which symbolizes aging and mortality. It reflects the poet’s realization that her mother is nearing the end of her life.
2. Long Answer Questions
Q1. Discuss the theme of aging and separation in the poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six".
Answer: The poem revolves around the theme of aging and separation. The poet reflects on her mother’s aging and the inevitable separation that death will bring. The poem captures the poet’s emotional turmoil as she struggles to come to terms with her mother’s mortality. The contrast between the mother’s lifeless face and the vibrant world outside emphasizes the cycle of life and death. The poem also explores the universal fear of losing loved ones and the emotional impact of separation.
Q2. How does Kamala Das bring out the contrast between life and death in the poem?
Answer: Kamala Das uses vivid imagery to bring out the contrast between life and death. The poet’s mother’s pale face symbolizes aging, decay, and death, while the scenes outside the car window, like the young trees and children playing, represent life, energy, and renewal. This contrast highlights the inevitability of death and the continuous cycle of life. The poet’s emotional conflict between accepting her mother’s mortality and the desire to hold on to life is effectively portrayed through these contrasting images.
Q3. Explain the significance of the imagery used in the poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six".
Answer: Imagery plays a crucial role in conveying the emotions and themes of the poem. The poet uses contrasting images to depict life and death. The mother’s face is compared to a corpse to symbolize aging and mortality, while the young trees and merry children symbolize life and vitality. The airport scene, where the poet bids farewell to her mother, evokes a sense of finality and separation. The poet’s use of natural imagery and everyday scenes makes the poem relatable and impactful.
Q4. How does the poet’s parting words and smile in the poem reflect her inner feelings?
Answer: The poet’s parting words, "See you soon, Amma," and her smile reflect her attempt to hide her anxiety and fear of losing her mother. Her smile is forced, masking her sorrow and helplessness. Despite her inner turmoil, the poet tries to put on a brave front to comfort her mother and herself. The words and smile symbolize hope, but they also underline the inevitability of separation and loss.
3. Important Extract-Based Questions
Q1. "I saw my mother, beside me, doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse..."
Question: What does the poet mean by "ashen like that of a corpse"? How does this image affect the poet?
Answer: The phrase "ashen like that of a corpse" means that the poet’s mother’s face looked pale, lifeless, and drained of color, resembling a dead body. This image deeply affects the poet, making her realize her mother’s frailty and mortality. It brings back her childhood fear of losing her mother, creating a sense of sadness and helplessness.
Q2. "...but after the airport’s security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale..."
Question: How does the poet describe her mother after the security check? What emotions does this description evoke?
Answer: After the security check, the poet describes her mother as "wan" and "pale," indicating her mother’s weak and tired appearance. This description evokes emotions of sadness, fear, and concern in the poet. It reinforces the theme of aging and the inevitability of death.
Q3. "...and felt that old familiar ache, my childhood’s fear..."
Question: What was the poet’s childhood fear? Why does it resurface?
Answer: The poet’s childhood fear was the fear of losing her mother. This fear resurfaces when she sees her mother’s aged and frail appearance. The realization of her mother’s mortality brings back the anxiety and pain associated with the thought of separation.
4. Literary Devices Used in the Poem
Simile: The mother’s face is compared to a corpse (“as her face ashen like that of a corpse”).
Alliteration: Repetition of consonant sounds in a sentence (e.g., “My mother’s face ashen”).
Imagery: Vivid images of the mother’s pale face, young trees, and children playing are used to create contrast.
Symbolism: The young trees and merry children symbolize life and vitality, while the mother symbolizes aging and mortality.
