Amanda by Robin Klein

 Amanda by Robin Klein

                              Summary of the Poem

This poem is about a girl Amanda. Her mother often instructs her to do or not to do this and that. Her mother tells her to sit, stand and walk straight. She stops her from biting her nails. She also tells her to finish her homework, tidy her room and clean her shoes. It seems that Amanda does not like to do all this. She remains in her world of imagination to avoid listening to her mother’s instructions. Her mother calls her moody. She does not give reply to her mother. Amanda likes to be an orphan to enjoy peace and freedom. She knows that orphans do not have parents to stop them from doing what they want.

Short Answer-type Qs

Q1. What is the poem Amanda about? Or Write the central idea of the poem Amanda.

Ans. This poem is about a girl, Amanda. Parents usually show much concern (worry) about their children. They keep on telling them to do this or not to do that. It irritates the children. In this poem, Amanda seems to feel irritated at the nagging (irritating) nature of her mother.

Q2. How does Amanda imagine and describe herself as an orphan? Why does she think so?

Ans. Amanda imagines herself to be an orphan. She thinks that she is wandering about in a street. She is bare-footed. She is walking slowly in soft dust and making designs from her feet. Freedom is sweet and silence is golden to her.

Q3. How does Amanda describe herself as a mermaid?

Ans. Amanda describes herself as a mermaid. She is the only inhabitant of the sea. She is drifting in a relaxed manner in the dark sea-green water. She yearns (desires) for freedom to go anywhere.

Q4. What did Amanda want to prove by imagining herself as Rapunzel?

Ans. Amanda imagined herself as Rapunzel because she loved freedom and silence. She did not like her mother to nag her (irritate) by instructing her to do this and not to do that.

 

Q5.Who was Rapunzel? What kind of life did she live?

Ans. Rapunzel lived in a tower. It was built in an isolated area of a forest. When she was twelve years old, the fairy locked her in a tower. She lived a lonely life there.

Q6. What does the speaker say to Amanda about her nails?

Ans. The speaker says Amanda not to bite her nails.

Q7. What three things does Amanda’s mother say not to do?

Ans. Amanda’s mother tells her not to bite her nails. She advises her not to bend her shoulders forward. She also tells her to stop slouching while sitting, standing, and walking. She stops Amanda from eating chocolate also.

Q8. What thing has Amanda been prohibited to eat?

Ans. Amanda has been prohibited (stopped) to eat chocolate. She also reminds her to think about the acne on her face.

Q9. What things does Amanda’s mother ask her to do?

Ans. Amanda’s mother asks her to tidy up her room. She also tells her to complete her homework and clean her shoes.

Q10. What type of girl was Amanda?

Ans. Amanda is a moody and lazy girl. She does not want to do any physical activity. She does not obey her mother. She lives in the world of her imagination. She feels irritated if her mother asks her.

Q11. Why does Amanda say that silence is golden and freedom is sweet?

Ans. Amanda does not like her mother should say anything to her. She loves silence. She wants full freedom. So silence is golden and freedom is sweet to her.

Stanzas for Comprehension

Stanza 1

Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!

 Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!

 Stop that slouching and sit up straight, Amanda!

Q1. Name the poem and its poet. Ans. The poem is Amanda and its poet is Robin Klein.

Q2. Who is the speaker here and who is the listener? Ans. The speaker here is Amanda’s mother. The listener is Amanda.

Q3. What is Amanda’s mother telling her not to bite? Ans. Nails

Q4. What bad habit does Amanda have?  Ans Nail-biting

Word-meaning: 1. Hunch: to bend forward 2. Slouching: to stand, sit and walk by bending your shoulders and also with your head slightly bent. It is a mal-posture

Stanza 2

(There is a languid, emerald sea, where the sole inhabitant is me— a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)

Word-meaning: 1. Languid: a slow way of speaking or moving  2. Inhabitants: those who live in a particular place 3. Mermaid: imaginary sea creature like a fish having the upper part of a woman 4. Drift: float or move pushed by some outer force 5. Blissfully:  happily 6. Emerald: a precious stone of dark green colour 7. Sole: only

Q1. What is the colour of the sea shown here?  Ans. Emerald green (dark green)

Q2. How has the sea been shown here?   Ans. Moving in a relaxed manner.

Q3. What does Amanda imagine herself to be in the sea?  Ans. A mermaid

Q4. Who would be the sole inhabitant of the sea?  Ans. Amanda

Stanza 3.

Did you finish your homework, Amanda?

Did you tidy your room, Amanda?

 I thought I told you to clean your shoes, Amanda!

Word-meaning: 1. Tidy: to set all the things in a proper arrangement that looks beautiful

Q1. Who is the speaker and who is the listener in the above stanza?  Ans. Amanda’s mother is the speaker and Amanda is the listener in the above stanza.

Q2. What did the speaker ask the listener?  Ans. The speaker asked the listener if she had finished her homework, tidied up her room, and cleaned her shoes.

Q3. Find out from the stanza the word that means ‘to set the things at their right places or ‘clean’.  Ans. Tidy

Q4. Do you think that Amanda would have cleaned her room?   Ans. No.

Stanza 4.

 (I am an orphan, roaming the street. I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet. The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)

Q1. Why does Amanda suppose herself to be an orphan?

Ans. It is because she thinks that an orphan child enjoys full freedom.

Q2. Why does Amanda say that silence is golden and freedom is sweet?

Ans. Amanda does not like her mother should say anything to her. She loves silence. She wants full freedom. So silence is golden and freedom is sweet to her.

Q3. Which words in the above lines mean the following words/expressions? (i) to make designs  (ii) parentless child   Ans. (i) pattern  (ii) orphan

Word-meaning: 1. Orphan: a child whose parents have died 2. Roaming: wandering aimlessly 3. Pattern: to make design 4. Hushed: quiet 5. Bare feet: the feet without shoes

Stanza 5.

Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!

Remember your acne, Amanda!

Will you please look at me when I’m speaking to you,

Amanda!

Word-meaning: 1. Acne; pimples

Q1. Who is the speaker in the above lines?  Ans. Amanda’s mother is the speaker in the above lines.

Q2. What may be the age of the girl and why?  Ans. It may be 11 or 12 years because acne appears on the faces of youngsters at that age.

Q3. What is the response of the girl? Ans. She does not listen to her mother.

Q4. What does the speaker say to the listener not to do?  Ans. The speaker tells the listener not to eat chocolate.

Q5. What request does the speaker make to the listener?  Ans. the speaker requests the listener to look at her.

Stanza 6.

 (I am Rapunzel, I have not care; life in a tower is tranquil and rare; I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)

Word-meaning: 1. Rapunzel: She is a legendary girl. She was made prisoner by a fairy in her tower. She lived alone there. She had long bright hair. 2. Tranquil: peaceful

Q1. Who was Rapunzel?  Ans. She was a beautiful legendary girl.

Q2. Why does Amanda suppose herself as Rapunzel?  Ans. She likes full freedom and silence. So she assumes herself as Rapunzel.

Q3. What type of life does the speaker want to lead at the tower?   Ans. A peaceful life having no care and worry

Q4. What does she not want to do?  Ans. She does not want to let her hair fall down from the tower.

Q5. What type of hair did Rapunzel have?  Ans. She had bright, long and beautiful hair.

Stanza 7.

Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!

You’re always so moody, Amanda!

 Anyone would think that I nagged at you, Amanda!

Word-meaning: 1. Sulk: to remain in bad mood 2. Nag: to criticise / irritate

Q1. Name the poem and its poet.

Ans. The poem is Amanda and its poet is Robin Klein.

Q2. Who is the speaker and who is the listener here?

Ans. Amanda is the listener and her mother is the speaker.

Q3. Why does the call the listener moody?

Ans. It is because she neither looks at her mother nor does she reply to her.

Q4. Find out from the passage the words that mean the following:

(i)            To remain in bad mood (ii) criticise

Ans. (i) sulk (ii) nag