SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (40–45 WORDS EACH)1. Why is Dream Children: A Reverie called an
autobiographical essay?
The essay is autobiographical because Lamb narrates real
events, emotions, and people from his own life—his grandmother Mrs. Field, his
brother John, his sister Mary, and his lost love Ann Simmons. Through a
daydream, he reveals his deepest regrets, desires, and personal memories.
2. What picture of Mrs. Field does Lamb present before the
dream-children?
Lamb describes Mrs. Field as a kind, pious, hardworking woman
who managed a large Norfolk mansion with dignity. She was loved by everyone for
her religious nature, cheerful spirit, and noble character. Even in old age and
suffering, she remained strong and graceful.
3. Why did the old house at Norfolk decline after Mrs.
Field’s death?
After Mrs. Field died, the wealthy owner removed all the old
ornaments and decorations to furnish his new fashionable home. Without her
careful management and devotion, the huge house soon fell into neglect and
decay, losing its former charm and glory.
4. What memories does Lamb share about his elder brother
John?
Lamb recalls that John was handsome, brave, and the favourite
of Mrs. Field. He once carried Lamb on his shoulders when Lamb hurt his foot.
Later, after becoming lame himself, John suffered greatly and eventually died,
leaving Lamb with deep regret.
5. Who was Alice Winterton, and why does she play a central
role in the essay?
Alice Winterton, originally Ann Simmons, was the woman Lamb
loved but could not marry. He courted her for seven years, but she married
another man. The dream-children symbolize the life and family he wished to have
with her but never could.
6. How does Lamb describe his childhood in the Norfolk
mansion?
Lamb spent his holidays exploring the huge empty rooms, long
corridors, and vast gardens of the Norfolk house. Although the trees were full
of ripe fruits, he never plucked them. Instead, he enjoyed wandering and
imagining freely, revealing his thoughtful, reflective nature.
7. Why do the dream-children disappear at the end of the
essay?
The children fade away because they never truly existed. They
represent Lamb’s unfulfilled dreams of marriage and parenthood. When they
whisper, “We are only what might have been,” the reverie breaks, and Lamb
realises he was daydreaming alone with his sister Bridget.
8. What does the ending of the essay reveal about Lamb’s
emotional life?
The ending shows Lamb’s deep loneliness, lifelong
disappointments, and emotional dependence on his sister Mary. His dream of
children and family was never fulfilled. The fading figures reflect his
suppressed sorrow and the painful acceptance of reality after a tender
illusion.
LONG ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (170–180 words each)
1. Discuss the blend of humour and pathos in Dream Children:
A Reverie.
Dream Children: A Reverie beautifully combines humour and
pathos, a hallmark of Charles Lamb’s style. The essay begins with gentle humour
as Lamb imagines two lively children, Alice and John, listening with deep
interest to stories about their ancestors. Their innocent reactions—like
disapproving the owner who removed the old house’s ornaments—add a soft comic
charm. Humour is also present when Lamb recalls wandering through the old
mansion, enjoying idleness more than the ripe fruits.
However, beneath this light tone runs a powerful current of
sorrow. Mrs. Field’s painful old age, John’s suffering and death, and Lamb’s
regret at not caring enough for his brother fill the narrative with deep
pathos. The greatest emotional blow comes when the dream-children reveal they
are not real and disappear slowly, symbolizing Lamb’s lost love and unfulfilled
dream of fatherhood. The essay ends with Lamb finding only his sister Mary
beside him, intensifying the mood of loneliness. Thus, humour sweetens the
narrative while pathos gives it depth, making this essay one of Lamb’s most
touching works.
2. Describe the character of Mrs. Field and her importance in
Lamb’s childhood memories.
Mrs. Field, Lamb’s maternal grandmother, plays a central and
highly cherished role in Dream Children: A Reverie. Lamb remembers her as a
noble, religious, warm-hearted woman who served as the housekeeper of a large
Norfolk mansion. Although she did not own the house, she managed it with such
grace, efficiency, and pride that people respected her like a true mistress.
Her deep knowledge of the Bible, her kindness toward children, and her cheerful
spirit even during sickness made her widely admired.
In her youth, she was tall, beautiful, and an excellent
dancer. Even when cancer bent her body with pain in old age, her courage and
dignity remained intact. For young Lamb, staying with her during holidays was a
source of immense joy. He spent his days wandering through the big house and
garden, always feeling loved and safe under her care. Mrs. Field thus becomes a
symbol of moral strength, affection, and childhood innocence. Her memory
becomes the emotional anchor of Lamb’s dream narrative, reflecting the lasting
impact she had on his life.
3. How does Lamb use the dream-children to express his inner
regrets and unfulfilled desires?
Lamb uses the dream-children as symbolic figures to express
the deepest regrets of his life—lost love, lost opportunities, and the absence
of a family of his own. Throughout the essay, he lovingly narrates stories
about his grandmother, brother, and childhood, addressing Alice and John as if
they were real children born to him and Ann Simmons (Alice Winterton). Their
innocent presence allows him to relive happy memories and share painful truths
gently.
The children’s tears at John’s death reflect Lamb’s own
hidden sorrow. Their curiosity about their mother leads him to recall his long,
unsuccessful courtship of Ann Simmons. As he gazes at little Alice, the girl’s
resemblance to her mother intensifies his emotional longing for the life he
wished he had lived.
The climax comes when the children begin to fade and whisper
that they are “only what might have been,” revealing Lamb’s deepest pain: he
never married and never had children. Their disappearance breaks the dream,
exposing his loneliness. Thus, the dream-children serve as delicate embodiments
of Lamb’s emotional wounds and unfulfilled desires.
