“CBSE Sure-Shot Questions My Mother at Sixty-Six Class 12 Eng.” will provide you with the summary, theme, questions and answers, and MCQ for the students of class 12 English (CBSE and HBSE). “CBSE Sure-Shot Questions: My Mother at Sixty-Six Class 12 Eng.” is the assurance that students will get 100% of the questions in their upcoming examination of class 12 English.
Summary of “My Mother at Sixty-six. Kamla Das’s poetry is known for her bold and open expression. The main features of her poetry are “an acute obsession with love and the use of confession.” Her main theme of poetry revolves around freedom, love, the apathy of age, and protection. I will be discussing the summary, theme, questions and answers, and MCQ for the students of class 12 English (CBSE and HBSE). The teaching material is designed by an expert teacher who has taught class 12 English for the last 25 years.
About the Poet: My Mother at Sixty-six(CBSE/HBSE)
Her works are famous for their versatility, originality, and indigenous flavour of the soil. She published many novels and short stories in English and Malayalam. My Mother at Sixty-six revolves around complex human relationships and old age apathy.
CBSE Sure-Shot Questions My Mother at Sixty-six Class 12 Eng.: Summary of the Poem
Summary of the Poem: My Mother at Sixty-six(CBSE/HBSE)
Introduction of the poem
Kamla Das’s poetry is known for her bold and open expression. The main features of her poetry are “an acute obsession with love and the use of confession.” Her main theme of poetry revolves around freedom, love, the apathy of age, and protection.
Main Summary of the poem
All of us are going to be old one day, and aging is a natural process. In this poem, the poetess explains the old age of her mother, and she tries to explain that all of us have to become old. Old age symptoms and gestures are common among all human beings. She explains the problems of old age in her poem, “My Mother at Sixty-six.” She was seated beside her mother and looked at her face. Her mother’s face was ‘doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse’. All these words are the symbol of old age, which all of us have to face.
Old age is real and everyone tries to run away from the situation by claiming they are too afraid of old age. The poetess turns her attention towards the ‘Young Trees’, merry children. It shows us that all of us are worried about old age and always imitate being young. This is a human dilemma. She compares her mother’s face with “winter’s moon”, which shows that in old age things are not always the same as the winter’s moon, which doesn’t shine as in summer.
Conclusion of the poem
We are afraid of losing our parents and always feel attached to them. She shows her love for her mother, who has become very old and is passing through old-age problems. We always smile when we feel stressed about thinking about old age.
A final word on My Mother at Sixty-six
A final word on My Mother at Sixty-six reveals the whole idea in the poem revolves around the relationship between the poet and her mother. The fear of separation of mother and daughter is the main concern of the poetess. The poem’s theme of bonding between a mother and a daughter applies to all of us.
Updated on January, 7, 2024
Main Points of the Poem, My Mother at Sixty-six
- Kamla Das is known for her bold and open expression in poetry.
- The main features of her poetry include an acute obsession with love and the use of confession.
- The themes of her poetry revolve around freedom, love, the apathy of age, and protection.
- “My Mother at Sixty-six” explores the poetess’s reflection on old age, using her mother as a central figure.
- The poem depicts the natural process of ageing and the inevitability of everyone becoming old.
- Kamla Das describes the common symptoms and gestures of old age that all human beings experience.
- In the poem, the poetess observes her mother’s face, describing it as “doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse.”
- These descriptions serve as symbols of the old age that everyone has to face at some point in life.
- Old age is portrayed as a reality that people often try to avoid or fear.
- The poetess turns her attention to the “Young Trees,” symbolising the merry and carefree nature of youth.
- The comparison between old age and young age highlights the universal human dilemma of fearing ageing.
- Kamla Das compares her mother’s face to “winter’s moon,” suggesting that things change in old age, much like the dimness of a winter moon compared to summer.
- The poem concludes with an exploration of the fear of losing parents and the strong attachment between a mother and a daughter.
- The theme of bonding between a mother and a daughter is the central concern of the poetess.
- The fear of separation from the mother is a significant aspect of the poem.
- The phrase “doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse” signifies the signs of old age.
- “Young trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes” contrasts the signs of young age with old age.
- The words “wan, pale as a late winter’s moon, and felt that old familiar ache, my childhood’s fear” further address the aspects of old age.
- The phrase “see you soon, Amma; all I did was smile and smile and smile…” reflects the poetess’s attempt to connect with her childhood through a smile.
- Overall, the poem explores the universal themes of ageing, fear, and the enduring bond between a mother and a daughter.
Understanding My Mother at Sixty-six: Important phrases and words
doze, open-mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realised with pain: Signs of old age.
Young Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling out of their homes, signs of young age, The poetess is comparing and contrasting old age and young age.
wan, pale as a late winter’s moon and felt that old familiar ache, my childhood’s fear, Again the poetess addressed old age by using these words.
see you soon, Amma, all I did was smile and smile and smile…: When we become old, we always try to see our childhood in children and smile.
CBSE Sure-Shot Theme Questions My Mother at Sixty-six Class 12 Eng.
Theme or Main Idea of the Poem: My Mother at Sixty-six(CBSE/HBSE)
Kamla Das’s poetry is known for her bold and open expression. The main features of her poetry are “an acute obsession with love and the use of confession.” Her main theme of poetry revolves around freedom, love, the apathy of age, and protection.
The poetess, Kamla Das, discussed in the poem, “My Mother at Sixty-six,” the problems of old age and how we feel about old age. The bonding between a mother and daughter is visible in the poem. Aging is a universal fact, and we are all going to be old one day. She explains all her apathy toward old age with the example of her mother, who is an old lady with an open mouth, and no shine on her face, and she is compared with a corpse and a winter moon. It is human nature that we don’t want to be old. Therefore, we never realise the pain of old age. We must all feel the apathy of old age so that we don’t face any burden of old age.
Everyone wants to be young their whole life. The poetess turns her attention from her mother toward the young trees and children who were playing outside. On the contrary, the elderly are unable to play and enjoy life like children. It’s our sole duty towards our elderly parents that they should not feel isolated in their old age. The poem ends with a positive note that we should always smile, irrespective of our age.
CBSE Sure-Shot Textual Questions My Mother at Sixty-six Class 12 Eng.
Textual Questions: My Mother at Sixty-six(NCERT)
Think it out
Q.1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
The poet feels the pain and ache of her mother’s old age. We will all have to pass through this process of aging.
Q.2. Why are young trees described as “sprinting”?
The young trees are compared to young children, and both of them shine at their young age. The young trees are described as sprinting as they grow very fast when they are young.
Q.3. Why was the poet brought into the image of the merry children spilling out of their homes?
The poet tries to compare the young children with her mother, who is an old lady. The children are active and play on the grounds, whereas the elderly are in pain and have faces that resemble ash and the winter moon. The difference is clear and vital between old and young people. Old people are like corpses, and young children are running.
Q.4. Why has the mother been compared to the “late winter’s moon”?
The old mother has been compared to the winter moon as the winter moon does not shine properly due to winter. It means that the faces of old people don’t shine.
Q.5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
The poet tries to smile as she wants to change her thinking from old age to young age and feels that aging is a natural process.
CBSE Sure-Shot Stanzas for Comprehension Questions My Mother at Sixty-six Class 12 Eng.
Important Stanzas for comprehension: My Mother at Sixty-six
CBSE Sample Paper Class 12 English 2023-24
B. …I looked again at her, 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……
(My mother at Sixty-six)
i What is the speaker’s emotional state when looking at her mother?
A. Confused and disoriented
B. Nostalgic and longing
C. Empathetic and understanding
D. Fearful and apprehensive1
D. Fearful and apprehensive
ii What does the use of the word “but” at the beginning of the line, ‘ but all I said..’,
suggest ?
1
The use of the word “but” at the beginning of the line, ‘but all I said…’, suggests a contrast or contradiction between the speaker’s internal emotional state and their external response. Despite feeling a “familiar ache” and “childhood’s fear,” the speaker outwardly maintains a positive and reassuring demeanor by saying, “see you soon, Amma” and smiling. The conjunction “but” highlights this divergence between inner feelings and outward expressions.
iii Select the word that WILL NOT complete the sentence appropriately.
The description of the mother as “wan, pale / as a late winter’s moon” creates a vivid image
of ________ .
A. vulnerability
B. sensitivity
C. frailty
D. mortality
1
The word that WILL NOT complete the sentence appropriately is:
B. sensitivity
iv State whether the given statement is TRUE or FALSE.
The poetic device used in the line, ‘pale as a winter’s moon’ is the same as the one used in
the line, ‘the winter wind wistfully wailed at night’.
1
The statement is FALSE
v What message do these lines highlight, in the context of familial relationships, and the
speaker’s sense of anxiety and fear at the prospect of losing her mother?
These lines in “My Mother at Sixty-six” suggest a complex mix of emotions within the speaker. The description of the mother as “wan, pale / as a late winter’s moon” conveys a sense of frailty and vulnerability. The use of the word “but” at the beginning of the line, ‘but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,’ suggests a contrast between the intense emotions the speaker feels and the composed response given. The repeated “smile and smile and smile” at the end indicates an attempt to conceal or cope with the underlying fear and anxiety of losing the mother. The lines highlight the intricate dynamics of familial relationships, where the speaker grapples with the fear of separation and the need to reassure the mother with a positive demeanor.
1
vi Complete the sentence appropriately.
The repetition of the word, ‘smile’ suggests that _______________.
1
The repetition of the word “smile” suggests that the speaker is trying to maintain a facade of optimism and reassurance in the face of the emotional turmoil caused by the prospect of losing the mother.
Read the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow :
Stanza.1. Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin last Friday morning, 1 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
Questions:
- What is the name of the poem?
- What is the name of the poet?
- Where was the poet driving to?
- Who was sitting beside her?
- What did the poet notice about her mother?
- Why was her mother’s face looked like that of a corpse?
- Find words from the passage which mean : (i)no healthy sleep(ii) dead body (iii) no remains.
Answers:
- The name of the poem is “My Mother at Sixty-six”.
- The name of the poet is Kamla das.
- The poet was driving to Cochin Airport.
- Her mother was sitting beside her.
- She noticed that her mother’s face was open and like ash.
- Her mother’s face was like a corpse as there was no shining on her face.
- 1. dazed 2. corpse 3. ash.
Stanza 2. She looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,
Questions:
- Why did the poet put her thoughts away?
- What do the phrases convey, ‘Trees sprinting’ and ‘Merry children’?
- What did the poet realise?
- What did she do then?
- What did she notice in the world outside?
Answers:
- She wanted to divert her attention from old age to young age.
- The phrases coney the young age, young trees, and happy children.
- She missed her childhood.
- She looked outside to see young children and young trees.
- The children were happy while coming from their homes.
Stanza 3. I looked again at her, 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:
- Why did she compare her mother’s face with the winter moon?
- What was her old familiar ache?
- What was her childhood fear?
- Why did she smile at the end?
- What is the synonym of “ache”?
Answers:
- There was one shining on her face like a winter’s moon.
- She was afraid of losing her mother one day.
- She didn’t want to be separated from her mother.
- She wanted to divert her attention from losing her mother.
- Pain
My Mother’s Sixty-six poetic devices and poetic elements will help you in understanding poetry. Metaphor, Simile, Symbol, and imagery are poetic devices. There are certain elements like structure and plot, meter, rhyme, subject, speaker, poetic devices, theme, tone and mood, and syntax.
My Mother at Sixty-six Poetic Devices NCERT Class 12 English
Imagery in Mother’s Sixty-six
Kamla Das uses imagery in her poem, My Mother’s Sixty-six, to explain her main concept that ageing is natural and every one of us has to go through this process of ageing in our life. We should not worry about ageing as it is natural. The poet uses the concept of death and youth by using imagery. “Trees sprinting, merry children spilling.” The poet explains this by comparing her mother’s old age with trees and young children.
Simile in My Mother’s Sixty-six
“face ashen like a corpse,” “as a late winter’s moon.” The poet compares her mother’s old age with a corpse and winter’s moon. They are the symbols of darkness with no hope. It means symptoms of death due to old age. The corpse and ash are there at the cremation center. The poet’s fear of losing her mother is visible in the poem, which nobody wants.
She uses words and phrases like “doze, open-mouthed”, “wan, pale as a late winter’s moon”, to tell us that these are signs of ageing. Winter’s moon symbolises the less shining moon. Due to fog, the moon’s light is not very sharp. Death is the ultimate and nobody can escape. Everyone wants to escape from old age and death. Therefore, the poet immediately looks outside toward trees and children to feel young.
Personification in My Mother at Sixty-six
The poet personifies the young trees and children. The young trees grow very fast as children are very active and are a symbol of youth, while their mother’s face is pale, ashy, and corpse-like. Her young age quickly passes and she soon becomes old like her mother. You can’t help ageing as it is natural, but it brings fear to our minds. The poet tries to divert her attention from different age groups; it is human nature. The fear of separation is everywhere, and nobody wants to leave their parents.
Metaphor in My Mother at Sixty-six
“Children spilling” is an example of a metaphor in My Mother at Sixty-six. The action of a child is used for youth, while her mother symbolises old age. There is a likeness between youth and children as both are in action.
My Mother at Sixty-six: Important elements of Poetry
Poetry is always a complex topic to understand, and sometimes the poet does not use straightforward language, making it very difficult to understand by a common reader. Therefore, you need to understand the different poetic elements to understand the poem. In her poem, My Mother’s Sixty-six, Kamla Das also uses some poetic elements. There are certain elements like structure and plot, meter, rhyme, subject, speaker, poetic devices, theme, tone and mood, and syntax.
The structure and plot of My Mother’s Sixty-Six are simple and have a contrast between situations where the poet compares young and old people. Trees and children represent youth, and her mother is a symbol of old age.
The theme of the poem is ageing and the fear of separation. Kamla Das uses these concepts to explain our attitude toward escapism.
A stanza is the structural part of any poem. Kamla Das uses two stanzas to explain her ideas about ageing in a very beautiful way by comparing and contrasting different age groups.
Learn the poetic devices and elements to understand the other poems of class 12 English. You will be able to create interest in understanding the zest of poetry. I have discussed the basics of poetic devices and elements of poetry. Read more about literature from the Glossary of Literary Terms.
MCQ Questions and answers to My Mother at Sixty-six of class 12 English
