CBSE 10th English: “Amanda”

Stanza 1

• “Amanda!” – The forceful address sets the tone for the poem, suggesting a mother’s exasperation.
• “Those awful nails again!” – Introduces the constant criticism Amanda faces, even for minor things like nail biting.

Stanza 2

• “Sit up straight!” – Another instruction on posture, highlighting the focus on proper behavior.
• “Shoulders back!” – Reinforces the image of Amanda being constantly corrected.
• “Don’t hunch!” – Creates a sense of Amanda being restricted in her movements.
• “Imagine you’re a mermaid…” – Introduces Amanda’s escape into fantasy.
• “With seaweed in your hair…” – Creates a vivid image of a carefree underwater world.
• “And a calm green sea all round…” – Emphasizes the serenity Amanda seeks in her imagination.

Stanza 3

• “Amanda!” – The repeated address reinforces the feeling of Amanda being constantly nagged.
• “Your room’s a mess!” – Introduces another source of frustration, household chores.
• “Those shoes!…” – Highlights the constant reminders about even small details.
• “Homework not done yet?” – Adds to the pressure Amanda feels.
• “Imagine you’re an orphan…” – Reveals a more extreme fantasy, where Amanda escapes parental control entirely.
• “With nobody to scold…” – Further emphasizes Amanda’s desire for freedom from constant reminders.

Stanza 4

• “Amanda!…” – The mother’s worried tone suggests a shift, perhaps concern about Amanda’s mood.
• “What’s wrong, my darling?” – A gentler approach compared to earlier commands.
• “You look so glum…” – The mother notices Amanda’s unhappiness.
• “Is it because…” – The mother worries about what others might think, highlighting the communication gap.

Overall

The poem explores the internal conflict between a child’s desire for freedom and a parent’s need to guide them. Amanda’s frustration builds with each stanza, leading to increasingly elaborate escape fantasies. The final stanza introduces a potential turning point, where the mother acknowledges Amanda’s mood but focuses on appearances rather than addressing the root of the problem.

20 Questions and Answers about “Amanda”

1. What is the name of the young girl in the poem?
   • Answer: Amanda
2. What is the tone of the first line of the poem?
   • Answer: Exasperated (due to the exclamation mark)
3. What small habit does Amanda have that her mother criticizes?
   • Answer: Biting her nails (“Those awful nails again!”)
4. Besides posture, what other instruction does Amanda receive in the first stanza?
   • Answer: None (focusing only on posture)
5. In her first fantasy, where does Amanda imagine herself?
   • Answer: As a mermaid in the sea
6. What detail from the poem suggests Amanda finds the underwater world calming?
   • Answer: “A calm green sea all round”
7. What chore is Amanda neglecting in the third stanza?
   • Answer: Cleaning her room (“Your room’s a mess!”)
8. What additional task is Amanda reminded of in stanza 3?
   • Answer: Completing her homework (“Homework not done yet?”)
9. What extreme fantasy does Amanda have in the third stanza?
   • Answer: Imagining herself as an orphan
10. What does Amanda desire by imagining herself as an orphan?
    • Answer: Freedom from being scolded (“With nobody to scold”)
11. What shift in tone do we see from the mother in the fourth stanza?
    • Answer: A shift from exasperation to concern
12. What does the mother call Amanda in the fourth stanza?
    • Answer: “My darling” (a term of endearment)
13. What emotion does the mother identify in Amanda?
    • Answer: Glumness (“You look so glum”)
14. What does the mother worry might be the reason for Amanda’s mood?
    • Answer: The mother doesn’t specify but worries about external factors (“Is it because…”)
15. What does this worry about external factors reveal about the communication gap?
    • Answer: The mother focuses on appearances rather than directly addressing Amanda’s feelings.
16. What everyday object is Amanda forbidden to eat in the poem (not mentioned directly)?
    • Answer: Chocolate (because it might cause acne)
17. What physical action does Amanda take in response to her mother’s scolding throughout the poem?
    • Answer: The poem doesn’t explicitly say, but it suggests she doesn’t listen attentively.
18. What literary figure does Amanda imagine herself as in the second stanza (besides a mermaid)?
    • Answer: None (the second stanza only features the mermaid fantasy)
19. What reason does Amanda give for not wanting to let down her hair if she were Rapunzel?
    • Answer: To keep people from climbing up (“I wouldn’t let my hair down…”)
20. What metaphor is used to describe silence in the poem?
    • Answer: Golden (“Silence is golden”)