Chapter- 9             My Mother at Sixty-six


Question: What is the title of the poem?
Answer: The title of the poem is “My Mother at Sixty-six”.

Question: Who is the poet of “My Mother at Sixty-six”?
Answer: The poet is Kamala Das.

Question: When was Kamala Das born?
Answer: Kamala Das was born in 1934.

Question: When did Kamala Das pass away?
Answer: Kamala Das passed away in 2009.

Question: Where was Kamala Das born?
Answer: She was born in Malabar, Kerala.

Question: For what is Kamala Das recognised in Indian literature?
Answer: She is recognised as one of India’s foremost poets.

Question: What are Kamala Das’s works known for?
Answer: Her works are known for originality, versatility, and indigenous flavour.

Question: Under what pen name did Kamala Das write in Malayalam?
Answer: She wrote under the pen name “Madhavikutty”.

Question: Name one novel written by Kamala Das in English.
Answer: One novel written by her is Alphabet of Lust.

Question: Which year was Alphabet of Lust published?
Answer: It was published in 1977.

Question: Name one short story collection written by Kamala Das.
Answer: Padmavati the Harlot and Other Stories is one of her collections.

Question: What kind of writer was Kamala Das?
Answer: She was a sensitive writer.

Question: What does she capture in her writings?
Answer: She captures the complexities of human relationships.

Question: What is the central theme of the poem “My Mother at Sixty-six”?
Answer: The central theme is ageing and fear of separation.

Question: Where was the poet travelling at the beginning of the poem?
Answer: She was travelling from her parents’ home to Cochin.

Question: Who was sitting beside the poet in the car?
Answer: Her mother was sitting beside her.

Question: In what condition did the poet see her mother?
Answer: She saw her mother dozing with her mouth open.

Question: How is the mother’s face described in the poem?
Answer: Her face is described as ashen like that of a corpse.

Question: What feeling does this sight create in the poet’s mind?
Answer: It creates pain and fear in the poet’s mind.

Question: What thought does the poet try to put away?
Answer: She tries to put away the thought of her mother’s old age and death.

Question: What does the poet look at to distract herself?
Answer: She looks at young trees sprinting and children playing.

Question: What do the young trees symbolise?
Answer: They symbolise youth, energy, and life.

Question: What do the children spilling out of homes represent?
Answer: They represent joy, vitality, and innocence.

Question: Where does the poet reach after the car journey?
Answer: She reaches the airport.

Question: Why does the poet feel anxious again at the airport?
Answer: Because she has to part from her mother.

Question: What emotion dominates the poem?
Answer: The emotion of fear mixed with love dominates the poem.

Question: What universal experience does the poem reflect?
Answer: It reflects the universal experience of ageing parents.

Question: What does the poem suggest about elderly parents?
Answer: It suggests they need care, love, and emotional support.

Question: How does the poet react to the reality of ageing?
Answer: She reacts with pain but tries to remain hopeful.

Question: What literary device is used in comparing the mother’s face to a corpse?
Answer: A simile is used.

Question: Why is the poem considered deeply personal?
Answer: Because it expresses the poet’s own feelings about her ageing mother.

Answer by Dimpee Bora