NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty-Six

NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty-Six: Students must go through My Mother at Sixty Six question answers from NCERT to deeply understand the chapter. These NCERT solutions provide in-depth knowledge of the topic among the students. These NCERT solutions have been prepared in a simple manner to help the students to remember the answers. Students must go through the solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty-Six to find out the real meaning of this poem. This poem is about the sorrow, attachment and love of the mother, who is getting old. The poet tried to explain the bonding between humans in the best possible way through this poem. My Mother at Sixty Six question answers will help the students to frame accurate answers in the board examination. 

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Class 12 English My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers 

Students can go through the NCERT Solutions for Class 12 English Flamingo Poem Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty-Six below

Page No. 91

Think It Out

1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?

Answer: When the poet sees the corpse-like and pale face of her mother, her ache or the old familiar pain returns. Perhaps this fear was entertained by her since her childhood. Ageing is a process which occurs naturally.

Ageing and time spare none. Ageing and time have not spared the mother of the poet and may not spare her as well. By ageing, death and separation become inevitable.

2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?

Answer: While driving to the Cochin airport, she observed outside the young trees which seemed to be walking across them. They seem to be sprinting or running fast with the speed of the car. The poet provides a contrast – the ‘sprinting’ young trees and her ‘dozing’ old mother.

3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’?

Answer: To present a contrast, the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’. The merry children who are coming out of their houses in huge numbers explain the spontaneous flow and happiness of life.

It is different from the old mother ‘dozing’, whose ‘ashen’ face looks pale and lifeless, similar to a corpse. The description of the poet’s mother highly indicates passivity, decay and ageing in the poem. The contrast between these two images strengthens the effect of the poem.

4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’?

Answer: The mother of the poet is sixty-six years old. Her ‘ashen’ face which is shrunken, is similar to that of a corpse. She has lost the strength of youth and her shine. The late moon in the winter looks obscure and hazy. It also lacks strength and shine. This comparison is appropriate and quite natural. The simile used here is effective and apt.

5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?

Answer: The parting words of the poet, her smile and her assurance present a sharp contrast to the fear of childhood or the old familiar ache. Her smiles and words are a conscious attempt to hide her feelings.

The parting words – “See you soon, Amma” provides an assurance to the old woman whose ‘ashen face’ is similar to a corpse. In the same way, her continuous smile is an attempt to overcome the fear and ache which is present in her heart.

6. Where was the poet going and who was with her?

Answer: The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. The poet’s mother had come to see her off. She was sitting beside her. She was dozing with her mouth open. The words ‘driving’ and ‘doze’ provide a contrast between images of dynamic activity and static passivity respectively.

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7.  What was the poet’s childhood fear? 

Answer: The child is always in fear of being separated from his parents. In the same way, the poet’s fear as a child was that of losing her mother or her company. 

8. What does the poet’s mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her ageing decay?

Answer: The poet’s mother is sixty-six years old. She is sitting beside the poet and dozing with her mouth open. This is a sign of old age. Usually old people keep their mouth open to overcome breathing problems. Her face looked pale and faded like ash. Actually, she is an image of death as her ‘ashen’ face looks like that of a corpse.

9. Describe the world inside the car and compare it to the activities taking place outside?

Answer: The pale and faded face of the poet’s mother looks lifeless like a corpse. Her dozing with mouth wide open suggests passivity, decay and death. Outside the car, the poet watches young trees speeding past them. They seem to be running fast or sprinting. Happy children are moving out of their homes cheerfully. They present an image of life, dynamism and activity.

10. Why does the poet look outside? What does she see happening outside?

Answer: The thought of the ageing mother at sixty-six and her pale and ashen face looking like a corpse becomes too heavy for the poet to bear. She needs a distraction, a diversion and therefore she looks outside. She watches young trees. These trees speed past them and appear to be sprinting. Then she sees happy children moving out of their houses and making merry.

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My Mother at Sixty Six Summary

In the poem "My Mother at Sixty-Six" by Kamala Das, the poet reflects on the aging of her mother and the emotions she feels about it. The poem starts with the poet traveling in a car, looking at her elderly mother who is sitting beside her. Her mother’s age and frailty become very apparent to the poet as she observes her mother's face, which appears as old and tired as the "late winter’s moon."

The poet feels a deep sense of sadness and concern about her mother’s declining health. She notices how her mother’s face is lined with wrinkles and how she seems so fragile. This realization brings a wave of sorrow and fear for the inevitable parting that she knows will come someday. Despite these feelings, the poet tries to remain strong and hides her emotions from her mother, not wanting to burden her with her own worries.

As the car moves, the poet contrasts her mother’s old age with the vibrant, lively world outside. The imagery of the world’s vitality makes her mother’s aging even more striking. At the end of the poem, the poet wishes her mother well and hopes she will continue to live with the same strength and resilience.

Overall, the my mother at sixty six poem captures the universal feelings of love, sadness, and helplessness that come with watching a loved one grow old.

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Chapter 1 My Mother at Sixty Six Poem FAQs

Q1. What is the name of the chapter 1 class 12 Flamingo Poem?

Ans. The name of the chapter 1 class 12 Flamingo Poem is My Mother at Sixty Six. 

Q2. Who wrote My Mother at Sixty Six poem?

Ans. The renowned Indian poet Kamala Das wrote ‘My Mother at Sixty Six’ poem. 

Q3. How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?

Ans: Kamala Das was in much trouble after seeing the lifeless and faded face of her mother. The old lady seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. The poetess turned away her attention from her mother and looked outside. The outside world was full of life and activity. The young trees seemed to be running fast. The children looked happy while moving out of their homes.

Q4. What is the poet’s familiar ache and why does it return?

Ans: The poet is pained at the ageing and decaying of her mother. The fear is that with ageing comes decay and death. The sight of her old mother’s ‘ashen’ and corpse-like face arouses “that old familiar ache” in her heart. Her childhood fear returns. She is also pained and frightened by the idea that she may have to face all these things herself.