Amanda ! :- Robin Klein ( 10th Class HBSE & CBSE)

Amanda! poem is included in class Tenth syllabus,  both in HBSE and CBSE. This poem is written by famous Australian poet Robin Klein. (Robin McMaugh Klein) She was born on 28th February 1936 in Kempsey,  Australia and now she resides near Melbourne.

ROBIN KLEIN 

 

Textual Exercise:-

Q1- How old do you think Amanda is?
Ans- Amanda is little school going girl. We knew this because her parents ask her to do her school homework. She seems to be around 9- 10 years. 

Q2- Who do you think speaking to her?
Ans- Perhaps her mother is speaking to her. 

Q3- Why are stanza 2,4 and 6 given in parenthesis (brackets)?
Ans- These stanzas tell us about the state of the little girl's mind. These are not spoken words but thoughts. That is why these stanzas are given in brackets. 

Q4- Who is Amanda? What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Ans- Amanda is a little school going girl. She wishes that she were a mermaid. Then she could drift happily with the gentle waves of the sea. She wants to be alone in the large emerald sea.

Q5- Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?

Ans- Amanda is not an orphan. She is nagged all the time by her parents. So she feels it better to be an orphan. Then she could roam freely in streets .

Q6- Who was Rapunzel? Why does Amanda want to be Rapunzel?

Ans- Rapunzel was a golden-haired princess , She had very long hair. She has been kept alone in a tower by a witch. Amanda thinks that Rapunzel's life must have been very happy and peaceful. That is why she wants to be Rapunzel.

Q7- What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?

Ans- The girl yearns for freedom and peaceful life. She is fed up by constant nagging of her parents. She wants to be alone. It is also clear from the poem that Amanda is a very imaginative girl. 

Q8- Do you think that Amanda is sulking and a moody child?

Ans- No, Amanda is neither sulking nor a moody child. She only yearns for her freedom and peace. She wants to go away and play as she likes. 

Q9- What is Amanda asked to do or not to do? 

Ans- Amanda is asked not to bite her nails, not to hunch her shoulders and not to eat chocolates. She is asked to sit up straight , to finish her homework, to tidy her room and wash her shoes. 

Q10- How is sea portrayed in the poem 'Amanda!' ?

Ans- The sea is of a beautiful green colour. Its waves are gentle and swift. And there is no other living creature than a mermaid. 

Q11- What is the central idea of the poem ' Amanda !'?

Ans- The central idea of this poem is that school going children should not be nagged constantly . They should be given some freedom to do things in their own ways. They want some freedom and peace in their life. 

Q12- What is the poem 'Amanda ! ' about?

Ans- This poem is about a little school - going girl named Amanda. She is constantly nagged by her parents. Perhaps it is her mother. She keeps asking Amanda to do this or not to do that. But poor  girl does not want to be nagged and wants to live a free life of her own. She wants freedom and peace. 

Rajender Tanwar 

PGT English

GGSSS Kairu ( Bhiwani)