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Thinking about the Poem

Q1. How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
Answer: Amanda is likely a young girl, probably around 9 or 10 years old. We can infer this from the kind of instructions she receives from her parent, such as doing homework and tidying her room, and also from her childhood fantasies of being a mermaid, an orphan, or Rapunzel.

Q2. Who do you think is speaking to her?
Answer: It is her parent or guardian, most likely her mother, who is speaking to her. The person is constantly nagging Amanda about her behaviour, posture, and daily tasks.

Q3. Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?
Answer: Stanzas 2, 4, and 6 are given in parenthesis because they represent Amanda’s personal thoughts and imagination. These are her daydreams, her escape from the reality of being constantly scolded and corrected.

Q4. Who is the speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the speaker in Stanzas 1, 3, 5, and 7?
Answer: The speaker in stanzas 2, 4, and 6 is Amanda herself. No, she is not listening to the parent’s nagging in the other stanzas. Instead, she is lost in her own imaginative world, where she feels peaceful and free.

Q5. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Answer: If Amanda were a mermaid, she could drift peacefully in a calm, green sea. She imagines herself as the sole inhabitant of that world, completely free and blissfully content.

Q6. Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?
Answer: No, Amanda is not an orphan. She says so because she wishes to be free from restrictions and constant nagging. In her imagination, an orphan has the freedom to roam the streets and live life on their own terms without interference.

Q7. Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?
Answer: Yes. Rapunzel is a fairy-tale character who was kept in a high tower by a witch. Amanda wants to be Rapunzel because she imagines that life in a tower would be calm and peaceful. She wishes to escape from responsibilities and live in tranquility, away from constant instructions.

Q8. What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?
Answer: Amanda yearns for freedom, peace, and independence. She wishes to escape from the world of constant orders and criticism. The poem shows that Amanda is imaginative, sensitive, and deeply desires a world where she can live on her own terms.

Q9. Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?
Answer: Amanda’s parent thinks she is sulking and moody. However, Amanda is not sulking; she is silent because she is lost in her daydreams. Her parent misunderstands her quietness as bad behaviour, but in reality, Amanda is simply escaping into her imagination.