English

Chapter: Mother's Day


1. This play , written in the 1950s , is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family . 

( i ) What are the issues it raises ? 
( ii ) Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine ? How does the play resolve the issues ? Do you agree with the resolution ? 

( i ) " Mothers Day " is a comical satire . The story is simple yet it strongly condemns the position of women in the society and raises various issues . Wives work hard all the day long. Husband and children overlook the wife's effort . They never appreciate or say thanks to her . Wives receive no wages nor do they get off . They make everyone's life comfortable but their work is not accounted for . 

( ii ) The issues that this play raises are serious. The treatment is of course comic. In the play, the major complaint of Mrs. Pearson is that her family does not spend time with her. The issues were resolved with the help of Mrs. Fitzgerald. She made all three of them realise how dependent they are on Mrs. Pearson. The resolution was perfect and very well decided. The Pearson family needed the harsh treatment otherwise they would have never realised their mistake. 

2. If you were to write about these issues today what are some of the incidents , examples and problems that you would think of as relevant ? 

Ans. No matter that time has changed and women in today's society have become confident and aware about their rights. However, they still continue to be dominated in conservative societies like ours. They are expected to work without complaining and receiving appreciation. Our mothers take little liberty to enjoy or have their own leisure time. A woman is accepted only in the form of a home maker. In Indian society, husband does not accept his wife going out with her friends. Wife is expected to cook food, clean the house and wait anxiously for husband to return in the evening. We all must keep in mind that women in our house needs our attention and time and we must be grateful to her. 

3. Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message ? Discuss .

Ans. Drama or theatre is a perfect medium of conveying a social message to the society. It is a mode of fictional representation through dialogue and performance. Since it consists of both visual and audio elements, it is known to have a substantial effect on the minds of people. The effect is known to be better than something that is read or just simply heard. thus, if a social message that holds a lot of importance is brought to life through drama, it holds immense potential for change. The play ' Mother's Day ' makes the readers feel what is unsaid and conclude what is right or wrong, on their own. This motivates them to bring a positive change in their our lives. This is the power of drama. 

4. Who is Mrs. Fitzgerald ? What does she advice Mrs.Pearson ? 

Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald is Mrs. Pearson's friend and neighbour. She is a fortune teller. She advices Mrs. Pearson to assert herself as the boss of the house. 

5. What was Mrs. Fitzgerald's opinion of Mrs. Pearson's attitude ? 

Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald said that Mrs. Pearson's family was undoubtedly spoilt. She felt that it was Mrs. Pearson's attitude only to take their orders and staying at home only while they went out enjoying themselves .