Q.1. How did the little girl start understanding her father?
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Narrate in about 100 words the story ‘The Little Girl’.
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The Little Girl wondered why god made fathers
Q.2. Kezia slept one night with her father and changed her opinion about him. What was her opinion about her father before? What change did take place?
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Earlier, Kezia thought her father was a cruel man. She always avoided him and saw that her neighbor, Mr. Macdonald, loved his children, but her father never showed affection.
One day, Kezia’s mother was taken to the hospital, leaving her alone in her room. At night, Kezia had a nightmare and cried out in fear. Her father took her to his bed, and as she slept beside him, he asked her to rub her feet against his legs to warm them. She felt sorry for him, realizing that he worked hard and was too tired to play with her. She understood that it was her mistake to tear up the speech. Now, Kezia saw her father as not a hard-hearted man.
Little girl saw through a gap Macdonalds playing "Tag" in the evening
Q.3. Relate in your own words the pin-cushion incident.
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The little girl wanted to gift a pin-cushion to her father on his birthday. She took a piece of yellow silk, stitched its three sides, and left the fourth side for filling. However, she did not know what to fill it with, so she found some sheets of paper and tore them into pieces to stuff the cushion. Unfortunately, those papers contained an important speech written by her father. When he discovered that Kezia had torn the papers, he became very angry and hit her hands with a ruler.
Q.4. Write a short character-sketch of Kezia’s father.
Ans. Kezia’s father had big hands, a large neck, and a loud voice. In the beginning, he appeared to be very strict and cruel. He never spoke kindly to his daughter or played with her.
When Kezia accidentally tore his speech, he beat her harshly. However, he was not truly cruel at heart. One night, when Kezia had a nightmare, her father carried her to his room and let her sleep beside him. Kezia then realized how much her father loved her. Though he worked hard and was often too tired to play, he cared deeply for her, and in the end, she understood his love.
Little girl's father stretched out and mother reading
Q.5. Write a short note on the relationship between Kezia and her father.
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Q.6. How did Kezia once earn her father’s wrath? What punishment did she get for her mistake? Was it justified? What light does this incident throw on her father’s character?
Ans. Kezia once earned her father’s wrath for tearing his speech for the Port Authority to stuff a pin-cushion she was making for him as a birthday present. When he discovered that Kezia was the culprit, he punished her by beating her little pink palms with a ruler to teach her not to touch what did not belong to her.
I think it was a very harsh punishment for an innocent mistake of a fond little daughter. It is true that the papers were extremely important for him and their loss must have caused him a lot of inconveniences but he should have understood and appreciated the fact that Kezia was making a birthday present for him. Gentle but firm words would have sufficed to teach the sensitive Kezia that she should not touch things that do not belong to her. But Father instead chose to beat her little pink palms with a ruler. That was much too cruel on his part.
This incident shows that he was a very cruel and insensitive father who demanded a very high standard of discipline from his daughter and could not tolerate any disobedience.
Q.7. How do you interpret the behavior of Kezia’s mother towards her?
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Q.8. Why did Kezia feel drawn towards her grandmother?
Ans. Failing to get any expression of affection from her parents, especially her father, Kezia feels drawn to her grandmother. She turns to her to fulfill her need for love and protection. Grandmother too showers abundant love upon the little girl. She keeps trying to build her bond with her parents. She advises Kezia to talk to her parents when they would be relaxing in the drawing-room on Sunday afternoons. Again, she tells Kezia about Father’s birthday and suggests that she should make a pin-cushion for him as a present. When Father beats Kezia, it is a grandmother who consoles and comforts her by covering her with her shawl and allowing the child to cling to her soft body. Earlier too, whenever Kezia would get scared by her nightmares, grandmother would take her in her own bed. Hence, her affinity and support make Kezia look up to her for everything.
Q.9. Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers.” What kind of father was Mr. Macdonald and how was he different from Kezia’s father?
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Q.10. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?
Ans. Kezia was used to being scolded by her father and sometimes even got punishment for her little mistakes. She lived in awe of him, for he would often find fault with her manners, behaviour, speech, her general timidity, and silliness. Little wonder then that she would tremble, stutter and look clumsy in front of him. He would often find her looking wretched as if she was on the verge of committing suicide.
However, a nightmare one night made Kezia discover the tender, caring and loving side of her father. Since her mother and grandmother were away to a hospital, Alice, the Cook, had put her to sleep but she was bothered by her usual nightmare of a butcher with a knife and a rope, and a dreadful smile. When her father heard her shrieking, he came to her room, lifted her in his arms and took her to his room. He comforted her and tucked her up nicely and slept next to her. He told her to rub her feet against his to warm them. She snuggled her head under his arm and held tightly to his shirt. At that moment, she discovered that her father was very much a human being and needed her sympathy. He was big, hard, snug and reassuring but there was no one to look after him. These thoughts filled her heart with love and affection for him.
Q.11. Every father has a love for his child whether he expresses his love or not. Comment on the basis of the story “The Little Girl”.
Ans. Fathers are not alike. Some play with their children while others love and care for them. They show their love to them by working hard and giving them all the facilities as well as for instructions. Though they never express their love they have a deep love for their child. Kezia’s father belongs to the second type. He did not believe in showing off his affection for his daughter. He believed in showing his love by making her future more secure. When she tore his papers unknowingly, he beat her harshly. But in the end, we find him a very loving and caring father. Thus it is true that every father loves his child’s but the way of love is different from one person to another. Most of the fathers live their dreams with their children. Their strictness is also a kind of love.
Q.12. Father who seems hard from outside is not so from within. Comment on this statement with reference to Kezia’s father in ‘The Little Girl’.
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Q.13. How can you say that punishments given by parents hold love for you?
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Q.14. “That night there was a hue and cry in the house.” Why did her father get agitated?
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Q15: Do you think Kezia deserved the beating she received for her mistake? What does this incident reveal about her father's character?
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