Short Answer Type Questions
Q. 1. How does Mrs. Pearson propose to spend the evening? Is her proposal acceptable to the family? [KVS Agra, 2017]
Ans. Mrs. Pearson proposes that they would have a nice family game of rummy. Then children could get the supper ready while she has a talk with their father. Then looking sharply at the family, she asks them if they have any objection. All speak in one voice that it suits them. Thus, Mr. Pearson finally succeeds in keeping the family home that evening.
Q. 2. What fortune does Mrs. Fitzgerald predict for Mrs. Pearson?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald is quite equivocal in her predictions. She says it could be a good fortune or a bad one. All depends on Mrs. Pearson’s herself now. She asks her to decide firmly. Her fortune depends on it.
Q. 3. What difficulties does Mrs. Pearson face while dealing with the various members of her family?
Ans. Mrs. Pearson loves her husband and children too much. She does not find enough courage to discuss the problem with them. She only keeps dropping hints. She hates any unpleasantness. She does not know where to start from. She doesn’t know how to begin discussion with the other members of the family.
Q. 4. What is Mrs. Pearson’s problem? What advice does Mrs. Fitzgerald give her?
Ans. Mrs. Pearson’s problem is that her family takes no notice of her, though she is extremely fond of them. She runs after them all the time, takes their orders as if she was the servant in the house. She stays at home every night while they go out enjoying themselves. Mrs. Fitzgerald advises her that she should assert herself as the mistress of the house if she wants them to treat her properly.
Q. 5. ‘Then let me do it,’ suggests Mrs. Fitzgerald. How does Mrs. Pearson react to it?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald offers to deal with the family of Mrs. Pearson and teach them to treat her properly. Mrs. Pearson feels flustered. She thanks her saying that it wouldn’t do at all. They would resent being ill-treated by somebody else and wouldn’t listen.
Q. 6. How does Mrs. Fitzgerald perform the trick of changing her personality with that of Mrs. Pearson?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald holds the hands of Mrs. Pearson and asks her to keep quiet and not to think about anything. Then she recites a spell. After the spell has been spoken, the two women got relax, as if the life had been drained out of them. Then both come to life. Now, Mrs. Pearson has the personality of Mrs. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Fitzgerald has of Mrs. Pearson.
Q. 7. What changes come over Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald when they change personalities?
Ans. After Mrs. Fitzgerald tells her spell, she and Mrs. Pearson mutually changed personalities. Now, Mrs. Fitzgerald is nervous and confused. On the other hand Mrs. Pearson is dominating, aggressive and bossy.
Q. 8. How does mother make fun of Charlie Spence?
Ans. Charlie Spence is Doris’ boyfriend. She intends to go out with him that evening. But mother makes fun of Charlie Spence. She says that Charlie has buckteeth and he is half-witted. She wonders why Doris could not find anyone better than Charlie Spence.
Q. 9. Mention three things in the behaviour of mother that astonish Doris.
Ans. First, mother, has not got tea ready for her as usual. Secondly, mother’s smoking. Thirdly, she is not in mood to iron her silk that she intends to wear that evening.
Q. 10. What, according to Doris, could be the reason for mother’s strange behaviour? Does Cyril agree with her?
Ans. According to Doris, mother has hit her head or something that could have been the cause of her strange behaviour. Cyril agrees that his mother’s behaviour was rather odd but Doris’ idea seems too farfetched to him.
Q. 11. Why does Doris ask mother whether she had fallen or hit herself with something? How does mother react to it?
Ans. Doris asks mother whether she had fallen or hit herself with something because she is under the impression that mother had gone barmy because of some violent shock. Mother becomes aggressive to hear this and asks her to behave properly and stop asking such silly questions.
Q. 12. Why is Cyril Pearson astonished at mother’s behaviour?
Ans. First, mother has not got tea ready for him, as usual. Secondly, she has not got his things ready though she had promised in the morning to look through them in case there was any mending. Obviously, he is astonished at strange behaviour of the mother. Then, mother asks him whether there is any stout left in the house. He wonders why his mother needs stout.
Q. 13. ‘That’s a nice way to talk what would happen if we all talked like that’ says Cyril. In what context does he say so? What argument does he get in return?
Ans. When, Mrs. Pearson tells her son Cyril that she has decided now that she doesn’t like mending, Cyril objects to her words. Mrs. Pearson gives him a taste of his own medicine by saying that all of them talk like that. If there’s something at home, they don’t like to do they don’t do it. If it is something at their work, they get the union to bar it. She has now joined the movement.
Q. 14. ‘Well, that ought to be a nice change for you’ says Mrs. Pearson. What change does she refer and how does George react to it?
Ans. George finds his wife Annie (Mrs. Pearson) drinking stout at the wrong time of the day. Moreover, he has never seen her doing it before. Naturally, he is confused and surprised. When he remarks that he doesn’t like her drinking and it doesn’t look right. Mrs. Pearson remarks about the ‘change’ in her style.
Q. 15. What is odd, according to Mrs. Pearson, in the behaviour of George, when he is annoyed with her for not getting his tea ready.
Ans. George tells Mrs. Pearson that he does not want any tea. When Mrs. Pearson tells him that there is no tea ready for him he gets annoyed. She wonders why he is annoyed at not getting his tea ready while he does not want it. This seems rather odd to her.
Q. 16. How is Doris taught a lesson in behaviour?
Ans. When Mrs. Fitzgerald remarks that Doris is going out with Charlie Spence that night. Doris feels annoyed and retorts that she has got nothing to do with it. Mrs. Pearson rebukes Doris harshly and tells her to answer Mrs. Fitzgerald properly. She adds that she won’t have her daughter behaving rudely with anyone.
Q. 17. Why does Mrs. Pearson rebuke Doris in the presence of Fitzgerald?
Ans. When Doris enters the room, Mrs. Fitzgerald greets her and ask her whether she is going out with Charlie Spence. Doris tells her impudently that it is none of her business. Mrs. Pearson rebukes her and asks her to answer Mrs. Fitzgerald properly.
Q. 18. Why does Mrs. Pearson threaten to slap her husband?
Ans. George feels angry at being humiliated in the presence of his neighbour. He loses his temper and asks his wife if she has gone mad. This is too much for Mrs. Pearson to bear. She jumps up and threatens to slap George if he shouts at her again.
Q. 19. Why did George Pearson gets astonished when Mrs. Fitzgerald calls him ‘George’? How does Mrs. Pearson make fun of him?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald is their neighbour. Obviously, George Pearson is astonished when she informally calls him ‘George.’ Mrs. Pearson makes fun of him by saying that his name is, after all, George and then asks him mockingly whether he thinks he is Duke of Edinburgh.
Q. 20. How does Mrs. Pearson make fun of her husband? How does he respond to it?
Ans. Mrs. Pearson tells her husband that they laugh at him at the club and call him Pompy-Ompy Pearson because they think he is so slow and pompous. When his son, Cyril, also confirms it, he is shocked and staggers out of the room.
Q. 21. How does Mrs. Pearson teach her children to be responsible adults?
Ans. First she scolds them for their guffawing and giggling. Then she has a dig at their lifestyle. They just come in, ask for something, go out again and then return as there’s nowhere else to go. When Doris and Cyril boast of doing their work all day Mrs. Pearson tells them that she has also done her eight hours work. She threatens to have two days off at the weekend.
Q. 22. How does the stern treatment reform the spoilt children?
Ans. The children look apprehensively at Mrs. Pearson. However, they smile back at her as she smiles. Since they are not going out, she suggests having a nice family game of rummy. She tells the children to get the supper ready while she has a talk with their father. The spoilt children meekly obey her.
Q. 23. HWhat picture of Mrs. Pearson emerges in the opening of the play ‘Mother’s Day’?
Ans. Mrs. Pearson is in her forties. She is a pleasant looking woman. She is a typical housewife. She takes delight in serving her family, though they take no notice of her. Even if they are thoughtless and selfish, she is very fond of them. She bears with them patiently as she does not want any unpleasantness in the house.
Q. 24. “But any of you forty hour a weekend who expect to be waited on hand and foot on Saturday and Sunday with no thanks for it, are in for a nasty disappointment. ”says Mrs. Pearson How has she planned to spend the weekend?
Ans. She has decided not to serve them on weekends as she used to earlier. She might do cooking or make a bed or two as a favour, only if she is asked very nicely and thanked for it. They’ll have to pay attention to her and show care and concern. Perhaps she might go off for the weekend. It will provide her a change. She is bored of remaining at home at the time.
Q. 25. What last warning did Mrs. Fitzgerald give to Mrs. Pearson?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald advises Mrs. Pearson not to go soft on them again. She must not start giving explanations for her bad behaviour or asking for apologies. She should keep firm. Now and then, she should give them a look or a tone of voice to suggest that she might be tough with them if she wanted to be.
Q. 26. What advice did Mrs. Fitzgerald give to Mrs. Pearson, to her husband, son and daughter?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald advised Mrs. Pearson to be firm with her family and not to give in to their demands. She also taught the family how to treat their wives and mothers.
Q. 27. Compare and contrast Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald on the basis of the play ‘Mother’s Day’.
Ans. The two ladies are sharply contrasted. Mrs. Pearson is pleasant but worried looking woman in her forties. She speaks in a light, flurried sort of tone with a touch of suburban cockney. Mrs. Fitzgerald is older, heavier and has a strong and sinister personality. She smokes. She has a deep voice rather Irish tone.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q. 1. What is the problem confronted by Mrs. Pearson ? Who helps her solve this problem and how ?
Ans. Mrs. Person’s problem is that she is neglected by her husband and children. She is very fond of her family. She runs after them all the time, takes their orders as if she was the servant in the house and stays at home every night while they go out enjoying themselves. She takes no holiday. They have come to believe that she is there simply to look after them and wait for them. So they take, no notice of her. Her neighbour, Mrs. Fitzgerald, helps her solve this problem. She advises Mrs. Pearson to assert her rights as the mistress of the house if she wants them to treat her properly. Mrs. Pearson says that she does keep dropping a hint now and then but she can’t be harsh with them as she does not want any unpleasantness in the house. Mrs. Fitzgerald asks her to let her do it. Mrs. Pearson wonders how it is possible. Mrs. Fitzgerald tells her that they would change their personalities with each other. She had learnt this trick when she was in East. Mrs. Pearson hesitates but she finally agrees. The two women change their personalities. Now, Mrs. Pearson with Mrs. Fitzgerald’s personality, puts the members of her family in their proper places. They begin to give her due regard and consideration.
Q. 2. What role did Mr. Fitzgerald play to make Mr. Pearson the boss of the family ? [KVS Silchar 2017]
Ans. Mrs. Pearson’s problem is that she is neglected by her husband and children. She is very fond of her family. She runs after them all the time, takes their orders as if she was the servant in the house and stays at home every night while they go out enjoying themselves. She takes no holiday. They have come to believe that she is there simply to look after them and wait for them, so they take, no notice of her. Her neighbour, Mrs. Fitzgerald, helps her solve this problem. She advises Mrs. Pearson to assert her rights as the mistress of the house if she wants them to treat her properly. Mrs. Pearson says that she does keep dropping a hint now and then but she can’t be harsh with them as she does not want any unpleasantness in the house. Mrs. Fitzgerald asks her to let her do it. Mrs. Pearson wonders how it is possible. Mrs. Fitzgerald tells her that they would change their personalities with each other. She had learnt this trick when she was in East. Mrs. Pearson hesitates but she finally agrees. The two women change their personalities.
Q. 3. How does Mrs. Pearson make her daughter Doris miserable ?
Ans. Doris Pearson enters the room violently and orders her mother to iron her yellow silk as she has to wear it that night. She is astonished to find her mother smoking. She finds mother’s behaviour rather unusual. When she asks about tea mother says casually that she has not got her tea ready. She is surprised to hear that mother is thinking of going out and get a meal at the Clarendon. Mother always iron her clothes ungrudgingly but now she seems to be in no mood to iron her yellow silk for her. Formerly, mother never objected to her going out with Charlie Spence. Now, when Doris tells her that she is going out with Charlie Spence, mother severely asks her whether she should not find anybody better than buck teeth and halfwitted Charlie Spence. This is too much for Doris. She runs out of the room with tears in her eyes.
Q. 4. What is the reaction of Doris and Cyril to the unusual behaviour of their mother?
Ans. Both Doris and Cyril are astonished at the unusual behaviour of their mother. She has always been very kind and affectionate, meek and submissive. But now she is very cold and indifferent, and seems to be in a defiant mood. She has not bothered to get tea ready for them and asks them to help themselves. When Doris asks her to iron her yellow silk, mother refuses to oblige. She has not cared to put Cyril’s things out though she had promised that morning to look through them in case their was any mending. They are astonished to hear that mother, who has been running after them all the time taking their orders, now proposes to work forty hours a week and have two days off from household chores. They stand against to see her going to the kitchen to fetch stout of herself. As far as they know her she has never tasted stout. They thought that they had done something wrong and mother was offended with them. But now they realise there is something wrong with the mother. Doris thinks mother might have hit her head and got some violent shock, but her idea seems too far-fetched to Cyril. Nevertheless, they laugh to think how she would behave when Dad comes home.
Q. 5. The play ‘Mother’s Day’ is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the woman in a family. Bring out briefly the elements of humour and satire.
Ans. The play ‘Mother’s Day’ is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the woman in a family is shown in its serious theme treated in a light-hearted manner. The humour in the play springs from an unusual situation where the personalities of two ladies exchange bodies. Their subsequent behaviour, which is in total contrast to their previous one, is a very powerful source of laughter. The importance of the character about the personality they are facing also creates humour. The following dialogues also provides a lot of fun : “Mrs. Pearson if you had to love my life it wouldn’t be so band. You’d have more fun as me than you’ve had as you.”
“It’s that silly old bag from next door Mrs. Fitzgerald.”
“Tickling her off now, are you, Annie ?”
“They call you Pompy-Ompy Pearson because they think you’re so slow and pompous.”
The actions, gestures and reactions of the characters also provide humour. The housewife being given orders, treated like dirt and forced to stay home every night while other members go out to amuse themselves in sharply contrasted with the position at the end of the play where she is the mistress of the house. The play also satirises the eight hour work culture and threats to go on strike. Even the housewife adopts this weapon.
