ENGLISH Answer the Questions [S.U.][2 MARKS]

For group discussion at class level. There can be varied responses. One such response is given below: The latest film I have watched recently is ‘SWADESH’. It has a strong message of social reform. It tells the story of an Indian scientist at NASA (America) who visits his ancestral home in India. The poor condition of the villagers and lack of basic facilities fills him with deep agony. He resigns his job in America and returns to his native country (Swadesh) to begin his work of rural uplift. He gives the villagers a message that self-help is the best help and we cannot depend for everything on the Government. This remote village is plunged in darkness after sunset as there is no electricity. With the help of a few villagers, the scientist is able to produce hydroelectricity and light the village homes. The water can be used for irrigation purposes also. Thus the economic and social condition of the villagers undergoes a sea change.

Students will enact the play themselves.

Yes, drama Is certainly a good medium for conveying a social message. Direct moralising is often resented and usually ignored. Drama is a presentation of a slice of life through characters placed In various situations. The attention of the spectator’s centres round their actions and reactions. Most of them feel fully involved with the protagonists. The working out of the theme generally leaves a message – sometimes obvious and explicit but in most of the cases, indirect and implicit. The social message of these plays seems to come out of the interactions of the characters and their traits of character. The victory of evil over good is usually portrayed indirectly. These days we find many plays centred around themes creating social awareness such as evils of drinking and smoking; dangers of pollution, child labour, the decreasing female ratio and need to empower women.

Various responses are possible One such response is given below: The incidents of unfair treatment to the fair sex at home, at work, In public transport and elsewhere will prove handy. The examples of exploitation of female workers with lower wages, harassment by seniors. Indecent remarks. eve-teasing and molestation can highlight the problems of social inequality that women face In practice. Even In the twenty-fIrst century, women face the same problems hi spite of the talk of women empowerment. The poor housewives have to bear the physical torment and mental anguish at the hands of bullish husbands who boast of their masculinity by Inflicting physical violence, barbs and taunts on the defenceless women. Examples of rapes and sexual harassment which hug the limelight In daily newspapers can also be included to highlight the problems of Insecurity of women in modem society.

1. The play raises many serious issues. The first and foremost is proper appreciation of a housewife’s role and responsibilities. Those who work eight hours a day and forty hours a week treat the housewife as an unpaid domestic servant, who must carry out their orders. They neither request her nor thank her for her services. The second issue is the reciprocity of love and gratitude towards the mother or wife. The husband, son and daughter leave the lady of the house alone every night and go out to enjoy themselves in their several ways. They do not take any notice of her and have become thoughtless and selfish. The mother’s excessive love, care and promptness to serve them also spoil them.
2. The problems the play raises are serious. The treatment is of course, comic. The playwright adopts an unusual method to resolve the issues. He takes the help of magic of the East. Incantation of a magical spell helps in the interchange of the personalities. Now Mrs Pearson, with the strong and sinister personality of Mrs Fitzgerald, gives rough treatment to the daughter, son and husband respectively. Her stern looks and commanding tone suggests to them that she can be really tough. The spoilt member are brought round by the heavy dose of exposure of reality to them. They agree to stay and help in preparing the supper while the housewife lias a talk with her husband. The resolution of the issues seems far-fetched and unnatural but extreme means have to be adopted In disaster management.

The title of the play is quite appropriate. It sums up the theme of the play. It suggests that the action of the play revolves round a mother. The playwright confronts us at the outset with the problems the mother faces from her grown-up children and their father. The novel technique employed to tackle the spoilt children and the grown-up man is quite amusing and thought-provoking. The bold and dominating mother acts tough with the children and makes them realise the need of proper attention towards their mother. They are made to learn lessons in courtesy and polite behaviour not only towards the mother but also towards the visiting neighbour. The mother certainly has her day as the children learn to treat her properly. The supper being prepared by the children, their stay at home and the family game of rummy is a rare gift that the mother receives on this important day.

The play has a happy ending with a complete reversal of the initial situation. Mrs Pearson is now cheerful while the family looks anxiously at her. When she smiles, they feel much relieved and smile back at her. None of them is going out. For the first time, perhaps she tells the members of the family what they should do. Instead of behaving timidly, she looks sharply at the family and asks if they have any objections. George is the first to yield. He agrees to do whatever she says. Still smiling, she suggests that they should have a nice family game of rummy and then the children could get the supper ready while she has a talk with their father. George supports her and looks enquiringly at the children. Cyril hastily approves the proposal while Doris agrees hesitatingly. A sharp command: “What Speak up!” does the trick and Doris agrees. Mrs Pearson bids goodbye to Mrs Fitzgerald and smilingly asks her to come again soon. The ending seems quite natural. It also leaves a message for the mothers. They should assert themselves.

The play ‘Mother’s Day’ treats a serious theme in a light-hearted manner. The humour in the play springs from an unusual situation where the personalities of two ladies change bodies. Their subsequent behaviour, which is in total contrast to their previous one, is a very powerful source of laughter. The ignorance of the characters about the personality they are facing also creates humour. Suggestive dialogues also provide a lot of fun. For example, consider the following:
“Mrs Pearson if you had to live my life it wouldn’t be so bad. You’d have more fun as me than you’ve had as you.”
“It’s that silly old bag from next door – Mrs Fitzgerald.”
“Ticking 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 is sharply contrasted with the position at the end of the play where she is the mistress of the house. Then play also satirises the eight-hour work culture and threats to go on strike. Even the housewife adopts this weapon.

Mrs Fitzgerald plays a very important role in the play. She is introduced as a fortune teller and the next-door neighbour of the Pearsons. It is through the initial conversation between her and Mrs Pearson that we come to know the problems that Mrs Pearson faces. Mrs Fitzgerald analyses the situation quite objectively and becomes the playwright’s mouthpiece. She also suggests life ways and methods of tackling the situation. Since Mrs Pearson does not have the guts to stand for her right, Mrs Fitzgerald suggests a novel approach – exchange of personalities. Now as Mrs Pearson, with the personality Mrs Fitzgerald, she puts the plan of reformation in action. She smokes, drinks and plays cards. All this is unusual for the family. She further shocks them by being tough with them in word and action. She asks them to look after themselves. She clearly tells them that she has already worked for more than eight hours that day. She tells them plainly how they behave at home and workplace. She is equally blunt with Mr George Pearson, who goes away every evening to club, leaving his wife alone at home. She reveals to him how the people at club make a fun of him. In short, she makes them realise their responsibility towards the mother. In the end, she performs the exchange of personalities once again. Thus she is the mainspring of initial action, climax and denouement.

I fully agree with the aforesaid statement. Drastic situations need drastic remedies. The thoughtless, selfish and spoilt members of the Pearson family do not understand the language of love and affection. Mrs Pearson with Mrs Fitzgerald’s bold and dominating personality and her toughness makes them realise their own state. Doris is the first to learn her lesson in civility and politeness. The criticism of her boyfriend seems quite unexpected to her-perhaps more than the non-compliance of her orders of ironing the yellow silk dress. Doris has tearful eyes. Cyril is also told to help himself. The mother’s declaration that she too will henceforth work forty hours a week, have the weekends off and go somewhere to enjoy herself come as a shock treatment. The balloon of her husband’s ego is punctured by disclosing to him how people at the club make fun of him. In the end, all the three members come round and show their willingness to obey the mother’s command.

Mrs Pearson is the main character in the play ‘Mother’s Day. She is a pleasant but worried-looking woman in her forties. She speaks in a light, flurried sort of tone, with a touch of suburban cockney. She loves her husband and children very much. and runs after them all the time. Her excessive love and care have spoilt them and they have become thoughtless and selfish. She feels neglected and lonely but lacks courage to discuss things with them. Perhaps she hates any unpleasantness as well. She is not willing to act as a tough mom as she is nervous and fluttering by nature. She is so tender-hearted that she is shocked to see the rough treatment meted out to her children. She decides to change back fo her original personality to deal with her family herself. She is indeed a loving and affectionate mother and a devoted wife.

The theme of the play is the status of women in their own households. The housewife serves the members of her family with complete devotion, sincerity and love. However, she is never given the regard, attention or thanks due to her. Her leniency and eagerness to please everyone reduces her to the rank of an unpaid domestic servant in her own house. Instead of being politely requested for a favour, she is ordered to do it. She gets no thanks in return. The theme is worked out by portrayal of the Pearson family. Mrs Pearson is the harassed mother. Her daughter Doris, son Cyril and husband George take her services for granted and have become thoughtless and selfish. The interchange of personalities and the harsh treatment meted out to them by the personality of Mrs Fitzgerald (in the body of Mrs Pearson) reforms them and they obey the mother willingly.

• Mrs. Fitzgerald fell bad that her friend was being exploited by her family. She changed their personalities with the help of some chants. Then she proceeded as Mrs. Pearson to her friend’s house to teach her husband, son and daughter a lesson, Doris was Mrs. Pearson's daughter and Cyril was her son.
• They were both dependent on their mother to take care of their things. They got lazy when they came home and were quite manner less. They expected their mom to prepare tea and keep their things ready; Both did not show her proper respect and had taken her for granted.
• Both were unable to understand their mother's feelings and position in the house. That is why both got a shock when they saw their mother’s changed behavior. Doris, who was more sensitive, gave into tears but Cyril didn’t lose his cool and tried to adapt to the circumstance.

• Mrs. Fitzgerald felt bad that her friend was being exploited by her family. She exchanged their Personalities with the help of some chants. Then she proceeded as Mrs. Pearson to her friend’s house to teach her husband, son and daughter a lesson.
• Mrs. Fitzgerald enjoyed playing the role of Mrs. Pearson. Mrs. Pearson was anxious a6 to what her friend was doing in her house.
• She didn’t want her friend hurting her family but Mrs. Fitzgerald told her to remain away as her Work of teaching the family a lesson was still incomplete, She asked the real Mrs. Pearson to remain patient and calm and let her carry on will the facade far some more time as it was really doing everyone goad.
• She asked her to remain calm and let her do what she felt was good for her family. She really enjoyed ordering them around and at the same time she kept in mind her purpose of assuming Mrs. Pearson’s personality. She knew it was not for amusement but strictly for reforming the family members and giving her fend the required dignity.

• Mrs. Fitzgerald felt bad that her friend was being exploited by her family. She exchanged their Personalities with the help of some chants.
• Then she proceeded as Mrs. Pearson to her friend's house to teach her husband, son and daughter a lesson. Mrs. Pearson's family didn’t know this and they were astonished at her changed behavior and bold personality. Her stern behavior put them in their places.
• But the real Mrs. Pearson became anxious. She was used to being given servile treatment by her family and she felt that if Mrs. Fitzgerald got rude with them they would be hurt and she would not like it. She showed the apt qualities of a mother who put the well- being of the other family members before her well - being.

• Mrs. Pearson was timid and humble woman and her family - her husband, son and daughter took her for granted. They felt that she did work at home so she had nothing much to do so they wanted her to follow their orders.
• Mrs. Pearson is soft hearted and she cannot bear to see anyone getting hurt, she didn’t mind being hurt but would never harm anyone else. She was unaware of her rights and she was hurt as the members of her family didn’t understand her needs at all.
• On the other hand Mrs. Fitzgerald was a bold woman, she was aware of her position and her rights. She was completely in command of her life as well as those who were to dose to her. She had never allowed anyone to take advantage of her. She felt sorry for her friend and wanted to help to solve her dilemma.

• Mrs. Fitzgerald had changed her personality with Mrs. Pearson to help her deal with her family members who took her for granted.
• When Mrs. Pearson requested her to change her back to her original personality, Mrs. Fitzgerald advised her that she should never tell them about the magical way they had changed their personality. She should now continue being the boss and be strict with her husband, son and daughter and let them know how to respect and appreciate her work.

• Mrs. Pearson loved her husband, daughter and son with all their faults. She saw that the treatment of Mrs. Fitzgerald had created a commotion in the house and all the three were tensed and worked up.
• The daughter was crying. She couldn't see them in their miserable condition so she immediately told her friend that she should be given her original personality back again and that they should go through the chant to become their Original selves.

• George Pearson was about fifty years old but he was pompous and thought himself to be very self - important. He saw his wife drinking from a bottle and was surprised. When he told her he was off to the club for a special snooker match that night, Mrs. Pearson told him to go so that they could have a laugh at him and makes fun of him.
• When he wanted the acting Mrs. Fitzgerald to not call him George, she fired him and asked him if he wasn't George but the Duke of Edinburgh and when he shouted at her she warned that she would slap his face.

• Cyril came home from work and ordered for tea and was shocked to know that his mother had not prepared any. He asked her to look up his things for mending before he went out. Mrs. Pearson told him she had decided that she didn’t like mending.
• When he said that he had worked for eight hours and had come home, she said that she had already completed her right hours of work at home. When he confronted her for telling about his father being laughed at the club, she told him that it was better to know the truth.
• When he called the Mrs. Fitzgerald (real Mrs. Person) a silly old bag, she scolded him and confirmed that she was a nice woman with much more sense than him.

• Doris came home from work and ordered Mrs. Pearson to make tea and also told her to iron her yellow silk dress. The acting Mrs. Pearson hadn't prepared any tea for her and asked her why she wanted the dress ironed. Doris wanted to know from her what would happen in office if people replied like her.
• The mother said that at office if they didn’t want to work they used the Union. Also when Doris said that she needed the yellow dress to go out with Charlie Spence, Mrs. Pearson made fun of him by saying he had buck teeth and was half- witted.
• She also told her that she should find someone better and if she couldn't then she should give herself up as a bad job. This left Doris shocked but she realized never to take her mother to be meek and unaware.

• Mrs. Fitzgerald knew magic. She had learnt to exchange personalities while she was in the East. When Mrs. Pearson said she was not capable to making of dealing with her family members.
• Mrs. Fitzgerald gave her the idea of changing their personalities so that no one would know and the real Mrs. Fitzgerald could as Mrs. Pearson go to her house and teach her family members a lesson. Mrs. Pearson agreed and they held hands and Mrs. Fitzgerald said some chants and her personality entered into Mrs. Pearson and vice- versa.

• Mrs. Fitzgerald was a bold and independent woman who commanded respect in her family, she told her friend and neighbor Mrs. Pearson who was being treated shabbily by her family to set them right and teach them a lesson to respect her.
• She told Mrs. Pearson to be the ‘boss’ of her family, Mrs. Pearson said that it was easier said than done. Even though her family members were thoughtless and selfish she felt they didn’t mean to be. Also she was very fond of them so she didn’t want to argue and create any unpleasantness in the family. Then Mrs. Fitzgerald told her to allow her to handle her family members.

• Mrs., Fitzgerald’s husband had been posted in the East for twelve years. She had been with him and had utilised her time there learning fortune - telling and magic. She had also learnt to exchange personalities.
• She used this magic to exchange her bold personality with the Weak of Mrs. Pearson to help her solve her family problem of teaching her husband, son and daughter to respect her and not take her for granted.