Amanda || Detail Analysis || CBSE Board

  Amanda

By Robin Klein

1- Introduction

2- About The Poet

3- Stanza Wise Explanation

4- Word-meaning

5-  Poetic Devices

6- Textbook Exercises

7- Previous Year Question/Answers

8- To Conclude

1-Introduction

Amanda is a very beautiful poem written by Robin Klein. This poem is about little girl named Amanda. She is constantly scolded by her mother. But, she is lost in her own world. She doesn’t pay attention to what her mother is saying. Instead she is busy in her thoughts. This poem consists of seven stanzas. In one Stanza her mother scolds her whereas in other Amanda is lost in her own world. 

2-About The Poet

Robin Klein is an Australian author.

She was born in New South Wales and now resides near Melbourne.

Several of her books received awards in Australia.

Before becoming a writer she had several different jobs like nurse, bookstore keeper and a teacher.

She is widely considered as one Of Australia’s most prolific author.

3- Stanza-Wise Explanation

Stanza 1

Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!

Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda! 

Stop that slouching and sit up straight, 

Amanda!

Explanation

In the above lines, a little girl named Amanda is being scolded by her mother. Amanda is advised not to bite her nails. Don’t bend your shoulders. Her mother instruct her to sit straight in right posture. The last word shows the frustration of her mother.

Stanza 2

( There is a languid, emerald sea,

Where the sole is me-

A mermaid, drifting blissfully.)

Explanation

Amanda is lost in her own world of imagination. She imagines herself as a mermaid who lives alone in beautiful sea of green colour. Here emerald is a green colour stone, and sea colour is compared to emerald. She imagines herself moving in the soft waves of the sea. 

Stanza 3

Did you finish your homework, Amanda?

Did you tidy your room, Amanda?

I thought I told you to clean your shoes,

Amanda!

Explanation

Amanda’s mother inquired about her work. She asked Amanda whether she has finished her homework. She added whether she has cleaned her room. She was also reminded by her mother to clean her shoes. 

Stanza 4

(I am an orphan, roaming the street.

I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet.

The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)

Explanation

But, Amanda is lost in her own world. She imagines herself to be an orphan child who is freely roaming around on the street. She is making pattern on the Soft dust with her quiet and bare feet. According to her, silence is golden and freedom is sweet. 

Stanza 5

Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!

 Remember your acne, Amanda!

 Will you please look at me when I’m  speaking to

 You, Amanda!

Explanation

She is instructed by her mother not to eat chocolates. She is also reminded that eating chocolates will cause pimples. But Amanda is not paying any attention to her mother. So her  mother is strictly ask her of to listen and follow to listen and follow whatever is being told to her.

Stanza 6

(I am Rapunzel, I have not a care;

Life in a tower is tranquil and rare;

I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)

Explanation

Amanda is still in her world of imagination. Now she imagines herself to be a Rapunzel ( character of a fairy tale) Who lived alone in a tower. Life in a tower is free from worry. Unlike Rapunzel, she would never let her hair down and permit anyone to come to her in the tower.

Stanza 7

Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!

You’re always so moody, Amanda!

Anyone would think that I nagged at

You, Amanda!

Explanation

Amanda is not reacting on her mothers scolding. She told Amanda to stop Being so Upset and Moody.  She told Amanda that her behaviour will show anyone that she is being scolded and instructed constantly by her mother.

4- Word-meaning

• hunch- raise shoulders and bend the upper portion of the body

• slouching- being lazy

• drifting- slow movement

• tidy- neat

• hushed- very quiet

• languid- lethargic, relaxed

• emerald- green colour stone

• nagged- scold, criticize

5- Poetic Devices

i-Anaphora- Repeated use of a word at start of two or more lines.

•Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!

 Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!

•Did you finish your homework, Amanda?

 Did you tidy your room, Amanda?

ii-Metaphor- Comparing two unlike objects or things that have some common qualities in them.

 Emerald sea (stanza 2) Sea colour is compared to emerald.

 The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet (Stanza 4) here also comparison is done silence to gold and freedom to sweetness.

iii-Repetition- Use of word Amanda.

iv-Alliteration- It is the occurrence of the same sound at the beginning of the closely connected words. 

Stop that slouching and sit up straight. (Stanza 1) s sound is repeating

 Stop that sulking at once, Amanda! (Stanza 7)

6- Textbook Exercises

• How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?

Ans- Amanda is a little middle aged school going girl.

 Because the poet has given the reference of a mermaid and Rapunzel. Also we get the clue from her mothers instructions like doing homework, nail biting, correct posture et cetera are generally given to the children of such an age group.

• Who do you think is speaking to her?

Ans- From the instructions given to Amanda, we can say that it is most probably Amanda’s mother.

• Why are stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?

Ans- Stanza 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they reflect the imaginary thoughts of Amanda. She is lost in her own world of imagination instead of listening to her mother.

• Who is the speaker in stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the speaker in stanza 1, 3, 5 and 7?

Ans- The speaker in stanza 2,4 and 6 is Amanda.

 No, she is not listening to the speaker of stanza 1, 3, 5 and 7 as she is lost in her own world of imagination.

• What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

Ans- She could be the only resident of the beautiful green sea where she could float in the soft waves of the sea. There she can relax and enjoy her freedom.

• Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?

Ans- No, Amanda is not an orphan but she wishes to be an orphan. She says so because she is upset at being scolded again and again. Thus, she thinks of being an orphan.

• Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?

Ans- Rapunzel was a beautiful golden haired Princess who lived in a tower. With her long hair she allowed people to come into the tower.

 Amanda believes that Rapunzel’s life would be peaceful and happy in the lonely tower. So she wanted to be Rapunzel and wishes to live in such a tower. And she would never allow anyone to come into her tower.

• What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?

Ans- The girl Amanda desires for freedom and peaceful life. According to the poem, Amanda feels that she wants to go away and live a peaceful life because she's fed up of constant scolding by her mother.

• Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and Moody?

Ans- No, she is neither sulking nor Moody. Her mother in the last distance are things so because she is not paying any attention to her instructions instead she is lost in her own world of imagination.

7- Previous Year Question/Answers

i-Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!

 Remember your acne, Amanda!

 Will you please look at me when I am speaking to you,

 Amanda! (Cbse board 2016)

• Why is Amanda not looking at the speaker?

A- Listening to music

B- Playing

C- Eating

D- Lost in her own thoughts

• What causes acne according to the speaker?

A- Biting nails

B- Cleaning the room

C- Eating chocolates

D- Eating burger

 •The speaker is so worried about acne. What does it show?

A- Importance is given to physical beauty

B- Importance is given to mental beauty

C- This shows Amanda’s carelessness

D- This shows Amanda’s care

 •Which word in the stanza is Antonym of ’forget’?

A- Disregard

 B-Remember

 C-Recount

D- Recollect

• What does this is stanza inform us about the speaker?

 A-Loves giving instructions

 B-Physical beauty is important

C- Tries to command Amanda

 D-All of the above

ii- Why does Amanda seem Moody most of the time? (Cbse 2016)

Ans- Amanda is so much involved in her own world of imagination that she always seems Moody. She does not pay any attention to her mother.  She enjoys fantasy world to get away from the continuous scolding. This is the reason that makes her look Moody and uninterested.

iii- State the key points in the poem ‘Amanda’. What do you learn from it?(Cbse 2016)

Ans- The key points of the poem are Every child is special in itself and they need great amount of patience and love.

 In this poem, the little girl Amanda goes through constant Scolding. Everything she does is corrected by her mother and she can’t do anything at her will. The lack of freedom makes her upset and Moody as she escapes into the world of her own imagination. Therefore, this poem teaches us the lesson that parents need to be more gentle and keep patience To teach their child.

8- To Conclude

I hope the above article would be a great help in your upcoming exams. If any doubts you can reach me through the comment section below and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible. In order to get notes of   other chapter notes please visit my home page. Thank you and All The Very Best For Your Exams....

Class 10th English