NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English First Flight

Amanda!

Updated For 2024-2025
Exams

 

Thinking about the Poem

Q.1: How old do you think Amanda is?
How do you know this?

Answer:
Amanda seems to be a young girl, likely around 9 to 12 years old. We can infer
this from the kind of instructions she receives, such as being told not to bite
her nails, to sit up straight, and to do her homework. These are common
concerns that parents or guardians often have for children in this age group.

Q.2: Who do you think is speaking to
her?

Answer:
The speaker is likely Amanda’s parent or guardian, as the tone of the poem
reflects a typical adult figure giving instructions and corrections to a child.
The speaker consistently tells Amanda what to do and how to behave, which
suggests a parental or authoritative role.

Q.3: Why are Stanzas 2, 4, and 6 given
in parenthesis?

Answer:
Stanzas 2, 4, and 6 are given in parenthesis because they represent Amanda’s
thoughts and imagination, which are separate from the direct instructions she
is receiving from the speaker. These stanzas reveal her inner world, where she
escapes into her fantasies to avoid the reality of constant nagging.

Q.4: Who is the speaker in Stanzas 2,
4, and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the speaker in Stanzas 1,
3, 5, and 7?

Answer:
The speaker in Stanzas 2, 4, and 6 is Amanda herself, imagining a life of
freedom and peace. She is not actively listening to the speaker in the other
stanzas (likely a parent or guardian), as her thoughts drift into daydreams of
being a mermaid, an orphan, or Rapunzel, where she has control and
independence.

Q.5: What could Amanda do if she were a
mermaid?

Answer:
If Amanda were a mermaid, she could drift blissfully in the calm, emerald sea,
free from responsibilities and instructions. In her imagination, being a
mermaid represents complete freedom and peace, far away from the demands and
restrictions of the real world.

Q.6: Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she
say so?

Answer:
No, Amanda is not an orphan. She says she is an orphan as part of her daydream,
imagining a life where she is free to roam the streets and do as she pleases
without any adult supervision or rules. It reflects her desire for independence
and freedom from the constant nagging she faces.

Q.7: Do you know the story of Rapunzel?
Why does she want to be Rapunzel?

Answer:
Yes, the story of Rapunzel is about a girl who is locked in a tower by a witch
but lives a tranquil life until she is rescued. Amanda wants to be like
Rapunzel because she envisions a life of peace and solitude in a tower, away
from the nagging and restrictions imposed on her in the real world. She sees
Rapunzel’s life as calm and carefree.

Q.8: What does the girl yearn for? What
does this poem tell you about Amanda?

Answer:
Amanda yearns for freedom, peace, and independence. She longs for a world where
she can escape the constant instructions and live according to her own wishes,
whether as a mermaid, an orphan, or Rapunzel. The poem tells us that Amanda
feels trapped and frustrated by the constraints of her life and seeks solace in
her imagination.

Q.9: Read the last stanza. Do you think
Amanda is sulking and is moody?

Answer:
From the last stanza, it is clear that Amanda is being accused of sulking and
being moody, but this may not be true. Amanda is likely retreating into her
thoughts and imagination to escape the constant nagging and demands placed on
her. She might appear moody to the speaker, but she is simply trying to cope
with her frustrations by imagining a life of freedom.