listening to the speaker in Stanzas 1. 3. 5, and 7?
5. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
4. Who is the speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this wa
Answers
A5-ThelittlegirlAmandawantstobeamermaidandtheonlyresidentofthebeautifulgreen
sea.Shethinksthatherlifewillbeveryrelaxingintheseaandshewillbetakenawaywiththe
currentsofwater.Shewillbeabletoenjoyherfreedom.
A4-ThespeakerinStanzas2,4and6isAmanda.No,sheisnotpayinganyattentiontowhat
hermothersays.Sheislostinherownthoughts.Sheimaginesherselfasamermaid,anorphan
andRapunzel.
Answer:
Why are stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?
Answer:
Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are given in parenthesis because they reflect the inner thoughts of Amanda. They can be taken as the reaction of the child for the instructions given in stanzas 1, 3 and 5. Here, there is an alternate sequence of scolding of the mother, and corresponding reaction to it given by the child. Also, parenthesis is used here to make the reading of ‘ the poem friendly
Question 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:
Speaker of the stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is the child, Amanda. No, she is not paying any attention to the speaker of stanzas 1, 3 and 5 as she is lost in a world of her own. Her imagination provides her an escape from her sorry reality.
Question 5.
What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?
Answer:
Amanda wishes to be a mermaid so she could carelessly move along on a languid emerald sea. She just wishes to be carried away by the green sea waves slowly and gradually. Amanda longs for a place where she is all by herself as her happiness is not dependant on any other human being. Hence, she desires to be a mermaid because for a child, mermaid is a symbol of freedom and wonder.