Question:
Write the central idea of the poem 'My Mother at Sixty-six'.
Write the central idea of the poem 'My Mother at Sixty-six'.
Show Hint
Focus on the mother's ageing, the poet's fear of loss, and the hidden smile at parting.
Updated On: Sep 24, 2026
Show Solution
Verified By Collegedunia
Solution and Explanation
Understanding the Question:
This poem by Kamala Das describes the poet's anxiety about her ageing mother during a car ride to the airport.
Final Answer:
While driving her mother to the airport, the poet notices her mother's pale, ashen, sleeping face and is struck by the fear of losing her to old age and death, comparing her to the fading landscape and an old dim photograph. Despite this fear, the poet manages a smile and reassuring words on parting, hiding her inner pain — the poem captures the universal ache of watching a parent grow old, and the way we mask our deepest fears with a brave, ordinary smile.
This poem by Kamala Das describes the poet's anxiety about her ageing mother during a car ride to the airport.
Final Answer:
While driving her mother to the airport, the poet notices her mother's pale, ashen, sleeping face and is struck by the fear of losing her to old age and death, comparing her to the fading landscape and an old dim photograph. Despite this fear, the poet manages a smile and reassuring words on parting, hiding her inner pain — the poem captures the universal ache of watching a parent grow old, and the way we mask our deepest fears with a brave, ordinary smile.
Was this answer helpful?
0
0
Top UP Board XII English Questions
- Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(a) Why does the man, who hits his thumb-nails with a hammer, talk to himself? - Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(b) For what purpose does a philosopher use language? - Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(c) For what purpose do the two women and two men use language? - Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(d) "Is language a multipurpose instrument?" Answer it on the basis of the given paragraph. - Read the following passage carefully and answer the questions that follow:
It is clear that language is used for more than one purpose. The man who hits his thumb nails with a hammer and utters a string of curses is using language to relieve his feeling and needs no audience but himself. But when a philosopher uses language to clarify his ideas on a subject, he is using it as an instrument of thought. When two women gossip over the fence or two men exchange greetings as they pass in the street, language is being used to strengthen the bonds between the members of society. Language, it seems, is a multipurpose instrument. One function, however, seems to be basic — language enables us to influence people's behaviour and thereby makes human co-operation possible. Some animals co-operate especially the social animals like bees and ants, but human co-operation is more thorough, more detailed, more effective than that found anywhere in the animal kingdom. The human co-operation would be unthinkable without language.
(i) Find out the word from the passage which means 'Speaks'.
(ii) Which word in the passage means 'Powerful' or 'Successful'?
(iii) Which word in the passage is the opposite of 'Aggravate'?
View More Questions
Top UP Board XII Central Idea Questions
- Write the central idea of any one of the following poems:
My Mother at Sixty-six - Write the central idea of any one of the following poems:
A Thing of Beauty - Write the central idea of any one of the following poems:
Keeping Quiet - Write the central idea of the following poems:
My Mother at Sixty-Six - Write the central idea of the following poems:
A Thing of Beauty
View More Questions
Top UP Board XII Questions
- In which one of the following States of India is the density of population the highest?
- Which one of the following States of India has the largest urban population?
- Which one of the following States is not related to the production of mineral oil?
- Which one of the following sea ports is located on the eastern coast of India?
- What is meant by ‘Humanisation of Nature’?
View More Questions