Page 1 - Question and Answer

Amanda! Question and Answers

Q1- How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?

A1- Amanda’s age could be between 10-12 years old. We can guess this because of the reference
to mermaid or Rapunzel. These stories are read by children of age group of 10-12 years.

Q2- Who do you think is speaking to her?

A2- One of her parents is speaking to her. We think that probably it could be her mother. We
think this because it’s a general perception that children are taken care of by their mothers at
home.

Q3- Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?

A3-Parenthesis is a remark that is added to a sentence, often to provide an explanation. So, in
stanzas 2, 4 and 6 parenthesis is used to describe the reaction of child Amanda towards her
mother’s continuous nagging.

Q4- 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?

A4- The speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is Amanda. No, she is not paying any attention to what her
mother says. She is lost in her own thoughts. She imagines herself as a mermaid, an orphan and
Rapunzel.

Q5- What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

A5- The little girl Amanda wants to be a mermaid and the only resident of the beautiful green
sea. She thinks that her life will be very relaxing in the sea and she will be taken away with the
currents of water. She will be able to enjoy her freedom.

Q6- Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?

A6- No, Amanda is not an orphan as she is constantly being pointed out by one of her parents in
the poem. She said so because she is sad and depressed because of the continuous scolding and
nagging which she faces because of her parents. Therefore, she feels that it would have been
much better and peaceful if she would have been an orphan.

Q7- Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?

A7- The story of Rapunzel is of a girl who is captured by an old witch in a tower. The old witch
climbs up the tower with the help of Rapunzel’s very long hair which she lets down for her
through a window of the tower. One day, a Prince visits her by climbing the tower with the help
of her long hair. When the witch comes to know this, she separates both of them. But both
Rapunzel and Prince meet after a gap of many years and then live their life happily. Amanda