Summary of My Mother at Sixty-six

My mother at sixty-six is a poem whose author is Kamala Das. The writer is famous for capturing the
complications of relationships between human beings. This poem is one of the best examples of bonding in
humans. Especially the bond between a mother and a daughter. This poem defines the fear of the author of
losing her mother.

Ageing is an inescapable phase of every human’s life. A person enters their childhood, experiences
adolescence when they are energetic and have so many dreams. Finally, every person approaches their old
age and then they die. Relationships between people become much stronger in every phase of life. No one
can’t bear the separation from their loved ones just because of ageing.

Firstly, when the author going to the Cochin airport with her mother she looks at her carefully and presents
before us her image. As she looks at her mother’s soft and whitish face, she gets stuck with the fear of
losing her mother. Her mother with a sleepy face and open mouth is comparable to a corpse. Here, the
author shows love and affection in a relationship between a mother and a daughter.

The poet is hurt and sad and shifts her attention outside the car for driving out the undesirable feelings. She
changes her bad mood. The scene from the window of the car is of rising life and energy. The fast sprinting
green and huge trees alongside the cheerfully playing kids represent life, youth, and vitality. The poet here
is remembering about her own childhood. In her childhood, her mother was young and beautiful. Whereas
now her mother is surrounded by the fear of losing her life and that made her insecure and sad.

She reaches the airport to take her flight. It shows departure and parting which makes her sad. As she said
goodbye to her mother, the image of the old mother in the dusk of years strikes her. Here again, a simile is
comparable with her mother with a late-night moon of the winters. The light of the moon is an obstacle by
the fog and haze as she appears older now.

The poet is now feeling the pain of getting separated because of leaving her mother. Her childhood fear of
losing her loving mother now became so terrifying. Now her mother could die of old age anytime
unexpectedly. She is so sad that she starts crying slowly without control but keeping a brave heart she hides
her tears and starts smiling. Thus, she offers her farewell to her old mother and keeps her hope of seeing
her mother alive again. She says “see you soon, Amma”. She hides her tears and sorrow as she does not
want to make a painful and emotional environment. Moreover, she doesn’t want her mother to cry and
shows her that she is enjoying her life. She expects her mother to be happy and enjoy her life just like her.

To conclude, my mother at sixty six summary revolves around the beautiful relationship between the poet
and her mother. The summary shows the theme of the advancing age of the mother of the author and the
fear of separation. This apparently short poem touches upon the theme of a beautiful bond between the
mother and the daughter. It shows how beautiful a relationship a mother and a daughter can have.

Q1 What is the irony in the poem My Mother at Sixty-six?

The irony in the poem My Mother at Sixty-six is that the poet knows that her mother has grown old,
though she finds it hard to accept it.
Q2 What are the poetic devices used in the poem My Mother at Sixty-six?
Similes have been used that compare the mother’s face to that of a corpse and a ‘late winter’s moon’.
Imagery is used to show life and activity in ‘Young Trees sprinting’ and ‘merry children spilling’.
Also, ‘Young Trees’ is personified in the poem. Repetition and alliteration can be seen in the use of the
word ‘smile’ in the last line of the poem.
Q3 Why is the mother’s face compared to a ‘late winter’s moon’?
The mother’s face has been compared to a ‘late winter’s moon’ to illustrate her old age. Just like a later
winter’s moon that is dim because of the fog, the poet’s mother’s face has lost the glow of a young and
lively person. It is used to show the effect of age on her – the loss of energy, youth and beauty.

Message:

Relationship between people becomes stronger at every aspect of life and they can't bear separation due
to aging. In this poem, the poet relates a personal experience. She brings out a common paradox of
human relationships and portrays a sensational separation of a mother and a daughter.

Central Idea:

The central idea of the poem my mother at sixty six is 'ageing' which is an eternal law of nature. The
following paragraphs explain it in detail. In this poem Kamla Das depicts her mother as an ageing lady
who has turned pale with the passage of time creating a very realistic image of ageing.

Special feature:

The distinctive feature of the poem "MY MOTHER AT SIXTY SIX" is a narrative style using single
sentence in a set of 14 lines ( Monologue).

The theme of the poem:

Fear of loss or separation from the old aging mother.

The theme of the poem is universal because death is inevitable and the only truth about life which
cannot be denied. The pain that occurs from the loss of a loved one is felt by everyone alike and thus,
the theme is described as a universal one.

Two Images:

The two images of youth used by poet in the poem 'My Mother At Sixty-Six' are 'trees sprinting' and,
'the merry children'.

Explanation: In the poem, the poet presents the picture of what life is all about. While driving to the
airport, she analyzes that her mother had grown old.

Repetition:

The poet uses the word 'smile' three times in the last line to convey that even though she is afraid of
losing her mother and feels pained by their separation, she does not let it reflect on her face. She smiles
to convince herself as well as her mother that they will be meeting soon.

The significance of the title:

The significance of the title, 'My Mother at Sixty Six' is that the author is noticing how old and worn
out her mother is by life, and is fearful that she might not meet her mother again even though she does
not dare to voice it.

The significance in the last two lines:

She is not interested to be separated from her at that time but she has to board the flight to Cochin. She
recollects her childhood days with her mother and now she is unable to express her feelings. She is
unable to stop her journey and she wishes to meet her mother soon. No word can express her feelings
then.
 IMPORTANT STANZAS FOR COMPREHENSION

Read the stanzas given below and answer the questions that follow each:
1. Driving from my parents home to Cochin last Friday morning, 1 saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that of a corpse and realised with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon
Questions
(a)Where was the poet driving to? Who was sitting beside her?
(b)What did the poet notice about her mother?
(c)Why was her mother’s face looked like that of a corpse?
(d)Find words from the passage which mean :
(i) sleep lightly (ii) dead body (iii) felt.
Answers:
(a)The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother was sitting beside
her.
(b)She noticed that her mother was dozing with her mouth open.
(c)Her mother’s face looked pale, faded and lifeless like a dead body because she had grown old.
(d)(i) doze (ii) corpse (iii) realised.

2.…………..She
looked but soon
put that thought away, and
looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes,
Questions
(a)What did the poet realise? How did she feel
(b) What did she do then?
(c)What did she notice in the world outside?
(d)Find words from the passage which mean: (ii) running fast (ii) happy (iii) moving out.
Answers:
(a)Her mother was lost somewhere else in thoughts. It pained her.
(b)The poet withdrew her thoughts from her mother and looked outside.
(c)The young trees growing outside went past as if they were sprinting. Happy children were coming
out of their houses.
(d)(i) sprinting (ii) merry (iii) spilling.

3………………but after the airport’s

security check, standing a few yards away, I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear, but all I said was, see you soon,
Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and
smile
Questions
(a)What did the poet do after the security check?
(b)Why did the poet compare her mother’s face to a late winter’s moon?
(c)What is her childhood fear ?
(d)How do the parting words of the poet and her smile present a contrast to her real feelings?
Answers:
(a)After the security check, the poet stood a few yards away from her mother and looked at her face
again.
(b)The late winter moon lacks brightness as well as strength. The pale and colourless face of the
mother resembles the late winter moon.
(c)The fear of ageing and ultimate death/separation.
(d)The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smiles present a stark contrast to the old familiar ache
or childhood fear. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide what is going on inside.
 Extract Based Questions (4 Marks)
Question.1. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
I looked again at her, wan, pale
as a late winter’s moon and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile ……… (Foreign 2014; Modified)
(a) What was the poet’s childhood fear?
(b) What were the poet’s parting words?
(c) What is the poetic device used in these lines?
(d) Why did the poet smile and smile?
Answer. (a) In her childhood, the poet was insecure about losing her mother, just as all young children
often are.
(b) The poet’s parting words were, “See you soon, Amma”, which are suggestive of the hope that they
will meet again.
(c) The poetic device used in these lines is simile, where the mother’s dull and lifeless face is compared
to a late winter’s moon.
(d) The poet smiled and smiled (meaning that she smiled continuously) because she was trying to hide
her real feelings. She feared the fact that she might not see her mother again, which left her almost in
tears.
Question.2. Read the extracts given below and answer the questions that follow.
……….but soon
put that thought away and
looked out at young
trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes……………
(a) What thought did the poet drive away from her mind?
(b) What did she see when she looked out of the car?
(c) How do you know that the joyful scene didn’t help her drive away the painful thought from
her mind?
(d) What are the merry children symbolic of? (Compartment 2014; Modified)
or
(a) Which thought did the poet put away?
(b) What do the ‘sprinting trees’ signify?
(c) What are “the merry children spilling out of their homes”, symbolic of?
(d) Why does the poet make use of the images of ‘young trees sprinting’ and ‘merry children
spilling’? (Delhi 2014; Modified)
or
(a) Who looked out at the young trees?
(b) Which thought did she put away?
(c) What do young sprinting trees signify?
(d) Why are the trees described as sprinting? (Delhi 2008)
Answer. (a) The poet drove away the painful thought of the distressing reality that her mother was
getting old and she might die anytime.
(b) When she looked out of the car, she saw young trees on the roadside, which appeared to be moving.
She also saw a group of children, merrily rushing out of their homes to play.
(c) As the poet passed through security check at the airport and happened to look at her mother, she
was again haunted by the same fear of losing her to death. This shows that the joyful scene earlier
didn’t help drive away the painful thought from her mind.
(d) The merry children are symbolic of the exuberance of youth. The energetic and lively children
present a contrast to the poet’s mother who has grown old and pale.
or
Answer. (a) The poet put away the thought of the-distressing reality of her mother getting old and of
her impending death.
(b) The ‘sprinting trees’ signify time that has passed at a fast pace.
(c) The merry children epitomize bubbly youth. They represent the exuberance and liveliness of young
age.
(d) The poet makes use of these images to emphasise the contrast between old age and youth.
or
Answer. (a) The poet Kamala Das looked out at young trees.
(b) Seeing her aged mother, she felt insecure about the fact that she might be separated from her
mother. The poet was also feeling guilty for neglecting her. She wondered if she would see her mother
alive next time. However, she soon put these thoughts away.
(c) The young sprinting trees symbolise happiness, strength and vigour which are the characteristics of
youth in contrast to the dullness of old age.
(d) As the poet looked outside the window of her moving car, the trees appeared to be moving fast in
the opposite direction. So, they are described as sprinting.
Question.3. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
Driving from my parent’s
home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that ‘
of a corpse and realised with pain .
that she was as old as she looked …
(a) Where was the poet driving to?
(b) Why was her mother’s face looking like that of a corpse?
(c) What did the poet notice about her mother?
(d) Why was the realisation painful? (All India 2013; Modified)
Answer. (a) The poet was driving to Cochin airport from her parent’s home.
(b) Her mother’s face had lost all its glow and colour. It was nearly lifeless. That is why it was looking
like a corpse’s face.
(c) The poet noticed that her mother was sleeping with her mouth open. Her face looked like that of a
corpse. She suddenly realised that her mother had become very old.
(d) The realisation that her mother had grown very old was painful because it brought with it the
distressing thought that she was also nearing her death, whose cruel hands would separate the poet
from her mother.
Question.4. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
…….and
looked but soon
put that thought away and
looked out at young
trees sprinting,
the merry children spilling
out of their homes,………..
(a) Name the poem and the poet.
(b) What did the poet realise? How did she feel?
(c) What did she do then?
(d) What did she notice in the world outside?
Answer. (a) The name of the poem is ‘My Mother at Sixty-Six’ and the poet is Kamala Das.
(b) The poet realised that her mother was getting old and was nearing her impending death. She felt
afraid of losing her mother, the same fear which she used to face in her childhood.
(c) The poet at once turned her face away from the harsh reality and looked out of the window to divert
her mind.
(d) The poet.saw green trees sprinting by. She also saw a group of children who were exuberant,
enthusiastic and were merrily coming out of their houses.
Question.5. Read the extract given below and answer the questions that follow.
…………….and felt that old
familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile
(a) What was the childhood fear that now troubled the poet?
(b) What do the poet’s parting words suggest?
(c) Why did the poet smile and smile?
(d) Explain, “that old familiar ache.” (Delhi 2009; Modified)
Answer.
(a) As a child the poet was insecure about losing her mother and the same fear has come again now
when her mother has grown old.
(b) The poet, while parting, smiled and said to her mother that she would see her soon. This expression
of her suggests that though she was aware that her mother was quite old and weak, yet she could not do
anything about it. She could not even communicate her true feelings to her mother.
(c) The poet smiled and smiled only because she wanted to hide her fears from her mother. She was
reassuring herself and also her mother that they would meet again.
(d) “That old familiar ache” refers to the agony and pain of separation from her mother that the poet
felt in her childhood, as she feared that she might lose her mother.
QUESTIONS FROM TEXTBOOK SOLVED

Q1. What is the kind of pain and ache that the poet feels?
Ans: When the poet sees the pale and corpse-like face of her mother, her old familiar pain or the ache
returns. Perhaps she has entertained this fear since her childhood. Ageing is a natural process. Time and
ageing spare none. Time and ageing have not spared the poet’s mother and may not spare her as well.
With this ageing, separation and death become inevitable.

Q2. Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’?

Ans: The poet is driving to the Cochin airport. When she looks outside, the young trees seem to be
walking past them. With the speed of the car they seem to be running fast or sprinting. The poet
presents a contrast—her ‘dozing’ old mother and the ‘sprinting’ young trees.

Q3. Why has the poet brought in the image of the merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’ ?
Ans: The poet has brought in the image of merry children ‘spilling out of their homes’ to present a
contrast. The merry children coming out of their homes in large numbers present an image of happiness
and spontaneous overflow of life. This image is in stark contrast to the ‘dozing’ old mother, whose
‘ashen’ face looks lifeless and pale like a corpse. She is an image of ageing, decay and passivity. The
contrast of the two images enhances the poetic effect.

Q4. Why has the mother been compared to the ‘late winter’s moon’ ?
Ans: The poet’s mother is sixty-six years old. Her shrunken ‘ashen’ face resembles a corpse. She has
lost her shine and strength of youth. Similarly the late winter’s moon looks hazy and obscure. It too
lacks shine and strength. The comparison is quite natural and appropriate. The simile used here is apt as
well as effective.

Q5. What do the parting words of the poet and her smile signify?
Ans: The poet’s parting words of assurance and her smiles provide a stark contrast to the old familiar
ache or fear of the childhood. Her words and smiles are a deliberate attempt to hide her real feelings.
The parting words: “See you soon, Amma” give an assurance to the old lady whose ‘ashen face’ looks
like a corpse. Similarly, her continuous smiles are an attempt to overcome the ache and fear inside her
heart.

MORE QUESTIONS SOLVED

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS (Word Limit: 30-40 words)

Q1. Where was the poet going and who was with her?
Ans: The poet was driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. The poet’s mother had comfe
to see her off. She was sitting beside her. She was dozing with her mouth open. The words ‘driving’
and ‘doze’ provide a contrast between images of dynamic activity and static passivity respectively.

Q2. What was the poet’s childhood fear? [All India 2014]
Ans: The child is always in fear of being separated from his parents. In the same way, the poet’s fear as
a child was that of losing her mother or her company.

Q3. What does the poet’s mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her
ageing decay?
Ans: The poet’s mother is sixty-six years old. She is sitting beside the poet and dozing with her mouth
open. This is a sign of old age. Usually old people keep their mouth open to overcome breathing
problems. Her face looked pale and faded like ash. Actually, she is an image of death as her ‘ashen’
face looks like that of a corpse.

Q4. What does the poet realise with pain? Why does the poet ‘put that thought away’ and look
outside?
Ans: The lifeless and faded face of the poet’s mother pains her heart. She looks lifeless like a corpse.
She provides an image of passivity, decay and death. The old lady seems to be lost in her thoughts. The
poet needs a distraction, a change. She puts that thought away and looks outside. There she gets a
picture of life, happiness and activity.

Q5. Describe the world inside the car and compare it to the activities taking place outside?
Ans: The pale and faded face of the poet’s mother looks lifeless like a corpse. Her dozing with mouth
wide open suggests passivity, decay and death. Outside the car, the poet watches young trees speeding
past them. They seem to be running fast or sprinting. Happy children are moving out of their homes
cheerfully. They present an image of life, dynamism and activity.

Q6. Why does the poet look outside? What does she see happening outside?
Ans: The thought of the ageing mother at sixty-six and her pale and ashen face looking like a corpse
becomes too heavy for the poet to bear. She needs a distraction, a diversion and therefore she looks
outside. She watches young trees. These trees speed past them and appear to be sprinting. Then she
sees happy children moving out of their houses and making merry.
Q7. How has the poet contrasted the scene inside the car with the activities going on outside?
Ans: The poet has used beautiful images to highlight the stark contrast between the scene inside the car
and the activities going on outside. The ‘ashen’ face of the poet’s mother is pale and lifeless. It looks
like that of a corpse. She is dozing and lost to herself. The image of the ‘dozing’ mother is contrasted
with the ‘spilling’ of children. The ‘ashen’ and ‘corpse¬like’ face is contrasted with the young trees
sprinting outside.

Q8. What does the poet do after the security check-up? What does she notice?
Ans: They have to pass through a security check-up at the airport. After it, the poet stands a few yards
away. Before saying parting words to her mother, she looks at her mother again. Her face looks pale
and colourless like the late winter’s moon. She presents a picture of ageing and decay.

Q9. Why is the poet’s mother compared to the late winter’s moon?
Ans: The poet’s mother has been compared to the late winter’s moon to bring out the similarity of
ageing and decay. The late winter moon looks hazy and obscure. It lacks shine and strength. The poet’s
mother has an ‘ashen’ face resembling a corpse. She has lost her shine and strength of youth. The
comparison reinforces the impact.

Q10. What is the poet’s familiar ache and why does it return?
Ans: The poet is pained at the ageing and decaying of her mother. The fear is that with ageing comes
decay and death. The sight of her old mother’s ‘ashen’ and corpse-like face arouses “that old familiar
ache” in her heart. Her childhood fear returns. She is also pained and frightened by the idea that she
may have to face all these things herself.

Q11. How does Kamala Das try to put away the thoughts of her ageing mother?[All India 2014]
Ans: Kamala Das was in much trouble after seeing the lifeless and faded face of her mother. The old
lady seemed to be lost in her own thoughts. The poetess turned away her attention from her mother and
looked outside. The outside world was full of life and activity. The young trees seemed to be running
fast. The children looked happy while moving out of their homes.

Q12. Why does the poet smile and what does she say while bidding good bye to her mother ?
OR
With fear and ache inside her heart and words of assurance on lips and smile on the face, the
poet presents two opposite and contrasting experiences. Why does the poet put on a smile?
Ans: The ‘wan’, ‘pale’, face of the poet’s mother at sixty-six brings an image of decay and death. It
brings that old familiar fear of separation back. She fears the ultimate fate of human beings. But she
has to put on a brave face. She regains self-control. She composes herself and tries to look normal. She
utters the words of assurance that they will meet again soon. She tries to hide her ache and fear by
smiling continuously.

Q13. What poetic devices have been used by Kamala Das in ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’?
Ans: The poem ‘My Mother at Sixty-six’ is rich in imagery. Kamala Das uses the devices of
comparison and contrast. The use of simile is very effective. The face of the poet’s old mother is
described as ‘ashen’. This ashen face is ‘like that of a corpse’. The poet uses another simile. The “wan,
pale’ face of the mother is compared to ‘a late winter’s moon’.
The poem excels in contrasts. The old ‘dozing’ lady inside is contrasted with the young trees
“sprinting” and merry children “spilling” out of their homes.

Extra Questions Answers

Q. 1. Where is the poet going and who is with her? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Ans. The poet is driving from her parent’s home to the Cochin airport. Her mother has come to see her
daughter off. She is sitting beside her and dozing with her mouth open. Her face looks pale and lifeless
like a dead boy. The poet is ‘driving’ but the old lady is ‘dozing’. The poet gives an image of dynamic
activity while her mother is a picture of passivity.

Q.2. Why does Kamala Das describe the young trees as sprinting? (A.I. CBSE 2008)

Or

Why are the young trees described as ‘sprinting’? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Answer Kamala Das is driving from her parent’s home to Cochin. She looks outside the window.
From the moving car, the young trees growing outside appear to be running with the speeding car.
Hence, she describes them as ‘sprinting’. They provide a stark contrast to the passivity of her mother.

Q3 How does the poet’s mother look like? What kind of images has the poet used to signify her
aging and decay? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Ans. The poet’s mother is at sixty-six. She is sitting beside her. The mother is dozing as people usually
do during the journey. She keeps her mouth open. This is also a sign of old age. Her face looks pale
and faded like ash. Actually, she is an image of decay and death. Her ashen face looks like that of a
corpse.

Q.4 Why does the poet ‘put that thought away’ and look outside? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question
Answers)

Ans. The poet’s old mother is sitting beside her. She is dozing with her mouth open. Her face looks
pale and faded. She looks lifeless like a corpse. Actually, she gives an image of passivity, decay and
death. The poet needs a distraction, a change. Hence she looks outside where she gets a picture of life,
happiness and activity.

Q5. Describe the contrast of the scene inside the car with the activities going on outside. Describe the
use of images that the poet employs to strike that contrast.
Ans. Inside the car sits an old mother beside the poet. She is sixty-six and ageing. Her ashen’ face is
pale and lifeless like a corpse. The world outside provides a stark contrast. The young trees seem to be
running past or sprinting. The children are making merry. The ‘ashen’ and ‘corpse-like’ face is
contrasted with the ‘young’ trees ‘sprinting’ outside and the merry children coming out of their houses.

Q.6 Why does the poet feel her old familiar ache and what is her childhood fear?

Ans. The sight of her old mother’s corpse-like face arouses ‘that old familiar ache’ in her heart. Her
childhood fear returns. The fear is that with aging comes decay and death. Ageing and decay are
inevitable. (अवश्‍यंभावी) No one can avoid them. Perhaps she herself may have to face all these
things. This idea is quite painful and fearful to her.

Q.7 With fear and ache inside her heart and words of assurance on lips and smile on the face, the
poet presents two opposite and contrasting experiences. Why does the poet put on a smile?

Ans. The ‘wan, pale’ face of her mother at sixty-six brings an image of decay and death. It brings that
old familiar ache and fear back. She fears the fate of man. She composes herself and tries to look
normal. She smiles continuously. She assures the old mother that they will meet again soon.

Q. 8 What were the poet’s feelings at the airport? How did she hide them? (CBSE 2012)

Ans. The poet experienced two opposite and contrasting feelings at the airport. The ashen and pale face
of her mother brought an image of decay and death. But she immediately hid her real feelings. She
composed herself and tried to look normal. She smiled continuously to assure her mother that they
would meet again soon.

Q.9. What is the significance of the parting words of the poet and her smile, in My Mother at Sixty-
six’? (CBSE Sample Paper-I)

Ans. The sight of her mother’s ashen and pale face brings a picture of death and decay to the poet. But
the poet immediately hides her real feelings and tries to look normal. Her parting words:” see you soon,
Amma”, is just an attempt to assure the old lady that everything is well and they will meet again soon.
Her smile is also an attempt to hide the anxiety and fear that she had while looking at the ashen and
pale face of her mother.

Q.10. Describe the poetic devices used by Kamala Das in ‘My Mother At Sixty-(Imp.)

Ans. Kamala Das’ ‘My Mother At Sixty-Six’ is rich in imagery. The use of simile is very effective. Her
face has been described as ‘ashen’. The ashen face is like that of a corpse. Again the ‘wan, pale’ face of
the mother is compared to “ a late winter’s moon”. The poem excels in contrasts.

My Mother At Sixty Six Short Extra Questions Answers

Q.1 Why does the poet look away from her thoughts? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Ans. The poet was trying to dismiss the worries of her mother’s imminent death and her inability to be
with her during her frail health. So she looked outside at the trees and children which symbolise life,
hope and vitality.

Q.2. Contrast the two scenes depicted in the poem. (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)
Ans. On the one hand, it was the poet’s mother whose face was pale and lifeless, devoid of any vitality.
It almost looked like a corpse. The second scene was full of life, growth and joy as depicted by the
trees and children.

Q.3. What happens after the security check? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Ans. The poet looked again at her mother’s “ashen face” and the familiar pain of childhood returned
but she brushed it aside and bid goodbye to her mother with a smile, conveying the message of hope
and cheer by saying “See you soon, Amma.”

Q.4. Which literary devices has the poet used to highlight her mother’s condition?

Ans. The poet has used similes and images to highlight her mother’s condition.

Q.5 The poet feels very sad to bid farewell to her mother. Why? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question
Answers)

Ans. The poet realises with pain that her mother is looking so sick, that she appears to be on the verge
of death. She feels guilty to bid farewell to her mother at this stage.

Q.6. How does the poet describe the old age of her mother? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question
Answers)

Ans. The poet uses similes from nature to highlight the pale and lifeless face of the mother. At times
she looks like a “dull and faded winter moon”, sometimes she looks “like a corpse”.

Q.7. What childhood fear does Kamala Das express? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Ans. For a child to be separated from her mother is unthinkable. Since childhood, a child weaves her
world around her mother. He/she can’t think of being without her. Separation is very difficult to even
contemplate. The poet too could not bear to be separated from her mother.

Q.8. The freshness and youth distract the poet’s spirit for some time but she cannot put away the
thought of her mother’s “ashen” existence anymore. Why?

Ans. The scenery outside diverts the poet’s mind for some time but the bare fact of her mother’s
approaching death can never be subdued by any other line of thinking.

Q.9. What is the underlying message of the poem? (My Mother at Sixty Six Question Answers)

Ans. Kamala Das is deeply distressed to see the pitiable state of her mother’s condition, but she cannot
stay back. She has to move on, as life does, leaving her mother behind. Death or approaching death, no
matter how painful, has to be accepted.

About the author Kamala Das

Kamala Surayya (born Kamala) (1934-2009), also known by her one-time pen name Madhavikutty and
Kamala Das, was an Indian English poet and litterateur besides being a leading Malayalam author from
Kerala, India. Her popularity in Kerala is based chiefly on her short stories and autobiography, while
her literature in English, written under the name Kamala Das, is noted for the poems and explicit
autobiography. She was also a widely read columnist and wrote on diverse topics including women’s
issues, child care and politics among others.

Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson.

‘My Mother at Sixty Six’ captures the fear of the narrator of losing her mother due to declining health
and loss of energy which accompanies old age. The poet accepts this reality and is disturbed by
her mother’s need for her on one hand and her own duties and responsibilities on the other hand. This
helplessness is poignantly brought out in this poem. The emotions experienced by the poet are
essentially universal in nature. The fear of losing a loved one is a theme the reader can identify with.
Form This poem is in the form of a narrative of fourteen lines written as a single sentence. This is
called enjambment. The poem is written in a single sentence punctuated by commas. This highlights
the stream of consciousness effect where one thought leads to another.

Theme of the Lesson

My Mother at Sixty-six is based on the theme of advancing age and the fear of loss and separation
associated with it. The poetess undergoes a plethora of emotions when she sees her mother ageing, and
feels the pangs of separation at the thought of losing her. She must be feeling guilty of not being able to
stay with her mother in her old age. She also wishes for the lost beauty and youth of her mother. The
poem is written in a single sentence which indicates the single thread of thought, i.e. the loss of beauty
and charm and approaching death and decay.

Significance of the Title

The title is apt as the poem is about the narrator’s realisation that time has flown by and old age has
crept up on her mother. The poem revolves around the theme of advancing age, the fear associated with
it, and loss and separation.

Message

Ageing is a natural process and it will affect each one of us. The complexity of life is that children are
perturbed by the condition of their parents and wish to be with them. However, they have to leave their
parents behind and move on with their commitments. The question arises how to strike a balance
between looking after the ageing parents and attending to our duties and responsibilities.

Poetic Devices

 The imagery used in the poem is suggestive of both death and youth. The image of `young trees
and merry children’ are a contrast to the mother.
 The poetic devices used are simile, metaphor, repetition and personification:
Simile — face ashen like a corpse, as a late winter’s moon.

Personification — trees sprinting

Repetition — smile and smile and smile

Metaphor — children spilling

Poetic Devices of the Lesson. Analysis of My Mother at Sixty-Six

Simile

1. Her face ashen like that of a corpse: poet sees mother dozing off with her mouth open, almost
like a corpse — it seems to have lost all vitality — the gray colour of ash is usually associated
with a dead body – triggers the pain of losing her mother who is close to death.
2. Wan, pale as a lath winter moon: reinforces the idea that the mother’s face was pale and lifeless
like that of a fading winter moon. Winter is symbolic of the last cycle of the season — hence
waning moon-mother’s frail health misted by age is indicative of imminent death.
Poet resorts to escapism to avoid the harsh realities that stare her in the face-dispels the horrifying
thoughts by diverting her attention to the images of the young trees and merry children.

Imagery

Merry children spilling out of their homes: youthful and exuberant, spring of life-contrast to the morbid
atmosphere inside the car – the old mother weak, frail, inactive.

Personification

Young trees sprinting – the sprinting movement of the trees rushing past signify youth, life or passage
of time. The mother – travelling in the car-lifeless, helpless decayed by age. Her instinctive awareness
leads to the familiar ache-painful realization of helplessness (cannot share her fears with her mother-
fear stemmed out of unknown-didn’t want to worry her)-fear of separation-that childhood fear-inherent
in all children-of losing one’s loved ones-fear of death.

Repetition

Smile and smile and smile: emphasis on the fact that she made a desperate effort to cover UP her guilt,
anxiety and agonizing thought of her mother’s impending death by putting up a smile to bid her a
cheerful adieu.

The universality of the Theme

The theme of inescapable decay, a presentiment of emotional susceptibility leading to terrible fear of
death, separation-isolation. The daughter’s feelings and concern are portrayed in a sensitive manner.
One of the many childhood fears that distressed her was the fear of her mother’s death.