Class 9, Chapter 3: The Little Girl

Chapter 3: The Little Girl**

**Thinking about the Text**

**I. Given below are some emotions that Kezia felt. Match the emotions in Column A with the items in Column B.**

| A | B |

| :------------------------- | :---------------------------------------------- |

| 1. fear or terror | (i) father comes home |

| | (ii) speaking to father |

| | (iii) going to bed when alone at home |

| | (iv) father comforts her and falls asleep |

| | (v) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring |

| 2. glad sense of relief | (i) noise of the carriage grows fainter |

| 3. a "funny" feeling, perhaps of understanding | (i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss |

| | (ii) watching her parents on a Sunday afternoon |

**Answer:**

* **1. fear or terror:**

    * (i) father comes home

    * (ii) speaking to father

    * (iii) going to bed when alone at home

    * (v) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring (This also inspired fear/unease)

* **2. glad sense of relief:**

    * (i) noise of the carriage grows fainter

* **3. a "funny" feeling, perhaps of understanding:**

    * (iv) father comforts her and falls asleep

    * (i) father comes into her room to give her a goodbye kiss (Initially, this might have been routine, but her understanding of him changes later)

    * (ii) watching her parents on a Sunday afternoon (Especially seeing her father with the Macdonalds, though that's an external observation, not a direct feeling from her father)

*(Note: Some items in Column B could potentially evoke more than one emotion depending on the context within the story or interpretation. The matching aims for the most direct and prominent emotion linked to the event.)*

**A more precise matching based on the text:**

* **1. fear or terror:**

    * (i) father comes home

    * (ii) speaking to father

    * (iii) going to bed when alone at home (after a nightmare)

    * (v) father stretched out on the sofa, snoring

* **2. glad sense of relief:**

    * (i) noise of the carriage grows fainter

* **3. a "funny" feeling, perhaps of understanding:**

    * (iv) father comforts her and falls asleep

**II. Answer the following questions in one or two sentences.**

1. **Why was Kezia afraid of her father?**

    * **Answer:** Kezia was afraid of her father because he was very strict, always seemed to be in a bad mood, rarely smiled, and often scolded her. He looked big and formidable to her.

2. **Who were the people in Kezia’s family?**

    * **Answer:** The people in Kezia's family were her father, her mother, her grandmother, and Kezia herself.

3. **What was Kezia’s father’s routine:**

    * **(i) before going to his office?**

        * **Answer:** Before going to his office, Kezia's father would come into her room and give her a casual kiss.

    * **(ii) after coming back from his office?**

        * **Answer:** After coming back from his office, he would call for tea to be brought into the drawing-room, ask for the newspaper and his slippers.

    * **(iii) on Sundays?**

        * **Answer:** On Sundays, her father would stretch out on the sofa in the drawing-room, cover his face with his handkerchief, put his feet on one of the best cushions, and sleep soundly, snoring.

4. **In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?**

    * **Answer:** Kezia's grandmother encouraged her to go down to the drawing-room every Sunday afternoon to have a "nice talk with Father and Mother." She also suggested Kezia make a pin-cushion for her father's birthday present.

**III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.**

1. **Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?**

    * **Answer:** Kezia wanted to make a beautiful pin-cushion for her father's birthday as a surprise. Guided by her grandmother, she stitched three sides of a yellow silk square. The challenge was to find something to stuff it with. When she couldn't find suitable scraps, she wandered into her parents' bedroom and found several sheets of fine paper on the bedside table. Unaware of their importance, she tore them into tiny pieces and stuffed her case.

        Unfortunately, those papers contained her father's important speech for the Port Authority. When he discovered his speech was missing and then found out Kezia had torn it up, he was furious. Despite her innocent intentions and her explanation that it was for his birthday surprise, her father didn't understand her motive and punished her severely by hitting her palms with a ruler. Thus, her well-intentioned effort to please him ended up causing him great displeasure and her a painful experience.

2. **Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers”. What kind of father was Mr Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?**

    * **Answer:** Mr. Macdonald, their next-door neighbor, was a loving, playful, and joyful father. Kezia often saw him playing 'tag' with his five children in the evening. He would have the baby, Mao, on his shoulders, and his two little girls hanging onto his coat pockets, running around the flower-beds, laughing. He was affectionate and engaged with his children in a fun-loving manner.

        Kezia's father, in stark contrast, was strict, stern, and undemonstrative. He rarely played with Kezia or showed affection openly. He usually appeared tired and irritable after work and expected quiet and obedience. While Mr. Macdonald created an atmosphere of fun and laughter, Kezia's father's presence often brought fear and silence. This observation led Kezia to conclude that fathers could indeed be very different from one another.

3. **How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?**

    * **Answer:** Kezia begins to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy after an incident where she has a nightmare. When she screams in fear, her father comes to her room, carries her to his own bed, and comforts her. He tucks her in carefully and lies down beside her.

        As she snuggles close to him for warmth and comfort, she feels his heartbeat and realizes that he is not a giant, but a man who works very hard and gets too tired to be like Mr. Macdonald. He too needs affection and understanding. When he falls asleep before her, she feels a sense of protectiveness and sympathy for him. This moment helps her see beyond his stern exterior to the tired, caring person underneath, thus changing her perception of him from a figure of fear to a human being deserving of her sympathy and love.

**Thinking about Language**

**I. Look at the following sentence.**

* There was a **glad sense of relief** when she heard the noise of the carriage growing fainter...

    Here, ‘glad’ means happy about something. ‘Glad’, ‘happy’, ‘pleased’, ‘delighted’ are synonyms (words or phrases that have nearly the same meaning.) However, they express happiness in different degrees.

    1. **Use an appropriate word from the synonyms given above in the following sentences. Clues are given in brackets.**

        * (i) She was **glad** by the news of her brother’s wedding. (very pleased)

            *(Correction: 'Pleased' or 'delighted' would fit "very pleased" better. "Glad" is more general happiness.)*

            * **Answer:** She was **delighted** by the news of her brother’s wedding. (or **pleased**)

        * (ii) I was **happy** to be invited to the party. (pleased and grateful)

            *(Correction: 'Pleased' or 'glad' fits this better.)*

            * **Answer:** I was **pleased** to be invited to the party. (or **glad**)

        * (iii) She was **happy** with the gift which she had wanted for a long time. (happy about something which has happened)

            * **Answer:** She was **happy** with the gift which she had wanted for a long time.

        * (iv) The coach was **pleased** with his performance. (satisfied about something)

            * **Answer:** The coach was **pleased** with his performance.

    2. **Study the use of the word ‘big’ in the following sentence.**

        * He was so **big** — his hands and his neck, especially his mouth…

        Here, ‘big’ means large in size.

        Now, consult a dictionary and find out the meaning of ‘big’ in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

        * (i) You are a **big** girl now. *older*

        * (ii) Today you are going to take the **big** decision of your career. **Answer:** *important*

        * (iii) Their project is full of **big** ideas. **Answer:** *grand / ambitious*

        * (iv) Cricket is a **big** game in our country. **Answer:** *popular / significant*

        * (v) I am a **big** fan of Lata Mangeskar. **Answer:** *great / enthusiastic*

        * (vi) You have to cook a **big** for the party. **Answer:** *a lot / large quantity*

        * (vii) What a **big** heart you’ve got, Father dear. **Answer:** *generous / kind*

**II. Verbs of Reporting**

Study the following sentences.

* “What!” screamed Mother.

* “N-n-no,” she whispered.

* “Sit up,” he ordered.

The italicised words are verbs of reporting. We use reporting verbs to report what someone has said or thought. Here are some reporting verbs:

*agree, answer, argue, ask, complain, deny, exclaim, explain, insist, mumble, order, promise, recommend, refuse, reply, scream, shout, suggest, tell, whisper, wonder.*

Can you find such words in the story?

1. **Here is a list of reporting verbs. Read them aloud.**

    **(The list includes the verbs mentioned above.)**

2. **Underline the verbs of reporting in the following sentences.**

    * (i) "He says he will enjoy the ride," **replied** his father.

    * (ii) Father **mentioned** that he was going on a holiday.

    * (iii) "No," **said** the child, "I won’t."

    * (iv) She **told** him that she would not go to the park.

    * (v) I **wondered** why he was shouting.

3. **Some reporting verbs are given in the box. Choose the appropriate verbs and fill in the blanks in the following sentences.**

    *shouted, ordered, complained, told, asked, remarked*

    * (i) “I am not afraid,” **remarked** the woman.

    * (ii) The Lena **asked** her mother if she could go out to play.

    * (iii) The man **complained** that his car had been stolen.

    * (iv) The teacher **told** the children to keep quiet.

    * (v) “Let’s go for a walk,” he **shouted**.

    * (vi) The policeman **ordered** the thief to raise his hands.

**Speaking**

Form pairs or groups and discuss the following questions.

1. This story is not an Indian story. But do you think there are fathers, mothers and grandmothers like the ones portrayed in the story in our own country?

2. Was Kezia’s father right to punish her? What kind of a person was he?

    You might find some of these words useful in describing him:

    *undemonstrative, loving, strict, hardworking, responsible, unkind, disciplinarian, short-tempered, affectionate, caring.*

**(These are discussion questions, so answers will vary based on students' opinions and interpretations. The aim is to encourage critical thinking and sharing of perspectives.)**

**Writing**

Has your life been different from or similar to that of Kezia when you were a child? Has your perception about your parents changed now? Do you find any change in your parents’ behaviour vis-a-vis yours? Who has become more understanding? What steps would you like to take to build a relationship based on understanding? Write a paragraph or two to analyse these issues.

**(This is a personal writing task. Students are expected to reflect on their own experiences and relationships with their parents, drawing parallels or contrasts with Kezia's story.)