Snapshots- Chapter 5: Mother's Day

English
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Chapter 5: Mother’s Day

Class: XI
(Snapshots)

Exercise number – 1

Question 1

This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family. What are the issues it raises?

Answer 1

Mother’s Day is a humorous satire. The story is simple, yet it strongly criticises women’s position in the society. Our mothers & wives work hard daily, turning our houses into homes. They don’t receive any wage in return and have no weekends-off and work all day long, round the clock. We fail to realise the hard work they put in to make it all perfect for us. We take them for granted and don’t appreciate them or stop by to thank her. The story legitimately states that our mothers and wives have equal right to enjoy their lives, relax & deserve a lot of appreciation and acknowledgement. They sacrifice their whole lives while they are busy building ours’. Husbands stay busy at work and kids are occupied in their own lives. Amidst all of this, women lose their selves trying to contain our world.

Question 2

This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family.
Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine? How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?

Answer 2

The problems that the play raises are genuine. Mothers are degraded and even mistreated in a number of families. Even those mothers that are working don’t enjoy a place of respect or pride in the eyes of their families. The analysis of the issue by Mrs. Fitzgerald and the resolution suggested by her are the only efficacious ways for improving the state of the mothers. Mothers suffer because of their submissive and loving nature. In today’s age of women empowerment they shouldn’t submit to the troublesome demands of the family. Roughly treating them now and then is hundreds of times better than silently suffering and serving.

Question 3

Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message? Discuss.

Answer 3

Drama or theatre is an exemplary media to deliver social messages to the society. Today we are in the digital era; we have diverse kinds of media, print, electronic and cyber. Although, during the times when there were no TVs, the only media was theatre. Media not just reflects the society but also transforms a major part of the society if not whole. Jean Genet has made it very clear from his plays that the society resides on images. Hence, what we show affects the society at large. So, in Drama or Theatre, when the characters come alive and equivocally make their point in front of the whole society, they raise questions, very strong and vital issues are highlighted, which otherwise would’ve remained ignored. People pay attention to what is displayed and learn and not only do they relate but get emotional as well.
It is believed that in drama, comedy or humour is best equipped to mark an effect on the audience. Comedy does not stimulate the audience emotionally; hence, there is no subsequent purgation. Thus, the estranged audience is able to think logically rather than getting emotional and is able to infer what the dramatist has been trying to convey. Accordingly, it opens the mind of the audience & they begin to think about what has been portrayed in the story rather than associating themselves with the characters and reaching a catharsis.