NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Chapter 5 - Mother’S Day

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?

Ans: The play, written in the 1950s highlights the treatment of mothers, especially the fact that at that time, women were deemed inferior to men, even by their own kids. It throws light on how motherhood is a work of love and a mother should be treated equally in the family to the other members. The play is a protest against the inferior treatment of women in the family and demands that mothers should be seen as equal to their male counterparts while depicting the importance of the role they play in our lives. It forces the women to think and come out of the self-denial of their situation. 

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?

Ans: The difficulties raised in the tale are real, and we must pay attention to them. Mrs Pearson's main complaint throughout the novel is that her family does not spend enough time with her. The author has attempted to emphasize how lonely a lady can feel when her entire family leaves early in the morning to work, returns in the evening only to get supper, and then leaves again to socialize outside the home. They are uninterested in her. She creates the home without expecting anything in return. We don't realize that they, too, crave companionship and want to spend time with their loved ones. Mrs Fitzgerald, a determined lady from the neighbourhood who is also a fortune teller, assists Mrs Pearson by shifting bodies with her and dealing with Mrs Pearson's family in the play. She explains to the Pearsons that Mrs Pearson is a human after all and that she receives no credit or appreciation from her family members even after working. She doesn't cook dinner or iron the clothing, which makes George, Doris, and Cyril realize how reliant they are on Mrs Pearson. She is the only pillar in their lives who keeps everything in order and prepares everything for them before they even ask for it. Finally, the three feel powerless and find it impossible to cope on their own after such severe treatment and seeing Annie sitting back and not completing domestic tasks. They realize that without Mrs Pearson, their lives are incomplete. The decision was flawless and well-considered. The Pearsons required the hard treatment; else, they would not have grasped the error they were doing. After everything that happened, and after Mrs Fitzgerald and Mrs Pearson exchanged the bodies back to their original positions, Annie tells George, Doris, and Cyril to stay back and play cards with her, and she proposes that the kids do the cooking while she sits back and relaxes while talking to her husband, which the three happily agreed to.

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

Ans: Yes, theatre is an effective vehicle for communicating social messages. It's a fantastic platform for showing practically any problem and its solution in a matter of minutes. People have a close affinity with dramas and have been watching them for a long time. That is why television commercials are so well-known around the clock. The majority of them are emotionally invested in the protagonists. The theme's development usually leaves a message—sometimes evident and explicit, but most of the time indirect and implicit. The societal message of these plays appears to be derived from the characters' interactions and personality features. The triumph of evil over virtue is frequently depicted in an oblique manner. Dramas unquestionably have a vital role in bringing about social transformation. J.B. Priestly effectively uses drama to highlight the protest of a mother against her kids and husband. The drama “Mother” helps in expressing the familial issues and problems which are quite prevalent in our society but are barely spoken about. While doing so, Priestly also highlights the unconditional love of a mother and how it is unknowingly taken for granted.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 5

Significance of Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 5

Class 11 English Chapter 5 Mother’s Day is a beautiful play which signifies the importance and status of mothers in our society. It is important to understand the Chapter well in order to tackle the questions as they may be a bit tricky. But once the students have a firm grasp on the Chapter with the help of Mother’s Day Class 11 NCERT solutions, they are bound to score well. 

It is an important Chapter as it could play a pivotal role in the performance of the students in the subject and hence students need to study Snapshots Class 11 Mother's Day solutions thoroughly. Hence, paying attention to details of NCERT solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 5 is key. So download NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English snapshot Chapter 5 Mother’s Day to do well in exams. 

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Summary of the Story

Mother’s Day is a play written by J.B Priestley which narrates the importance of mothers in every household. The story revolves around Mrs. Pearson, a woman in her forties who wants respect and attention from her children and her husband. She is very hard-working and does everything for her family to keep them happy. Yet they do not seem to reciprocate and she is very disappointed about it. So she decided to stand up against it and visited her neighbour, Mrs.Fitzgerald, a fortune teller and magician to help her gain back her respect.

Mrs. Fitzgerald came up with a plan and told her to exchange their bodies and she as Mrs. Pearson would teach the Pearson family a lesson. Mrs. Pearson agreed on the condition that she would get her body back. Then Mrs. Fitzgerald went to the house as Mrs.Pearson and was smoking a cigarette when Doris, her girl, entered the house. She was a bit surprised but instantly ordered her mother for tea and her dress. Mrs.Fitzgerald refused immediately and demanded respect as she was her mother. She also scolded her for going out with Charles, which hurt Doris.

Then her son, Cyril came back home and got into an argument as he was surprised by the strange behaviour of his mother. Their mother scolded them and told them she deserved love and respect as she works hard for them every day.

Now the husband, George Pearson enters and is amused by her having a spout. He said he would have supper at the club and would not prefer tea. He was annoyed to hear his wife say there was no tea and he was laughed at in the club and he should not go there. He asked his son if that was the truth and Cyril responded in the affirmative reluctantly.

Then Mrs. Pearson came as Mrs. Fitzgerald and demanded to get her body back. The actual Mrs.Fitzgerald had already put things together and did as she promised. Mrs.Pearson got herself back as well as the respect from her closed ones as they had dinner together.

NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Mother's Day have all the exercises of this play covered.

NCERT Class 11 English Hornbill

Prose

• Chapter 1: The Portrait of a Lady

• Chapter 2: We’re not afraid to die…if we can all be together

• Chapter 3: Discovering Tut: The Saga Continues

• Chapter 4: Landscape of the Soul

• Chapter 5: The Ailing Planet: The Green Movement’s Role

• Chapter 6: The Browning Version

• Chapter 7: The Adventure

• Chapter 8: Silk Road

Poetry

• Chapter 1: A Photograph

• Chapter 2: The Laburnum Top

• Chapter 3: The Voice of the Rain

• Chapter 4: Childhood

• Chapter 5: Father to Son

NCERT Class 11 English Snapshot

• Chapter 1: The Summer of the Beautiful White Horse

• Chapter 2: The Address

• Chapter 3: Ranga’s Marriage

• Chapter 4: Albert Einstein at School

• Chapter 5: Mother’s Day

• Chapter 6: The Ghat of the Only World

• Chapter 7: Birth

• Chapter 8: The Tale of Melon city.

Important Points

• The play encompasses many relevant themes of the modern days. The play beautifully depicts the sacrifice, moral obligations, and the sense of duty that a mother has or is always expected from her.

• A recurring theme of the play is the depiction of the mother as a person with a moral obligation to serve other members of her family including the children and her husband.

• The play depicts the plight of a housewife who is expected to work throughout her life without receiving any appreciation and recognition for her hard work.

• In a sense, the writer compares the plight of a housewife to an underpaid domestic helper.

• The play also depicts the selfishness of the other members when they go out to have fun without ever asking their mother and wife about their interests.

• The character of the mother is depicted to have extreme tenderness, attentiveness, and promptness in serving them which also spoils them. 

• The play raises a number of important issues. The first and most critical requirement is a thorough comprehension of a housewife's role and responsibilities.

• The play raises some serious topics. The presentation is, naturally, entertaining.

• The playwright resolves the challenges in an innovative way. 

• He enlists the aid of Eastern magic. The casting of a magical spell aids in the transformation of personalities. 

• Mrs Pearson, who seems to have Mrs Fitzgerald's dominant and malevolent attitude, is now cruelly treating her daughter, son, and husband. Her harsh demeanour and commanding tone give them the impression that she is a formidable opponent.

• A heavy dose of realistic awareness shocks the privileged members back to reality. They offer to stay and assist with dinner preparations while the housewife speaks with her husband.

• Extreme methods must be taken in catastrophe mitigation, even if the answers to the challenges seem far-fetched and bizarre.

Solved Examples

1. What Was the Colour of the Dress That Doris Intended to Wear Before Going Out?

1. Black

2. Yellow

3. Red

4. Blue

Answer: (b) Yellow

2. In Which Year Was the Play Written?

1. 1950

2. 1948

3. 1960

4. 1955

Answer: (a) 1950