1. How does the speaker introduce herself?
Answer: The speaker introduces herself as an ordinary woman whose creativity is confined to her home and children.
2. Why does the woman call herself ordinary?
Answer: The woman considers herself ordinary because her life revolves around mundane household tasks and responsibilities.
3. What is the woman’s creativity confined to?
Answer: The woman’s creativity is confined to managing her home and children, doing tasks like arranging carpets, curios, and tying shoelaces.
4. Why does the sensitivity of the woman suffer?
Answer: The woman’s sensitivity suffers because of the silent emotional blows she endures in her long marriage, making her emotions harden.
5. How long has the woman been enduring her struggles?
Answer: The woman has been enduring her struggles for a decade, as mentioned in the poem.
6. Why is the woman unable to express her anguish (distress) ?
Answer: The woman is unable to express her anguish because she feels trapped and silenced, with her soul metaphorically flapping into silence.
7. What does the poet mean by “hardening to a tortoise shell”?
Answer: The poet means that the woman’s emotional sensitivity has become tough and resilient over time, just like a tortoise’s protective shell.
8. What tag is attached to the woman in the poem?
Answer: The tag attached to the woman is that of being “ordinary,” binding her to the expectations of home and children.
9. What jobs does the woman associate herself with?
Answer: The woman associates herself with household chores such as arranging items in the house, labeling books, and tying children’s shoelaces.
10. How does the woman suggest she might become extraordinary?
Answer: The woman suggests she might become extraordinary, but at the cost of shedding “a few sad, dry tears” that might dare to break through her emotional shell.
11. What does the poet mean by “my soul entrapped”?
Answer: The poet implies that the woman feels trapped within her role and responsibilities, unable to express her true emotions or desires.
12. How does the poem reflect the plight of housewives in general?
Answer: The poem reflects the emotional and mental struggles many housewives face, feeling confined to household duties and unable to express their creativity or individuality.
13. How does the woman describe her daily life in the poem?
Answer: The woman describes her daily life as being filled with monotonous tasks, like juxtaposing carpets and curios, tying shoelaces, and being emotionally hardened by routine.
14. Do you think the woman becomes rebellious at the end of the poem?
Answer: Yes, in the last stanza, the woman hints at rebellion, suggesting that her tears might crack through her hardened exterior, symbolizing a desire to break free.
15. What is the main theme of the poem?
Answer: The main theme of the poem is the emotional confinement and silent suffering of an ordinary woman, reflecting on the societal expectations and roles placed on women.
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