Introduction
CBSE NCERT Notes for Class 10 English (Poem) Chapter 6 – Amanda!
The 6th chapter of the CBSE Class 10 English First Flight book is devoted to a single poem. Amanda! is a poem written by Robin Klein. We have included a synopsis of the poem with a full explanation for pupils who are having difficulty comprehending its content. Students may easily comprehend Amanda! Poem after reading it. These English notes will assist pupils in adequately preparing for their board examinations. Additionally, students may consult the summary for rapid review.
CBSE Class 10 English notes will assist students in studying the topic thoroughly and clearly.
These CBSE Class 10 English notes were written by subject experts who made the study material very basic, both in terms of language and format.
STANZA 1
Don’t bite your nails, Amanda!
Don’t hunch your shoulders, Amanda!
Stop that slouching and sit up straight,
Amanda!
EXPLANATION
Amanda, a small child, is reprimanded and instructed for her actions in these lines. Amanda is advised to break the bad habit of biting her nails.
Amanda is also instructed to sit straight and without bending her shoulders, as her mother desires that she sit in the proper posture.
The final word, ‘Amanda!’, is preceded by a single exclamation point, indicating Amanda’s mother’s annoyance and frustration.
STANZA 2
(There is a languid, emerald sea,
where the sole inhabitant is me-
a mermaid, drifting blissfully.)
EXPLANATION
Amanda is absorbed in her imaginative world as her mother instructs her. She imagines herself to be a mermaid who lives alone in a beautiful green sea in her world.
She imagines herself as a mermaid, gliding through the sea’s gentle waves. She believes that life would be more peaceful and relaxing if she were a mermaid.
STANZA 3
Did you finish your homework, Amanda?
Did you tidy your room, Amanda?
I thought I told you to clean your shoes,
Amanda!
EXPLANATION
Amanda is being questioned about her work in these lines. Amanda’s mother is inquiring as to whether she has completed her homework and cleaned her room.
Additionally, Amanda is reminded that she was instructed to clean her shoes.
STANZA 4
(I am an orphan, roaming the street.
I pattern soft dust with my hushed, bare feet.
The silence is golden, the freedom is sweet.)
EXPLANATION
Amand is completely ignorant to her mother once again. Amanda is absorbed in her fantasy world. She imagines herself to be an orphan child roaming the streets freely.
She is not wearing shoes and is quietly tracing patterns in the soft dust with her bare feet. She adores the silence and the ability to create anything in her imaginative world.
STANZA 5
Don’t eat that chocolate, Amanda!
Remember your acne, Amanda!
Will you please look at me when I’m speaking to
you, Amanda!
EXPLANATION
Amanda is instructed by her mother not to eat chocolates in these lines. She is reminded that previously, eating chocolates had resulted in her acne (pimples).
Amanda, on the other hand, is preoccupied with her own thoughts and is therefore oblivious to her mother. As a result, her mother requires her to pay close attention to what is being said to her.
STANZA 6
(I am Rapunzel, I have not care;
life in a tower is tranquil and rare;
I’ll certainly never let down my bright hair!)
EXPLANATION
Amanda is still in her fantasy world. She now fantasises about herself as Rapunzel, a character from a German fairy tale who lived alone in a nine-tower castle.
As Rapunzel, she will be free of worry, and her life in the tower will be tranquil and serene. Unlike Rapunzel, she emphasises that she would never let her hair down or allow anyone to approach her in the tower.
STANZA 7
Stop that sulking at once, Amanda!
You’re always so moody, Amanda!
Anyone would think that I nagged at
you, Amanda!
EXPLANATION
Amanda is not responding to her mother’s instructions in these lines. She appears to be irritated by the constant instructions.
Amanda’s mother is pleading with her to cease being irritable and moody. Amanda’s upset behaviour, she stated, will demonstrate to anyone that she is disturbed as a result of her mother’s constant instructions.
Central Idea of the Poem
Amanda is a poem about the psychology of children. The poem talks of Amanda, a small child. Amanda is scolded and instructed on a regular basis, most likely by her mother.
However, Amanda is absorbed in her own world. She is completely oblivious to her mother’s words.
The poem then makes the point that parents must allow their children to develop freely. Constant reprimanding may have a negative impact on a child’s development.