PUNISHMENT IN KINDERGARTEN - KAMALA DAS - BBA - SEMESTER - I - SUMMARY / QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 

PUNISHMENT IN KINDERGARTEN

KAMALA DAS

 SUMMARY

In the poem Punishment in Kindergarten, Kamala Das retains a childhood experience that was very difficult for her. She was scolded by her teacher for being separated from everyone else and her classmates also laughed at her that made her weep. The poem has been divided into three parts. In the first part, the poet examines how her teacher scolded her. In the second part, she retains her classmates laughing her making her to weep and in the last part she says that being an adult there is no requirement for her to memorize this experience.

 

The poet starts with the line "Today the world is a little more my own" that clarifies that she will discuss a previous event that was not wonderful for her. Then, she starts by portraying the day in her childhood (in Kindergarten) when she went to an excursion along with other students. The poet utilizes plentiful of images like a blue-frocked women for her teacher, throwing words at me like pots and pans, to make us to feel the intensity of teacher's words, the honey-colored for the day which was demolished by the cruel expressions of her teacher. While other students were fun and playing together, Kamala Das was sitting alone that was not loved by her blue-frocked teacher and she scolded her by calling her a peculiar child. The in the first part the poet portrays the day which was very charming and at last demolished by her teacher.

 

In the second part, the poet says when the teacher scolded her; other students who were tasting sugarcane began laughing at her. The children, as per Kamala are interesting creatures. They laugh at others' agonies and they did the same when she was scolded without acknowledging the amount she was harmed. Being harmed, she concealed her face in the sun-warmed hedge and smelt the flowers and the pain. The poet associates flowers with pain. I think she has attempted to compare her childhood and the flower which is very sensitive. Henceforth she presumably needs to convey that this event shook her guiltless childhood.

 

In the last stanza, the poet says that since she is grown up, the memory of that event has disappeared because that there isn't anything in her childhood to appreciate and craving for. She enjoys now found adult peace for example incidentally be saying over and over "No need to remember" her helplessness in failing to remember it is very noticeable. The memory has not disappeared yet very clear to her as she recalls very well everything of that day.

 

 

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

 

1) What does the line, “Today, the world is a little more my own” mean?
Ans: The poet who is currently an adult has acquired confidence and more prominent command over her life. She is currently happy with her life. She experiences acquired an adult peace of mind. Painful incidents in childhood don't hurt any more. There is nobody like the old teacher who can hurt her due to her adult perspective.

 

2) Who was the blue-frocked woman? Why does the poet remember her?
Ans: A teacher was the blue-frocked woman who scolded the narrator for not playing with other children. The poet remembers her because she insulted her with harsh words which put a deep cut on her heart.

 

3) What hurts more physical punishment or harsh words?
Ans: The physical pain caused by a physical punishment heals over time, but harsh words make a more profound cut. Words can make someone extremely upset. They can make profound hurt that doesn't heal up rapidly. In this manner, harsh words I think hurt more than physical punishment.

 

4) Why did the other children laugh at the poet?

And: The other children laughed at the poet in merriment. They enjoyed when the teacher scolded the poet.

 

5)  Why do you think the words of the blue rocked woman are muffled now?

Ans: The years have diluted the intensity of the pain and the adult narrator is able to recount the incident with an “adult peace”. The years have decreased the power and cruelty of the destructive incident. Time and an adult perspective have healed the hurt. The angry Words and laughing faces are ambiguous and hazy.

 

6) How different is the world today to the poet?

Ans: The poet is currently an adult and experiences acquired an adult peace of mind. Painful incidents in childhood don't hurt any more. She has now acquired confidence and greater command over her life.

 

7) How many speaking voices are there in the poem?

Ans: There are two speaking voices are there in the poem, one of an adult and the other of child

 

8) The poem moves through two time zones which are they?

Ans: The poem moves through the past and present are the two time zones.

 

9) Why did the teacher scold the child?

Ans: The teacher scolded the child because the child sat alone without joining the playing schoolmates.

 

10) To what is the teacher’s scolding words compared?

Ans: The teacher scolding words are compared to pans and pots which when thrown make a lot of noise.

 

11) What were the teacher’s angry words to the child?

Ans: The teacher called the child peculiar for not joining her schoolmates having fun.

 

12) Why does the narrator say, “No need to remember the pain”?

Ans: The narrator who is now an adult is able to look back on the pain childhood incident with peace. Time and an adult point of view have healed the hurt.

 

13) Why is the day described as “honey colored”?

Ans: The day is described as “honey colored” because the day was sweet and peaceful before the teacher scolded the child.

 

14) What drained the peace of the “honey colored day”?

Ans: The teacher’s angry words drained the peace of the “honey-colored day”.

 

15) What were the schoolmates doing?

Ans: The schoolmates were sitting in groups on the lawn sipping sugarcane juice.

 

16) How did the schoolmates react to the teacher’s angry words to the child?

Ans: The schoolmates laughed in merriment at the child’s tears when the schoolmates react to the teacher’s angry words to the child.

 

17) What did the child do to cover up her hurt and pain?

Ans: The child buried her face in the sun-warmed hedge to cover up her hurt and pain.

 

18) What added to the hurt inflicted by the teacher?

Ans: The ridiculing laughter of the schoolmates added to the hurt.

 

19) What are the phrases used by the poet to express the healing power of time reducing the hurt caused by the childhood incident?

Ans: The angry words of the teacher are “muffled now” and the “laughing faces” of the schoolmates “only a blur”

 

20) What metaphor does the poet use to describe life?

Ans: The poet describes life as a journey with “beloved halts” and incidents.

 

21) What do you understand by the phrase “adult peace”?

Ans: The phrase “adult peace” means the child is now an adult and has gained an adult peace of mind. Painful incidents in childhood do not hurt any more.

 

22) How was the child different from her schoolmates?

Ans: Unlike the schoolmates who loved to play, she preferred to be alone.

 

23) Why the sun describes as “steel-white”?

Ans: The sun is steel white because it seems to be harsh and cruel to the child due to the heat and also the harsh and cruel behaviour of the teacher and schoolmates.

 

24) Why are the children called funny?

Ans: The children are called funny because they laugh at other’s tears.

PARAGRAPH QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

1) Describe the painful, incident the child experienced in kindergarten?

Ans: On a lovely peaceful day, the kindergarten children were out on a picnic. The adult narrator recalls this event which occurred during her childhood. Though the wide range of various children tasted, sugarcane squeeze and having a great time, the kid was sitting alone and aside from the others. The blue-frocked teacher who saw this noticed scolded the child and called her peculiar for not joining others in their good times. On seeing this other children laughed at her and her tears. Incapable to bear the disgrace and shame, the child covered her head in the support. The hurt and the pain of that day waited in the mind of a child. Presently, the years have weakened the power of the pain and the adult narrator can relate the episode with an "adult peace".

 

2) What do you understand about the character of the child in the poem?

Ans: The character of the child in the poem is exceptionally shy, sensitive and modest. This is obvious from the manner in which she responded to the teacher's furious words. She is effortlessly hurt and cries for the smallest reason. At the point when the teacher scolded her within the sight of classmates, she was unable to bear it. She needed to hide away and covered her face in the nearby hedge. She was a loner and liked to be distant from everyone else. The way that she conveyed the scar of that occurrence into her adult life shows how sensitive she was. She was exceptional as the teacher called her since she didn't enjoy in the typical pointless fooling around games children loved.