My Mother at Sixty Six – Kamala Das

Summary

In “My Mother at Sixty-Six,” Kamala Das describes a poignant moment when she realizes her mother’s aging and the inevitability of death. The poem opens with the poet driving to the airport with her mother, who is dozing in the car, her face pale and lifeless like a corpse. The poet is struck by her mother’s frailty and is filled with the fear of losing her. As they drive past trees and children playing, the vibrancy of life contrasts sharply with her mother’s aging. At the airport, the poet bids her mother goodbye, masking her sorrow with a smile. Despite her attempts to appear cheerful, she is deeply pained by the thought of her mother’s mortality.

Short Notes

• Theme: Aging and mortality.
• Setting: Inside a car, driving to the airport.
• Tone: Reflective, melancholic.
• Imagery: Pale face, dozing, corpse-like, vibrant trees, children playing.
• Symbolism: The poet’s mother’s face symbolizes aging and death; the trees and children symbolize life and vitality.
• Contrast: Between the mother’s frailty and the vibrant surroundings.

Questions and Answers

1. What does the poet compare her mother’s face to?
   The poet compares her mother’s face to that of a corpse, emphasizing her pale and lifeless appearance.
2. What emotions does the poet experience during the journey?
   The poet experiences sadness, fear, and a sense of helplessness as she contemplates her mother’s aging and the inevitability of death.
3. What do the trees and children symbolize in the poem?
   The trees and children symbolize life, vitality, and the continuation of time, contrasting with the mother’s frailty and aging.
4. How does the poet mask her feelings at the airport?
   The poet masks her feelings by smiling and pretending to be cheerful, despite feeling a deep sense of sorrow and fear.
5. What is the central theme of the poem?
   The central theme of the poem is the realization of aging and the inevitable approach of death, coupled with the poet’s emotional response to this realization.

Vocabulary to Include

These elements can be used to create reading comprehension questions, discussions, and vocabulary exercises for students studying the poem.

• Corpse: A dead body, especially of a human being.
• Frailty: The condition of being weak and delicate.
• Melancholic: Feeling or expressing pensive sadness.
• Poignant: Evoking a keen sense of sadness or regret.
• Vibrant: Full of energy and enthusiasm.
• Mortality: The state of being subject to death.
• Mask: To conceal one’s true feelings or intentions.
• Inevitability: The quality of being certain to happen.

Detailed Questions and Answers

1. Describe the emotions and thoughts that the poet experiences as she looks at her mother in the car. How does the poet convey these feelings through imagery and tone?
   As the poet looks at her mother dozing in the car, she is overcome with a profound sense of sadness and fear. She observes her mother’s face, which appears pale and lifeless, reminiscent of a corpse. This stark imagery conveys the poet’s realization of her mother’s frailty and the inevitable approach of death. The tone of the poem is reflective and melancholic, highlighting the poet’s inner turmoil and sorrow. The juxtaposition of the mother’s aging face with the vibrant scenes outside the car, such as the lively trees and children playing, intensifies the poet’s emotional response. The poet’s use of imagery and tone effectively communicates the deep emotional impact of confronting her mother’s mortality.
2. What significance do the passing trees and children playing outside the car hold in the poem? How do these elements contribute to the overall theme?
   The passing trees and children playing outside the car hold significant symbolic value in the poem. They represent life, energy, and the continuous cycle of time. These vibrant elements starkly contrast with the poet’s mother’s frailty and aging, emphasizing the inevitable progression of life towards death. The trees and children symbolize the ongoing vitality of the world, which continues unabated even as individuals age and approach the end of their lives. This contrast highlights the transient nature of human life and the poet’s recognition of her mother’s mortality. The imagery of the trees and children underscores the theme of aging and the poignant realization that life goes on, even as we face personal losses.
3. Examine the poet’s feelings at the airport as she bids her mother goodbye. How does she manage her emotions, and what does this reveal about her relationship with her mother?
   At the airport, the poet experiences a mix of sorrow and helplessness as she bids her mother goodbye. Despite her deep emotional pain, she manages to mask her feelings by putting on a smile and appearing cheerful. This act of masking her true emotions reveals her attempt to remain strong and composed in front of her mother, perhaps to avoid causing her additional distress. The poet’s struggle to maintain a facade of cheerfulness indicates the depth of her love and concern for her mother. It also reflects a sense of duty and responsibility to protect her mother from the poet’s own fears and sadness. This behavior highlights the close and caring relationship between the poet and her mother, marked by love, respect, and a desire to shield each other from pain.
4. Analyze the central theme of “My Mother at Sixty-Six.” How does Kamala Das use specific literary devices to reinforce this theme?
   The central theme of “My Mother at Sixty-Six” is the realization of aging and the inevitability of death. Kamala Das reinforces this theme through the use of vivid imagery, contrast, and symbolism. The imagery of the mother’s pale, corpse-like face powerfully conveys the poet’s recognition of her mother’s frailty and mortality. The contrast between the mother’s aging and the vibrant scenes outside the car—such as the trees and children playing—highlights the stark difference between the vitality of life and the approach of death. Symbolism is also evident in the portrayal of the passing trees and children, representing the continuity of life and the relentless passage of time. Additionally, the melancholic and reflective tone of the poem underscores the poet’s emotional response to her mother’s aging, enhancing the thematic depth. Through these literary devices, Das effectively communicates the poignant and universal experience of confronting the aging and mortality of loved ones.
5. Reflect on the significance of the poem’s title, “My Mother at Sixty-Six.” How does the title encapsulate the essence of the poem?
   The title “My Mother at Sixty-Six” encapsulates the essence of the poem by highlighting the specific moment in time when the poet is struck by her mother’s aging. The mention of the mother’s age—sixty-six—serves as a poignant marker of the passage of time and the inevitable progression towards old age and mortality. It sets the stage for the poet’s introspective journey and emotional response as she confronts her mother’s frailty. The title emphasizes the personal and intimate nature of the poet’s reflection, focusing on a particular age that signifies a significant stage in her mother’s life. It encapsulates the core theme of the poem, which revolves around the realization of aging, the fear of losing a loved one, and the emotional impact of witnessing the inevitable decline that comes with age. By using the mother’s age in the title, Kamala Das underscores the personal and universal resonance of the poem’s theme.
6. What initial scene does the poet describe in the car, and how does it set the tone for the rest of the poem?
   The poet describes her mother dozing off in the car, with her face looking pale and lifeless like that of a corpse. This initial scene sets a melancholic and reflective tone for the poem, highlighting the theme of aging and mortality.
7. How does the poet’s description of her mother’s face reflect her feelings about her mother’s aging?
   The poet’s description of her mother’s face as pale and corpse-like reflects her fear and sadness about her mother’s aging and the inevitability of death. It indicates the poet’s realization of her mother’s frailty and her own helplessness in the face of time.

Stanza 1

Driving from my parent’s home to Cochin last Friday
morning, I saw my mother, beside me,
doze, open mouthed, her face ashen like that
of a corpse and realized with pain
that she was as old as she looked but soon
put that thought away, and looked out at Young
Trees sprinting, the merry children spilling
out of their homes…

Questions

1. What scene does the poet describe as she drives to Cochin?
   The poet describes driving from her parent’s home to Cochin on a Friday morning with her mother beside her, who is dozing with an open mouth and an ashen face.
2. How does the poet’s description of her mother’s face affect her emotionally?
   The poet’s description of her mother’s face as ashen and corpse-like fills her with pain as she realizes her mother’s advanced age and frailty.
3. What does the poet do to distract herself from her painful realization?
   The poet distracts herself from the painful realization by looking out at the young trees sprinting by and the merry children spilling out of their homes, symbolizing life and vitality.

Stanza 2

but after the airport’s
security check, standing a few yards
away, I looked again at her, wan,
pale as a late winter’s moon and felt that
old familiar ache, my childhood’s fear,
but all I said was, see you soon, Amma,
all I did was smile and smile and smile……

Questions and Answers:

1. How does the poet describe her mother’s appearance at the airport?
   The poet describes her mother’s appearance at the airport as wan and pale, comparing her to a late winter’s moon, emphasizing her mother’s frailty and aging.
2. What childhood fear does the poet experience upon seeing her mother again?
   The poet experiences the old familiar ache of her childhood fear—the fear of losing her mother and the associated pain of separation.
3. How does the poet manage her emotions when bidding farewell to her mother?
   The poet manages her emotions by masking her sorrow with a smile and cheerfully saying, “see you soon, Amma,” despite feeling deeply pained inside.
4. What is the significance of the poet repeatedly smiling as she bids farewell to her mother?
   The poet’s repeated smiling signifies her attempt to hide her true emotions and maintain a semblance of normalcy and cheerfulness, reflecting her inner struggle and the strong bond with her mother.

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