Class 11 English Snapshot Chapter 3 – Mother’s Day (J. B. Priestley) Short Question Answers

 

NCERT Solutions For Class 11 English

Snapshot

Chapter 3 – Mother’s Day (J. B. Priestley)

Short Question Answers

Question 1:

How do Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald differ from each other?

Answer:

The two ladies present a stark contrast. Mrs Pearson, a woman in her forties, appears pleasant but anxious, speaking in a light, flurried tone with a touch of suburban cockney. In contrast, Mrs Fitzgerald is older, heavier, and possesses a strong and sinister personality. Mrs Fitzgerald smokes, has a deep voice, and a rather Irish tone.

 

Question 2:

“I’m much obliged,” says Mrs. J Pearson. What is she grateful for, and to whom?

Answer:

Mrs. Pearson expresses gratitude to Mrs. Fitzgerald for predicting her fortune. She finds it fascinating to have a real fortune teller living next door.

 

Question 3:

What fortune does Mrs Fitzgerald predict for Mrs Pearson?

Answer:

Mrs Fitzgerald's predictions for Mrs Pearson's fortune are ambiguous. She suggests it could be either good or bad, emphasizing that the outcome depends on Mrs Pearson's decisions and actions. The fortune is contingent on Mrs Pearson's firm choices.

 

Question 4:

What problem does Mrs Pearson face, and who might be responsible for her situation?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson dedicates all her time and effort to serving her husband, son, and daughter. The thoughtless and selfish behavior of her family members, who go out every night, leaving her alone at home, is the root of her problem. Mrs Pearson herself bears responsibility for the ill-treatment, neglect, and lack of consideration shown to her.

 

Question 5:

What course of action does Mrs Fitzgerald recommend to Mrs Pearson to address the situation?

Answer:

Mrs Fitzgerald advises Mrs Pearson to make firm decisions and assert her position as the true mistress of the house. She encourages Mrs Pearson to take the initiative and let her family wait or look after themselves for once.

 

Question 6:

What difficulties does Mrs Pearson encounter while dealing with various members of her family?

Answer:

Despite her deep love for her husband and children, Mrs Pearson lacks the courage to openly discuss the problem with them. She drops hints but avoids unpleasantness. Her nervous and fluttering nature makes it challenging for her to initiate discussions with other family members.

 

Question 7:

“Then let me do it,” suggests Mrs Fitzgerald. How does Mrs Pearson respond?

Answer:

When Mrs Fitzgerald offers to handle Mrs Pearson's family and teach them proper behavior, Mrs Pearson becomes flustered. She thanks Mrs Fitzgerald but expresses concern that her family might resent being ill-treated by someone else and wouldn't listen.

 

Question 8:

How does Mrs Fitzgerald plan to deal with Mrs Pearson's family?

Answer:

Mrs Fitzgerald proposes a body-switching plan. They would exchange places, with Mrs Pearson taking on Mrs Fitzgerald's appearance and vice versa. In this way, Mrs Fitzgerald intends to address the issues in Mrs Pearson's family.

 

Question 9:

Why is Doris Pearson astonished upon returning home?

Answer:

Doris is taken aback to find her mother, Mrs Pearson, smoking and playing cards upon returning home. This unexpected behavior surprises and astounds her.

 

Question 10:

What are the two reasons that upset Doris Pearson?

Answer:

Doris is irritated because her mother hasn't ironed her yellow silk dress, which she needs to wear that night. Additionally, after a long day of work, Doris is upset that her mother hasn't prepared any tea for her.

 

Question 11:

How does Mrs Pearson counter Doris’s complaint about working hard?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson responds to Doris by asserting that she understands how much work Doris puts in. Mrs Pearson claims to work twice as many hours without receiving any pay or gratitude.

 

Question 12:

How does Mrs Pearson criticize Doris's choice of going out with Charlie Spence?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson questions Doris about choosing Charlie Spence, criticizing his appearance and intelligence. She suggests that at Doris's age, she should either find someone better than Charlie Spence or cease dating boys if there is no hope of success.

 

Question 13:

Why is Cyril Pearson annoyed with his mother? Provide two reasons.

Answer:

Cyril is irritated when his mother, Mrs Pearson, informs him that there is no tea because she couldn't be bothered. Additionally, he is upset that his mother hasn't taken out his things, nor has she mended them or expressed a willingness to do so.

 

Question 14:

“That’s a nice way to talk. What would happen if we all talked like that?” says Cyril. In what context does he say this, and what response does he receive?

Answer:

Cyril objects to Mrs Pearson's statement about not liking mending. Mrs Pearson counters by stating that everyone in the family talks similarly. If there's something they don't want to do, they simply don't do it. She adds that she has joined the movement and threatens to take two days off on the weekend.

 

Question 15:

How do Doris and Cyril react to Mrs Pearson’s inquiry about stout?

Answer:

Doris and Cyril are surprised and react with disbelief when Mrs Pearson expresses her desire to drink stout. This unexpected behavior raises questions for them, and they exchange notes regarding her behavior since their return home.

 

Question 16:

What changes in Mrs Pearson's behavior startle Doris and Cyril, and what reasons do they suggest?

Answer:

Doris and Cyril are taken aback when they observe their mother, Mrs Pearson, smoking and playing cards. They find her behavior strikingly different, and Cyril suggests that she might have gone slightly mad. Doris wonders if she has suffered a concussion from hitting her head.

 

Question 17:

How does Mrs Pearson teach her children to become responsible adults?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson scolds her children for their guffawing and giggling. She criticizes their lifestyle, emphasizing that they come in, ask for something, go out again, and return because there's nowhere else to go. She highlights that, like them, she has done her eight hours of work and threatens to take two days off on the weekend.

 

Question 18:

“But any of you forty-hour-a-weekers who expect to be waited on hand and foot on Saturday and Sunday with no thanks for it are in for a nasty disappointment,” says Mrs Pearson. How has she planned to spend the weekends?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson informs her family that if they expect to be waited on hand and foot on weekends without expressing gratitude, they are in for a disappointment. She suggests that she might do some cooking or make a bed as a favor, but only if asked very nicely and thanked for it. She contemplates going off for the weekend for a change.

 

Question 19:

“I’ll hit you with something, girl, if you don’t stop asking silly questions,” says Mrs Pearson to Doris. What 'silly' questions does she object to?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson objects to Doris's questions about whether she will go off for the weekend and where she would go and with whom. Mrs Pearson considers these questions silly and asserts that it's her business.

 

Question 20:

“Well, that ought to be a nice change for you,” says Mrs Pearson. What 'change' is she referring to, and how does George react to it?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson comments on the change in her style, referring to drinking stout at an unusual time of day. George, her husband, reacts with confusion and surprise, expressing his dislike for her drinking and considering it improper.

 

Question 21:

“Annoyed because I don’t get tea for him that he doesn’t even want,” says Mrs Pearson. What prompts her to make this remark?

Answer:

George Pearson, Mrs Pearson's husband, informs her that he doesn't want any tea because there's supper at the club that night. Mrs Pearson, hurt by his response, remarks that she wouldn't have prepared tea even if he wanted it.

 

Question 22:

How do you think George Pearson is treated at the club?

Answer:

Members of the club laugh at George Pearson, considering him one of their standing jokes. They mockingly call him "Pompy-Ompy Pearson" due to their perception of him as slow and pompous. George is unaware of this nickname and the jokes made at his expense.

 

Question 23:

What objection does Mrs Pearson have against George’s frequent visits to the club?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson questions why her husband, George, spends so much time at the club where people laugh at him and call him names. She is perplexed as to why he leaves her alone every night and suggests that going out with her wouldn't make him look foolish.

 

Question 24:

“Sometimes it does people good to have their feelings hurt.” Do you agree with Mrs Pearson’s observation?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson believes that sometimes hurting people's feelings can be beneficial, as facing the truth is a necessary experience. Whether or not one agrees with this observation may depend on individual perspectives on the impact of truthfulness and confronting reality.

 

Question 25:

Why does Mrs Pearson doubt the value of Cyril’s opinion?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson expresses skepticism about Cyril's opinions, stating that he knows little about worldly affairs. She criticizes his spending too much time and money on amusement shows like greyhound races, dirt tracks, and ice shows.

 

Question 26:

Why is George Pearson incensed at Mrs Fitzgerald’s utterances?

Answer:

George Pearson is angered when Mrs Fitzgerald addresses him by his first name and makes remarks like "Oh-dear-I ought to have known." He believes that she has no business interfering in their family affairs.

 

Question 27:

“Perhaps you’ll excuse us….” What lessons of civility does Mrs Pearson teach George Pearson?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson insists that George should be polite to Mrs Fitzgerald, addressing her as a friend or neighbor. She emphasizes the importance of politeness and requests him to greet Mrs Fitzgerald politely instead of entering and sitting down silently.

 

Question 28:

Why does Mrs Pearson threaten to slap her husband?

Answer:

George's angry reaction to being humiliated in front of Mrs Fitzgerald prompts Mrs Pearson to threaten to slap him. Her frustration at his shouting compels her to assert herself in response to his disrespectful behavior.

 

Question 29:

“Either I’m off my chump or you two are.” Why do you think George arrives at this conclusion?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson threatens to slap George, and Mrs Fitzgerald, in Mrs Pearson's body, moans and pleads with Mrs Pearson not to do so. Confused by the exchange and the sudden change in behavior, George concludes that either he is mad or both Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald are mad.

 

Question 30:

How is Doris taught a lesson in behavior?

Answer:

When Mrs Fitzgerald, in Mrs Pearson's body, mentions Doris going out with Charlie Spence, Doris becomes annoyed and retorts. Mrs Pearson scolds Doris harshly, instructing her to respond properly to Mrs Fitzgerald and warning her against behaving rudely with anyone.

 

Question 31:

How does the real Mrs Pearson learn about her daughter’s miserable state?

Answer:

In the swapped personalities, Mrs Fitzgerald, in Mrs Pearson's body, insists that Doris tell her how her mother has been criticizing her and making her miserable. Doris reluctantly reveals that her mother has been critical, making her feel miserable.

 

Question 32:

What forces the real Mrs Pearson to come to the conclusion: “That’s enough, quite enough”?

Answer:

The real Mrs Pearson, having the body of Mrs Fitzgerald, finds her harsh comments towards George, Doris, and Cyril offensive. She particularly objects to the comments about Charlie Spence. When Mrs Fitzgerald, in her body, is somewhat rude to George, the real Mrs Pearson reaches her limit and decides that it's enough.

 

Question 33:

What is Mrs Fitzgerald’s final advice to Mrs Pearson after reverting to their original personalities?

Answer:

After returning to their original personalities, Mrs Fitzgerald advises Mrs Pearson not to go soft on her family members again. She encourages Mrs Pearson not to explain or apologize, suggesting that she should occasionally use a look or a rough tone to convey toughness.

 

Question 34:

What would Mrs Pearson like the members of her family to do?

Answer:

Mrs Pearson expresses her desire for her family members to stay at home in the evening, lend a hand with supper, and engage in a nice family game of rummy. This represents a shift in dynamics, with Mrs Pearson asserting her expectations.

 

Question 35:

How does the stern treatment reform the spoiled children?

Answer:

Upon receiving Mrs Pearson's stern treatment, the children, Doris and Cyril, look apprehensive. However, when Mrs Pearson smiles, they reciprocate with smiles of their own. As they decide not to go out, Mrs Pearson suggests playing a family game of rummy, and the children comply, preparing supper obediently. The stern treatment results in a positive change in their behavior.