NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Ch-12: Mother's Day
'Mother's Day' by J.B. Priestley is a humorous and satirical one-act play that explores family dynamics through a magical role-reversal, highlighting the under-appreciation of a hardworking mother by her self-centred family.
Overview of Topics & Subtopics
Important Questions and Answers
Q1: How is Mrs. Pearson treated by her family at the beginning of the play?
Answer: At the beginning, Mrs. Pearson is shown as an overworked, unappreciated mother who is taken for granted by her husband and two grown children, who expect her to constantly serve them without offering any help or gratitude in return.
Q2: What magical intervention does Mrs. Fitzgerald offer, and what does it accomplish?
Answer: Mrs. Fitzgerald, a neighbour who claims to have magical powers, temporarily swaps bodies/personalities between Mrs. Pearson and herself, allowing 'Mrs. Pearson' (now with Mrs. Fitzgerald's assertive personality) to firmly stand up to her family's disrespectful and demanding behaviour.
Q3: How does the family react to the assertive 'new' Mrs. Pearson?
Answer: Initially shocked and confused by her uncharacteristic firmness and refusal to cater to their every demand, the family members are eventually forced to take on household responsibilities themselves, quickly realizing how much they had previously depended on and undervalued her efforts.
Q4: What happens once Mrs. Pearson's personality is restored to normal at the end of the play?
Answer: Once the personalities switch back to normal, Mrs. Pearson's family, having learned a valuable lesson from the experience, begins treating her with newfound respect and appreciation, and are noticeably more willing to help her with household responsibilities.
Q5: What is the central message conveyed by 'Mother's Day'?
Answer: The central message of the play is a satirical critique on how mothers and homemakers are often undervalued and taken for granted by their families, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect, appreciation, and shared responsibility within a household.