Question 1
How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?
Amanda is likely a school-going girl, around 9 to 12 years old. We can infer this because she is being scolded for things typical of that age group, such as:
- Biting her nails
- Hunching her shoulders (posture issues)
- Not finishing her homework
- Cleaning her room/shoes
- Dealing with acne (common in pre-teens/teens)
Question 2
Who do you think is speaking to her?
One of her parents, most likely her mother, is speaking to her. The tone of constant instruction (“Don’t do this,” “Did you do that?”) is typical of a parent trying to discipline a child.
Question 3
Why are Stanzas 2, 4, and 6 given in parenthesis?
These stanzas represent Amanda’s inner thoughts and daydreams. They are placed in parentheses to distinguish them from the external reality (her parent’s nagging). While her parent is scolding her in the other stanzas, Amanda mentally escapes to a fantasy world where she is free.
Question 4
What does Amanda yearn for? What does the poem tell you about Amanda?
Amanda yearns for freedom, silence, and solitude. The poem tells us that she is an imaginative girl who feels suffocated by the constant control and instructions of her parents. She uses her imagination as a defense mechanism to escape her reality.
Question 5
Amanda’s Fantasies (Metaphors)
| Fantasy Figure | Desire |
|---|---|
| Mermaid | To drift blissfully on a calm, emerald sea alone. Represents a desire for relaxing freedom and peace. |
| Orphan | To roam the streets barefoot and make patterns in the dust. Represents a desire to be free from parental rules and nagging. |
| Rapunzel | To live in a high tower where “life is rare and sweet,” without letting down her hair. Represents a desire for absolute isolation and safety. |