Mother's Day

 

Mother’s Day Summary – The play begins with two friends talking at Mrs Pearson’s house. Mrs Fitzgerald is telling Mrs Pearson’s fortune and advises her on it. Mrs Pearson goes about telling how her family members don’t value her and don’t appreciate whatever she does for them. She is available for them all time to receive order. Mrs Fitzgerald tells her to take her stand as the woman of the house but Mrs Pearson, being the sweet and innocent lady doesn’t want to bring her family any sort of discomfort. She continues to fulfill their demands because she doesn’t how to make them disciplined. Mrs Fitzgerald proposes a plan to switch their bodies so that Mrs Fitzgerald takes her place without her family knowing. Mrs Pearson hesitates but Mrs Fitzgerald convinces her for it. Mrs Fitzgerald performs her magic that she’d learned from the East and their personalities are changed. Now, Mrs Fitzgerald is actually in Mrs Pearson’s body and vice-versa. At this moment, Doris Pearson, daughter of Mrs Pearson enters asking for tea and ordering Mrs Pearson to iron her yellow silk. She gets shocked at the sight of her mother smoking and from there, the argument begins where Mrs Pearson insults Charlie Spence, the guy she is about to go out with. Doris leaves crying and Cyril, her brother enters asking for tea and something to eat. He too, is amazed at having come home to see that there is nothing to eat and no tea to drink. Upon asking if anything is wrong, Mrs Pearson tells him that she had never felt better. Cyril gets annoyed and Doris joins him where they are told that Mrs Pearson might even take the weekend off. Next, George Pearson enters the scene, shocked to see his wife day-drinking. He announces that he has some special match at the club and that he won’t be requiring any tea this afternoon. On being told there is no tea, he gets annoyed again. Mrs Pearson mocks him for getting annoyed at not getting something he didn’t actually want. She tells him about the names they call him at the club. She further taunts him that this would not have happened had he stayed at home once in a while. After a while, Mrs Fitzgerald enters.  She interferes in their family matters. George gets annoyed when Mrs Fitzgerald calls him by his name. But just like it had been happening all day, Mrs Pearson barges in to bring George on track. Doris enters the scene and she too, is not very pleasant to Mrs Fitzgerald. Mrs Pearson brings her on track too.

At this point, Mrs Fitzgerald (actually Mrs Pearson) loses her cool and asks the family members to excuse the two friends for a moment. She promises them that she knows how to make the situation better. Mrs Fitzgerald asks Mrs Pearson to switch their bodies and while Mrs Fitzgerald resists at first, but later she agrees to do it. They repeat the process they did in the first place. The real Mrs Fitzgerald now explains Mrs Pearson how important it is for her to be a bit dominating once in a while to establish her control and respect. The family enters and Mrs Pearson suggests that they play rummy and the kids make supper. Everyone instantly agrees and they are a bit relieved too. Mrs Fitzgerald exits and the play ends.

1. This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family.

(i) What are the issues it raises?

Answer.

The main issue raised by the play is that the lady of the house, who functions similarly to an axis, is never given due respect, especially if she is a simple housewife. The members of her family take her for granted. She is like an unpaid servant. The second problem is that the mistress of the house ought to be firm in her stance. Rather than surrendering meekly, she should be prepared to argue her case with tenacity.

(ii) Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine? How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?

Answer.

No, I don’t think it caricatures these issues, because the problems raised by it are genuine.

The play helps to solve these issues by showing the audience what tends to happen if the mother neglects her responsibilities.

Yes, I agree with the proposed resolution. Every member of the family should spend some time with the angel who has brought so much colour to the family.

2. If you were to write about these issues today what are some of the incidents, examples and problems that you would think of as relevant?

Answer.

If I were to start writing about certain current issues, I wouldn’t have to go far looking for examples. The same thing happens in my house. We are three brothers and a sister who are all in school. My father is employed. My mother gets up early in the morning to prepare four breakfast sets and tiffins. We take our time getting ready, but if there is even a 5-second delay on my mother’s part, we all bring the roof down. The same ritual is performed in the evening. Mother gets up before the rest of us and goes to bed after the rest of us. Her presence had been taken for granted by all of us. My grandmother became ill one day, and my mother had to leave for two days. Without her, the entire house appeared to have been hit by a tornado. We all decided to wait for her as if we were expecting a miracle to occur. When she eventually appeared, we all breathed a sigh of relief and vowed never to underestimate her.

3. Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message? Discuss

Answer.

Yes, drama is an effective medium for communicating a social message. It is an excellent platform for displaying most such problems and solutions in a matter of minutes. People have a great attachment to dramas and are likely to remember them for a long time. Dramas undoubtedly play a significant role in bringing about social change.

1. Write about the relationship between Mrs. F and Mrs. P which forced Mrs. F to help Mrs. P.

Mrs. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Pearson were neighbors and good friends too. Like other ladies they share their joys and sorrows. This sharing made Mrs. F about Mrs. P sorrows and weaknesses which pinched Mrs. F a lot Mrs. F makes up her mind to help Mrs. P in family affairs. It was not possible to set the things right, therefore both of them exchanged their bodies and it was a child’s play for Mrs. F. Later Mrs. F as Mrs. P sets Mrs. P’s family affairs in her own way.

 2. Comment on the contrast characters of Mrs. F and Mrs. P.

Mrs F is older, heavier and strong and sinister personality. On the other hand Mrs. P is a pleasant but worried looking woman in forties. Both are working opposite personality and they are different in their behaviour too. That’s why when Mrs. F settles Mrs P family affairs in an unpleasant way, it’ seems to be ironical and unbearable to Mrs. P. Though they are opposite in every respect but good friends indeed may be because opposites attract each others.

3. Express Doris and Cyril thinking and assumption about Mrs. F as Mrs. P.

Both of them faced a real set back when there was not even a tea for them. Moreover Mom was planning to go out for squal meal. They thought their Mom might have got hurt and became insane. That’s why she was doing such activities. They got annoyed when she carried on the same behaviour with their father too. They were in tears when actual Mrs P the real Mom entered their house. She was welcomed as never before as a saviour.