CLASS X CBSE ENGLISH LITERATURE ...LONG QUESTIONS ...WITH SUGGESTED RESPONSES

 You have been asked to present an evaluation of the approaches of the mothers of both, the baby 

seagull and Amanda, towards helping their children. Write this presentation draft including your 

insights, in about 120 words, comparing the approaches of both parents.

You may begin this way:

One acknowledges that both parents, Amanda’s mother and the baby seagull’s mother both....however, ...

(Reference -Amanda! & His First Flight)

OR

(B) You have been chosen to address a student gathering from the neighbourhood schools, to speak on the resilience of human spirit required to transcend discrimination. Prepare the speech draft in not more than 120 words, with reference to the commonality of themes in Nelson Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and The Trees by Adrienne Rich.

You may begin this way:

Good morning, everyone. Today, I'd like to discuss two pieces of literature that offer a powerful insight into the resilience 

of the human spirit required to transcend discrimination.

You may end this way.

To conclude, I’d like to say that ...

Thank you

[A detailed discussion has been presented to allow for usage of content points as per 

individual choice. However, the final answer has to be a cohesive whole, structured in 

paragraphs , in about 120 words.]

The baby seagull’s mother:

The baby seagull’s mother, was a parent who wanted to better her child's life 

by pushing him out of his comfort zone and encouraging him to learn new 

skills. She believed that her son is capable of flying, even though he was

afraid, and tried to motivate him by showing him how much fun it could be. 

She also offered him scraps of fish to reward him for his efforts, which is truly 

a kind of positive reinforcement strategy.

However, the mother's approach also had some drawbacks. By constantly 

pushing the baby seagull to fly, she was putting him in danger and risking his 

physical well-being. She also didn't seem to acknowledge his fear and anxiety, 

which could be a source of stress for the baby seagull. 

Amanda’s mother:

Amanda's mother is depicted as a strict and critical figure who is presented 

as always correcting Amanda's behaviour, from her posture and habits to her 

academic performance and personal hygiene.

While her intentions may be good, her methods are shown to be ineffective, 

and in some cases, harmful. By constantly nit-picking Amanda's behaviour, 

her mother creates an atmosphere of tension and anxiety, which only serves 

to make Amanda feel worse about herself. This also causes Amanda to feel 

like she can never measure up, leading her to seek solace in imaginary worlds 

and fantasies.

The methods of Amanda's mother do not come across as conducive to 

achieving this goal. Rather than focusing on Amanda's strengths and 

encouraging her to develop them, she highlights her weaknesses and 

shortcomings. Amanda is thus, left feeling undervalued, which could have a 

negative impact on her self-esteem and mental health.

Comparison:

In comparison to Amanda's mother, the seagull's mother seems to be more 

attuned to her child's needs and abilities. She recognizes that the baby 

seagull is capable of flying and wants to help him achieve his full potential. 

However, she may not be taking into account his fears and anxieties, which 

can be just as important to his well-being as his ability to fly. In contrast, 

Amanda's mother seems to be too focused on correcting her daughter's flaws 

and may not be paying enough attention to her strengths and abilities.

Even though both mothers have good intentions and want to better their 

children's lives, their methods, in part, may be misguided or ineffective. The 

seagull's mother could benefit from being more sensitive to her child's 

emotions, while Amanda's mother could benefit from focusing on her 

daughter's strengths and building her self-esteem.