Vitamin-M & I Cannot Remember My Mother

(i) Choose the emotion displayed by the Grandfather.
C. nostalgic

(ii) Grandpa hated the busy and noisy city life because ______.
he loved the peace and quiet of his small house in town.

(iii) Why did Grandpa come to the city despite his dislike for city life?
He slipped and fell in the garden and lay outside all night. There was no one to help him. So his daughter brought him to live with her.

(iv) Choose an expression similar in meaning to ‘you can even hear a leaf fall’.
D. pin drop silence

(v) State one advantage and one disadvantage of Grandfather living in the house in town.
Advantage: It was peaceful and he felt free. Disadvantage: There was nobody to help him in an emergency.

(i) Choose the tone of the Grandfather’s response.
C. calm

(ii) Why was Ravi confused and embarrassed?
Grandpa said that Ravi had disappeared. Ravi could not explain without telling that he had followed Grandpa.

(iii) Ravi’s mother was impatient because ______.
she thought her father had forgotten Ravi’s birthday.

(iv) Grandfather forgot that Ravi’s birthday was three months ago. True or false?
False

(v) Why did Grandpa say he didn’t know what kind of morning Ravi might have had?
He was teasing Ravi. He knew Ravi had spent the morning following him.

1. Give two evidences to disprove that Grandpa has a failing memory.
He remembers thousands of chess games of famous players. He also remembers his own birthday, which his daughter forgot.

2. Give two character traits of each character.
(i) Grandfather: independent and witty. (ii) Ravi: caring and loyal. (iii) Ravi’s mother: caring but anxious.

3. Why was Ravi worried about what Grandfather had at the tea stall?
Grandpa had sugary tea, bananas and ice cream. All these were banned for him at home.

4. Do you think it was easy for Ravi to follow his Grandfather?
No. He had to hide behind bushes and trees. A lady and the vendors scolded him, and he was thrown out of a ladies’ salon. He also had to jump onto a moving bus.

5. ‘Ravi is a good detective.’ Give one argument for and against.
For: He followed Grandpa secretly all morning, even onto a bus. Against: Everyone noticed him, and he was fooled by a cap.

6. Was Grandfather aware that Ravi was following him? How do you know?
Yes. He said Ravi “disappeared” and gifted him a detective book. He said it would teach how not to get fooled when trailing a suspect.

7. In your opinion, who needs Vitamin-M? And why?
Ravi’s mother needs Vitamin-M. She forgot her own father’s birthday.

8. Give an example where opinions were disregarded because of age.
At home, my opinion about where to go for a holiday is often ignored because I am young. Similarly, my grandmother’s views on new things are sometimes not taken seriously.

1. Two examples of alliteration.
(i) “my mother” (ii) “smell of the shiuli”

2. An example of onomatopoeia.
hum

3. The poem uses imagery extensively. Explain.
The poet uses sound (a tune, humming), smell (shiuli flowers, temple scent) and sight (the blue sky, mother’s gaze). These images help us feel the mother’s presence.

4. Although the poem does not rhyme, it is enjoyable because ______.
it has a refrain, gentle flow, vivid images and deep emotion.

5. What is the tone of the poet?
The tone is tender and nostalgic. The poet lovingly recalls his mother through small memories.

6. What impact does the title have on the mood?
The title creates a sad, longing mood. Yet the poem shows that he feels her presence all around him, which makes it touching.

7. The poet uses ‘I cannot remember my mother’ as a refrain because ______.
it stresses his loss and introduces each memory that brings her back.

8. Identify the symbols used in the poem.
The tune or hum stands for her love and care. The shiuli scent and temple service stand for her purity and devotion. The blue sky stands for her calm, protective gaze.

(i) The poet is reminded of his mother during his ______.
play

(ii) What is the primary emotion conveyed by ‘a tune seems to hover over my playthings’?
C. It activates memories of the mother.

(iii) What role does the hovering tune play during the speaker’s playtime?
It brings back the memory of the lullaby his mother hummed. It makes him feel she is near.

(iv) The poet experiences the tune only occasionally during playtime. True or false?
True

(v) How could the poet feel his mother’s presence, even though she isn’t there?
Through his senses — a tune, the scent of shiuli flowers and the calm blue sky remind him of her.

(i) What does the poet suggest about the stillness of his mother’s gaze spreading over the sky?
B. The sky is a symbolic extension of the mother’s presence.

(ii) What emotion does the poet associate with the ‘stillness’ of his mother’s gaze?
D. a sense of serenity

(iii) The mother’s gaze has a tangible and visual effect on the sky. True or false?
False

(iv) What is the purpose of likening the mother’s gaze to the sky?
It shows that her love is vast, calm and all around him, like the sky.

(v) The tone of the poet is ______ because ______.
tender and peaceful, because he feels his mother’s loving gaze watching over him.

1. What is the emotional impact of the refrain, ‘I cannot remember my mother’?
It makes us feel the poet’s sadness at losing his mother early. Each time, it is followed by a memory, which shows that she still lives in his heart.

2. Interpret the connection between the poet’s mother and (i) shiuli flowers (ii) humming tune.
(i) The scent of shiuli flowers and the temple service remind him of his mother’s fragrance and her prayers. (ii) The humming tune is the lullaby she sang while rocking his cradle.

3. What role does nature play in the poet’s memory of his mother?
Nature brings her back to him. The autumn shiuli flowers and the blue sky make him feel her presence.

4. What can be inferred about the poet’s perception of the mother–child relationship?
The poet feels that the bond between mother and child is deep and lasting. Even without clear memories, the child feels the mother’s love through the senses.