Mother's Day - Snapshots - Class 11 - CBSE English

According to Mrs. Fitzgerald, the duty of husbands, sons, and daughters is to appreciate and acknowledge the hard work that a mother puts into taking care of the family and managing the household. She believes that they should understand and value the mother’s constant efforts, and not take her sacrifices for granted.

1. “Mother’s Day” raises several issues related to the status of the mother in the family, gender roles, societal expectations, and the importance of recognizing and valuing the hard work put in by women in managing households. Some of the key issues raised by the play are:
   1. Undervaluation of motherhood: The play brings to light the tendency to underestimate the significance of the work mothers do as homemakers and caregivers, which is often considered less important than paid work.
   2. Gender roles and expectations: The play highlights the traditional gender roles and expectations that allocate domestic responsibilities to women and discourages men’s involvement in household tasks.
   3. Lack of empathy and appreciation: The play emphasizes the need for family members to empathize with the challenges faced by the mother and appreciate her efforts in maintaining a functioning household.
2. While the play uses humor and satire to present these issues, it does not merely caricature them; the problems it raises are genuine and resonate with many people who navigate similar family dynamics and societal expectations. By employing wit and exaggeration, the play invites the audience to reflect upon the absurdity of these longstanding expectations and imbalances within the family structure.
   
   The play resolves the issue through the role-reversal experiment, in which the mother, Mrs. Pearson, and her neighbor, Mrs. Fitzgerald, exchange roles. This transformation allows the Pearson family members to experience firsthand the challenges their mother faces, making them understand and appreciate her work. The resolution is effective in its immediate context, as it brings about an epiphany for the family members and reestablishes harmony.
   
   Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with the resolution, for not only did it provide immediate relief to Mrs. Pearson, but also set the stage for a more equitable and empathetic future for her. The resolution was simple and effective, for it taught Cyril, Doris, and George the overwhelming significance of Mrs. Pearon's efforts and the consequences of undervaluing them in one fell swoop.