by J. B. Priestly
This satirical comedy, written within the Nineteen Fifties, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the standing of the mom within the household. It wittily portrays the response of the relations when the mom too calls for the identical sort of life that the opposite family members get pleasure from.
Concerning the creator
J. B. Priestly (1894-1984) John Boynton Priestly was an English playwright, novelist, display screen author and commentator. He was injured as a soldier within the first world battle and was a broadcaster in BBC throughout the second world battle. He revealed 26 novels amongst which ‘The Good Companions’ and ‘The Inspector Calls’ acquired worldwide recognition.
Characters within the play
Mrs. Annie Pearson -mother of Doris and Cyril
Mr. George Pearson – Mrs. Pearson’s husband
Doris Pearson – daughter
Cyril Pearson -son
Mrs. Fitzgerald -neighbour
Place -It is a one act play and the scene is the living-room of the Pearsons’ home in a London suburb.
Time: The Current
The story in brief-
The play begins in an autumn afternoon with Mrs. Annie Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald sitting in Pearson’s front room, the place Mrs. Fitzgerald is telling Mrs. Pearson’s fortune. She tells it might be good or dangerous relying on her actions. Mrs. Pearson is completely happy to have an actual fortuneteller residing subsequent door, and asks her whether or not she learnt it within the East (Asian nations). Mrs. Fitzgerald tells her that her husband turned a Lieutenant Quartermaster within the east the place they stayed for twelve years they usually learnt loads. She advises Mrs. Annie Pearson to be stern and take issues underneath management in her home as a substitute of being a doormat. Annie being comfortable natured doesn’t need to confront her relations. Mrs. Fitzgerald affords to deal with the state of affairs herself by switching our bodies by means of a magic spell that she learnt within the East. She takes maintain of Annie’s hand and chants some magic phrases after which their personalities change. Mrs. Fitzgerald who is definitely Mrs. Pearson provides a scream when she sees her physique. Mrs. Pearson who is definitely Mrs. Fitzgerald’s persona tells her to go to her (Mrs. Fitzgerald’s) home whereas she offers with the Pearson household.
Proper after her (Mrs. Fitzgerald’s, really Mrs. Pearson’s) exit, Doris Pearson enters and order’s her mother to convey tea and iron her yellow silk which she would put on for her date with Charlie Spence. She expresses her shock to see her mom smoking and telling her to do her work by herself. She tells her mom that she was drained after an extended day’s work. Her mother tells her that she put in double the hours of unpaid work day-after-day, and informs her which may exit for a meal at Clarendon’s. She says that Doris ought to discover somebody higher than the buck enamel, half-witted Charlie Spence. Doris is shocked and leaves the room virtually in tears. Simply then Cyril Pearson enters and tells mother to get the tea prepared and asks whether or not she had executed the mending. He tells her to snap out of her change and do the work quick as he was in a rush. Doris enters with a teary smudged face and her mother (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells her she regarded terrible. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) asks whether or not there was any stout beer left. She then shocks the kids telling them that she would fetch a drink for herself.
As their mom (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) leaves for the kitchen Doris and Charlie discuss her modified behaviour. Doris finds solace when she finds that her mother was not solely offended along with her, she wonders if her mother suffered a head damage and begins guffawing questioning what would occur when their father arrives. Cyril declares that he would keep to observe the drama from entrance seat.
When Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) arrives with a bottle of stout and a half-filled glass they couldn’t management their laugher in time. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells them to behave their age and share their joke along with her. When Doris asks her what she had executed; she tells them that they simply are available in and exit at their will (implying that they by no means trouble to consider her). Cyril tells her he would get one thing to eat. She tells him to assist himself and sips her stout, Cyril warns her it’s thick and powerful, and reminds her that he had labored all day. Doris tells her that she had labored for eight hours and Cyril too tells her to recollect it. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells them that she too has completed her eight hours of labor. Once they inform her it isn’t the identical, she tells them that from now onwards, it might be forty hours of labor for everybody within the household and weekends can be off even for her. She tells Doris that she would possibly make a mattress or two and cook dinner one thing if they’re extraordinarily well mannered, however they will’t count on to be served on a regular basis and he or she would possibly go off someplace to spend her weekend. Doris is aghast and begins crying.
George Pearson (Mrs. Pearson’s husband) a self-important character, enters and asks Doris why she was in tears. She tells him he would quickly discover out and runs away. George asks Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) what Doris meant by it, to which she says he ought to ask Doris and sips her stout. George asks her why on earth was she day ingesting and he was stunned at her behaviour. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him it was a very long time since he was stunned. George tells her that he wouldn’t need his tea as there was a particular snooker match on the membership. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him that there wasn’t any tea. George annoyingly tells her that he might need needed to have some tea. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him he can be laughed at if he went to membership bar and confirmed his displeasure for not pouring him a drink that he didn’t need. George tells her no one laughs at him. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him that he was one of many standing jokes and was referred to as Pompy-ompy Pearson. George is horrified and asks Cyril whether or not it was appropriate. Cyril says it was appropriate and George leaves the room in shock.
Cyril tells Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) that she had harm George’s emotions. She tells Cyril that it’s good to listen to the reality at instances and that George shouldn’t go to the membership so usually. She tells Cyril that he too was spending money and time unwisely on greyhound races and ice-tracks. At that second there’s a knocking and Cyril declares that the foolish previous bag from subsequent door had come. Mrs. Fitzgerald (really Mrs. Pearson) hesitatingly enters. She asks if the whole lot was all proper and Cyril says no. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) scolds him and tells Mrs. Fitzgerald (really Mrs. Pearson) to let her cope with her circle of relatives her personal means. Cyril tells Mrs. Fitzgerald to name him Mr. Cyril Pearson as a substitute of Cyril and goes to the kitchen. When they’re alone precise Mrs. Fitzgerald tells precise Mrs. Pearson that George had been instructed what the individuals on the membership name him. At that second Mr. Pearson enters gloomily and sits on the armchair. Seeing that Mrs. Fitzgerald (really Mrs. Pearson ) was watching him anxiously he disapprovingly asks her whether or not she was on a brief go to and Mrs. Fitzgerald (really Mrs. Pearson) says sure and calls him George. George is shocked. Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) tells him there was no hurt in calling him George as he was not the Duke of Edinburgh.
George will get offended and asks what the matter was, as she had not ready the tea made Doris cry and instructed him he was referred to as Pompy-ompy Pearson. Mrs. Fitzgerald (precise Mrs. Pearson) tries to protests however tempers fly and George and Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) have a verbal duel. Doris is available in and Mrs. Fitzgerald (really Mrs. Pearson) asks her if she was going out with Charlie Spence. Doris tells her that her mom had referred to as him buck teethed and a half wit, so she has referred to as it off. Mrs. Fitzgerald (really Mrs. Pearson) tries to protest however is stopped. A disagreement ensues between George and Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) and he or she threatens to slap him. Mrs. Fitzgerald (precise Mrs. Pearson) places her foot down and says sufficient is sufficient. She tells George and Doris to depart and guarantees to place issues proper.
Once they depart Mrs. Fitzgerald (precise Mrs. Pearson) strikes to a small desk and beckons Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) to sit down on the opposite aspect. She tells Mrs. Pearson (really Mrs. Fitzgerald) that she will’t stand it any longer they usually should grow to be their selves. Precise Mrs. Fitzgerald mutters’ Arshtatta dum—arshtatta lam—arshtatta lamdumbona…’ they usually turn into their unique selves.
Mrs. Fitzgerald tells Mrs. Pearson to not turn into comfortable once more. She warns Mrs. Pearson to not apologies or clarify issues in any other case all of the efforts will go waste. She advises her to be agency every now and then with the household, and tells her to ask her household to do what she needs and they might do it. She then tells the household to come back to the lounge. Mrs. Pearson tells Doris that as she was not going out, she and Cyril may put together the supper whereas she had a chat with their father. George agrees so does Cyril, Doris tries to say one thing however is spoken sharply by Mrs. Pearson after which she agrees fortunately. She bids goodbye to Mrs. Fitzgerald who needs her goodnight and tells her to have a great time. The household gathers across the mom and the curtain falls.
Theme
The theme of the story is the irritating lifetime of a girl as an unappreciated spouse and mom. The creator has successfully introduced ahead the precise standing of a housewife and a mom within the society. The household takes the mom’s sacrifices and efforts as a right, and treats her like a doormat. Her efforts to offer the household with a safe and comfy house is invisible to the household, who remind her of the work that they do at their office.
Message
The story creates consciousness among the many readers concerning the method through which moms are taken as a right in households. It provides the message that moms have to be appreciated, liked and revered for his or her priceless efforts. Moms kind the spine of the society. The work of moms and wives have to be acknowledged, and every member of the family should do their a part of family work to make life higher for the mom.
Query Solutions:
(i) What are the problems it raises?
Ans. The play raises a number of points concerning the standing of moms within the society:
Firstly, moms are taken as a right by the relations although they play the prime position within the growth of their youngsters’s future.
Secondly, the backbreaking work {that a} mom places in to offer a safe and comfy life for her youngsters goes unacknowledged within the materialistic society, because it doesn’t present any monetary returns.
Thirdly, moms and wives are taken as a right and are anticipated to be at service around the clock with none assist, show of gratitude or compensation for her sacrifices.
(ii) Do you suppose it caricatures these points or do you suppose that the issues it raises are real? How does the play resolve the problems? Do you agree with the decision?
Ans. I consider that the issues are real. The love and sacrifice of the mom just isn’t solely taken as a right however it’s anticipated that the mom will do it silently with out anticipating something in return.
The play raises consciousness concerning the ignominy and neglect that housewives are pressured to endure. The playwright offers with the intense problem in a humorous method. He makes use of Japanese magic to modify personalities of Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald to resolve the difficulty of confrontation with relations. Mrs. Pearson’s affection prevented her from being strict along with her relations. Mrs. Fitzgerald’s stern dealing with of the household as Mrs. Pearson dispelled their mis-beliefs about their very own social standing. In addition they realized the worth of the work that the mom put in to make their lives comfy.
Sure, the decision is efficient to some extent because the relations turn into conscious of the callous angle with which they handled Mrs. Pearson and attempt to rectify their methods to some extent. The readers too turn into conscious concerning the plight of moms on the whole and can hopefully attempt to enhance their interactions with their wives and moms of their lives.
2. In case you have been to write down about these points in the present day what are among the incidents, examples and issues that you’d consider as related?
Ans. The burning points in the present day are – gender disparity, monopoly out there, corruption, and introduction of AI resulting in largescale unemployment among the many youth.
Extremely expert youth are unemployed or under-employed as bulk of the work is completed by AI within the latest instances. For instance, there may be extreme under-employment amongst pc engineers who’re working for greater than twelve hours and receiving minimal wages which goes down yearly.
3. Is drama a great medium for conveying a social message? Focus on.
Ans. Drama is one of the simplest ways to create social consciousness concerning burning points. As individuals hear the dialogues and see the characters show their emotions, they will affiliate the issues with people who they face in actual life. As they really feel related with the problems, they get the message and turn into proactive in making an attempt to rectify the issues. For instance, the younger youngsters who take their mom’s love as a right, and consider their well-meaning recommendation as interference, will start to understand their mom’s contribution of their character growth.
Further questions
Q. ‘Then let me do it.’ Who says this to whom and why?
Ans. Mrs. Fitzgerald says these phrases to Mrs. Annie Pearson her neighbour.
She says so as a result of Mrs. Pearson needed to find out about her future as she was taken as a right in her household and uncared for by her relations. Mrs. Pearson being comfortable natured was not in a position to assert her significance within the household, due to this fact; Mrs. Fitzgerald provided to assist her out by reworking their our bodies by means of magic and coping with the household in a stern method.
Q. What surprising modifications did Cyril and Doris observe of their mom? What did they suppose was the explanation behind this sudden change?
Ans. The kids have been shocked to see that there was a drastic change of their mom’s behaviour. She had not ready tea, nor had she ironed the garments, she was smoking and even began to drink stout throughout daytime. She retorted in a pointy method to their calls for and instructed them that she labored twenty-four hours all year long with out receiving the least gratitude for it.
The sudden change in Mrs. Pearson’s behaviour being uncommon for her character shocked the kids. They thought that she should have knocked her head someplace and suffered a concussion which affected her mind.
Q. What was Mrs. Pearson’s response when the kids reminded her of their eight-hour work schedule. How did she plan to spend her future?
Ans. In response Mrs. Pearson reminded them that she was accessible for service twenty-four hours all year long. Sooner or later she would work for less than eight hours and take the weekends off. She would possibly do some fundamental work if requested in a well mannered method.
Q. Examine and distinction the personalities of Mrs. Fitzgerald and Mrs. Pearson.
Ans. The personalities of the 2 girls are poles aside. Whereas Mrs. Fitzgerald is assertive, assured, dominating, clever, well-travelled with data about magic, Mrs. Pearson is submissive, comfortable spoken and affectionate in direction of her household. She is handled like a doormat by her relations however is unable to specific her emotions or protest, as she doesn’t need to harm her relations.
Mrs. Fitzgerald being a useful neighbour, takes the onus on herself to self-discipline the relations of the Pearson family in order that they deal with Mrs. Pearson in a greater method. Via magic they interchange their our bodies and Mrs. Fitzgerald enters Mrs. Pearson’s physique and vice-versa. Mrs. Fitzgerald as Mrs. Pearson offers with the relations in a stern method and exhibits them their place within the family. She tells them she too can be working forty hours per week and taking weekends off. Mrs. Fitzgerald additionally helps Mr. Pearson understand that he’s ridiculed behind his again on the membership and may spend extra time along with his household who actually love him.
Being overly involved Mrs. Pearson in Mrs. Fitzgerald’s physique involves see how issues are going and is appalled by the situation of her relations after the strict dealing with by precise Mrs. Fitzgerald. She calls for that they change their our bodies in order that she may deal with the household. Mrs. Fitzgerald hesitatingly agrees and tells her to not apologies or clarify something in any other case she would once more be ill-treated by her relations.
Q. Do you suppose Mrs. Pearson was accountable to some extent for the behaviour the that relations meted out to her?
Ans. Sure, I do consider that Mrs. Pearson’s extraordinarily comfortable natured strategy in direction of her relations was accountable to some extent for his or her ungrateful behaviour. Had she not tolerated their calls for and asserted her place within the household, they’d not have handled her like filth anticipating her to be at their service around the clock with out receiving even the slightest gratitude in return. Nonetheless, social conventions are accountable to a big extent for Mrs. Pearson’s submissive nature. The society expects a mom to be giving on a regular basis with none compensation. The playwright has tried to convey up this very problem by means of this play so that individuals turn into conscious concerning the plight of mom’s and deal with them with the love that they deserve.
Q. How have been Mrs. Pearson’s relations ungrateful to her?
Ans. Doris, Cyril and Mr. George Pearson are all self-centered of their angle and actions. Doris is available in and calls for tea and asks her mom to iron her yellow costume. Cyril too is amazed that she had not ready tea and stored his costume prepared. George tells her that doesn’t need any tea, however is offended that she had not ready it in case he needed it. Cyril and Doris remind her that they must work for eight hours. They take her service as a right and deal with her like filth. They don’t worth her emotions however are simply harm once they must confront the reality about their very own selves. Mrs. Fitzgerald’s harsh therapy within the garb of Mrs. Pearson makes them worth her efforts and they’re completely happy to assist out with the family duties on the finish of the play.
Q. ‘Mom’s Day’ is a satire laced with humour. Focus on.
Ans. The playwright has superbly blended satire with humour to tackle the difficulty of gender roles and social-norms which adversely have an effect on the place of a mom within the household. The women swap their our bodies in order that Mrs. Fitzgerald can cope with the relations in her personal stern method. Her contrasting behaviour leads to confusion and hilarious interactions. The satirical play offers with the intense problem in a humorous means which makes it each satisfying and efficient in producing consciousness among the many individuals.
