The Little Girl Flashcards
(11 cards)
In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to know her father better?
Kezia’s grandmother encouraged her to know her father better by asking her to go down to the drawing room and have a nice talk with him. She also suggested that Kezia should make a pin cushion out of a beautiful piece of yellow silk and gift it to her father on his birthday.
What did Kezia make as a birthday gift for her father? How did she prepare it?
Kezia made a pin cushion as a birthday gift for her father. She stitched three sides of the cushion with double cotton and stuffed it with pieces of paper she found on her mother’s bed table. Finally, she sewed up the fourth side to complete the gift.
Why was there a hue and cry in Kezia’s house at night before her father’s birthday?
There was a hue and cry because Kezia had unknowingly torn up some important papers containing her father’s speech for the court. She had used those papers to stuff the pin cushion she was making as a surprise gift for him.
Why was Kezia dragged down to the dining room at night?
Kezia was dragged down to the dining room at night to face her father, who was extremely angry after discovering that the important speech papers were missing and had been destroyed.
Why did Father come to Kezia’s room with a ruler?
Father came to Kezia’s room with a ruler because he wanted to punish her for tearing his important papers. As a strict disciplinarian, he believed in using physical punishment to teach children a lesson about respecting others’ belongings.
Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?
On her grandmother’s suggestion, Kezia decided to make a pin cushion as a birthday gift for her father, hoping it would please him. However, she unknowingly tore up the pages of his Port Authority speech and used them as stuffing. This made her father extremely angry instead of happy.
Do you think Kezia was wrong in tearing the papers of her father? What does it show about her character?
Yes, Kezia was wrong to tear her father’s papers because they were important documents. She should not have taken or used anything without permission. However, this also shows that Kezia was innocent and immature—she didn’t understand the seriousness of her action and was only trying to make a special gift for her father out of love.
Why did grandmother comfort Kezia after her father hit her with a ruler?
After Kezia’s father hit her with a ruler, her grandmother comforted her by wrapping her in a shawl and rocking her in a chair. She held Kezia close, gave her a clean handkerchief to wipe her tears, and spoke to her gently, helping her calm down and fall asleep.
How did Kezia’s birthday present for her father prove to be a disaster for her?
Kezia’s grandmother advised her to make a pin cushion as a birthday gift. Not finding anything else, Kezia stuffed it with some papers from her mother’s room, unaware that they were part of her father’s important speech. This led to a disaster when the papers went missing, and Kezia was punished.
Kezia in the story was afraid of her father because he never communicated with her. Imagine you are a parenting counsellor. Based on your reading of the story, write a paragraph advising parents to make communication with their children.
In the story, Kezia is constantly afraid of her father because he is always strict and never communicates with her in a warm or loving way. As a parenting counsellor, I would advise parents not to let their work pressure or personal stress affect their relationship with their children. Communication is key to healthy parenting. Parents should spend quality time with their children, listen to them patiently, and show interest in their thoughts and emotions. When children feel heard and understood, they are more likely to develop confidence, emotional intelligence, and a sense of security. A supportive and communicative environment at home helps children grow into emotionally healthy individuals.
Should the relationship between a parent and a child be distant and formal or close and warm?
In today’s modern context, the relationship between a parent and a child should definitely be close and warm. When parents treat their children like friends, it builds trust, respect, and emotional bonding. A warm relationship boosts the child’s confidence, helps them open up about their feelings, and strengthens their mental well-being. There should be no fear—only love, understanding, and mutual respect between parents and children.
