🌸 The Little Girl – Katherine Mansfield 🌸

🌸 The Little Girl – Katherine Mansfield 🌸

✨ Summary in Colour

Keiza (the little girl) was afraid of her father 👨‍👧.

He was strict, harsh, and unloving, so she thought him to be like a giant.

She longed for her mother’s care ❤️ but felt ignored by her father.

One day, her mother was hospitalised, and Keiza had to sleep alone with her father.

To her surprise, she realised her father wasn’t as cruel as she thought — he was tired, hardworking, and cared for the family in his own way.

The story shows the misunderstandings between parents and children and how love is sometimes hidden behind strictness.

📌 Word Meanings

Hue and cry – loud outcry.

Slip – a small piece of paper.

Nightmare – a frightening dream.

Laboriously – with great effort.

✨ Textual Question Answers (NCERT)

Q1: What did Keiza usually think about her father?

👉 She thought he was strict, harsh, and unloving. She feared his presence and considered him a figure of authority, not affection.

Q2: Why was Keiza scared of her father?

👉 His loud voice, strictness, and commanding nature frightened her. She felt uncomfortable around him and always tried to avoid him.

Q3: How did Keiza’s mother comfort her?

👉 Her mother told her that her father worked very hard for the family and that she should not be afraid of him, as he loved them in his own way.

Q4: What changed Keiza’s perception of her father?

👉 When her mother went to the hospital, Keiza had to sleep with her father. That night she realised he was not cruel but a tired man who loved and cared for her.

Q5: What message does the story give?

👉 It highlights that parents’ strictness is often misunderstood by children, and love can be expressed in different ways. Understanding removes fear and builds closeness.

🌸 20 Short Question–Answers

1. Who is the author of the story “The Little Girl”?
   👉 Katherine Mansfield.
2. Who is the main character in the story?
   👉 Keiza, the little girl.
3. Why did Keiza fear her father?
   👉 Because he was strict and harsh.
4. What did Keiza’s father usually do in the evenings?
   👉 Asked for his tea, newspaper, and slippers.
5. What did Keiza’s grandmother advise her?
   👉 To make a birthday gift for her father.
6. What gift did Keiza prepare?
   👉 A pin-cushion.
7. What mistake did Keiza make while preparing the gift?
   👉 She used her father’s important papers as stuffing.
8. How did her father react to the mistake?
   👉 He was angry and punished her.
9. What happened to Keiza’s mother?
   👉 She was taken to the hospital.
10. Where did Keiza sleep when her mother was in hospital?
    👉 With her father.
11. What did Keiza notice about her father that night?
    👉 He looked tired, worn out, and caring.
12. How did her father treat her that night?
    👉 He allowed her to sleep beside him.
13. What was Keiza’s final impression of her father?
    👉 That he was not cruel, but a loving man.
14. What does the story suggest about strict parents?
    👉 They may not express it, but they love their children.
15. What does Keiza learn about love?
    👉 That love is sometimes hidden behind discipline.
16. How is the father’s love different from the mother’s?
    👉 Father’s love is hidden and strict, while mother’s is soft and comforting.
17. What is the tone of the story?
    👉 Emotional, sensitive, and heart-touching.
18. What literary device is used when Keiza sees her father as a giant?
    👉 Imagery / Metaphor.
19. What change occurs in Keiza’s feelings by the end?
    👉 Fear turns into love and understanding.
20. What is the main lesson of “The Little Girl”?
    👉 We should try to understand our parents’ love beyond their strictness.

🌈 Theme

1. Parent-child relationship – strictness vs love.
2. Fear vs understanding – children often misjudge parents.
3. Realisation – strict parents also love deeply