NCERT Solutions for Class 10 English (First Flight) Poem 6: Amanda!

Complete solutions for Class 10 English First Flight Poem 6 – “Amanda!” by Robin Klein: an original summary, the central theme and message, word meanings, and every Thinking about the Poem question reproduced exactly as in the NCERT textbook and answered in full. We also add extra short and long questions, 10 MCQs with an answer key, 5 Assertion–Reason items and exam tips to help you score full marks.

Class: 10 Subject: English Book: First Flight Type: Poem (Poem 6) Poet: Robin Klein Session: 2026–27
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About the poet

Robin Klein (born 1936) is a popular Australian author best known for her writing for children and young adults. Born in New South Wales, she grew up in a large family and worked at many jobs before becoming a full-time writer. Her books, such as Hating Alison Ashley and the Penny Pollard series, are loved for their humour and their sharp understanding of a child’s inner world. In “Amanda!”, Klein speaks up for children by capturing how constant nagging and instruction can make a young person retreat into a private world of daydreams. The poem is gentle, witty and deeply sympathetic to the child.

Summary

“Amanda!” presents two contrasting voices in alternating stanzas. In the odd-numbered stanzas (1, 3, 5 and 7), an adult – most likely a parent – scolds and instructs a young girl named Amanda. She is told not to bite her nails, not to hunch her shoulders, to sit up straight, to finish her homework, to tidy her room, to clean her shoes, not to eat chocolate and to remember her acne. The orders pour out one after another, and each ends sharply with the girl’s name – “Amanda!”

In the even-numbered stanzas (2, 4 and 6), placed in parenthesis, we hear Amanda’s own silent thoughts as she escapes into imagination. She dreams of being a mermaid drifting blissfully in a “languid, emerald sea” where she is the only inhabitant. She imagines being an orphan roaming the streets alone, patterning soft dust with her bare feet, enjoying the “golden” silence and “sweet” freedom. She also longs to be Rapunzel, living a calm, carefree life in a tower, vowing never to let down her bright hair so that no one can reach her.

Each daydream is a wish for the very thing she lacks – solitude, freedom and peace. The final stanza returns to the nagging adult, who now accuses Amanda of sulking and being moody, and complains, “Anyone would think that I nagged at you, Amanda!” – ironically proving that the adult is indeed nagging. The poem thus reveals a sensitive child weighed down by constant control, who finds relief only in her imagination.

Theme & message

The poem explores the tension between an adult’s constant nagging and a child’s deep need for freedom. Through Amanda’s daydreams, Robin Klein shows that excessive instruction and criticism can crush a child’s spirit and push her to withdraw into a private fantasy world. The poem gently urges parents and elders to be less controlling and more understanding – to give children space to grow, breathe and be themselves. It celebrates a child’s imagination as a refuge, while quietly warning adults that endless faultfinding does more harm than good.

Word meanings

Word/PhraseEnglish meaningHindi meaning
hunch (your shoulders)to bend the shoulders forward and downकंधे झुकाना
slouchingstanding or sitting in a lazy, drooping wayढीले ढंग से बैठना
languidrelaxed, calm and slow-movingशांत, सुस्त
emeraldbright green (the colour of the gem)गहरा हरा (पन्ना)
sole inhabitantthe only person living (there)एकमात्र निवासी
mermaidan imaginary sea-creature: woman with a fish’s tailजलपरी
driftingmoving along slowly and gentlyधीरे-धीरे बहना
blissfullyin a state of perfect joyआनंदपूर्वक
orphana child whose parents are deadअनाथ
roamingwandering about freelyघूमना
pattern (soft dust)to make designs (here, in the dust)पैटर्न/आकृति बनाना
hushedquiet, silentशांत, चुप
tranquilpeaceful and calmशांत, शांतिपूर्ण
Rapunzela fairy-tale girl with very long hair, kept in a towerरैपंजेल (परी-कथा की लड़की)
let down (my hair)to lower one’s hair (here, to let someone climb up)बाल नीचे लटकाना
sulkingbeing silent and bad-tempered when annoyedरूठना, मुँह फुलाना
moodyhaving quickly changing, often gloomy, moodsमूडी, चिड़चिड़ा
naggedkept criticising or finding fault repeatedlyबार-बार टोकना
acnepimples on the skin (common in teenagers)कील-मुंहासे

Thinking about the Poem

The following question headings are reproduced verbatim from the NCERT First Flight textbook; the answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

1. How old do you think Amanda is? How do you know this?

ANSWERAmanda seems to be a young teenager, probably around ten to twelve years old. We can guess this from the kind of instructions she is given – to finish her homework, tidy her room, clean her shoes and sit up straight – which are typically given to a school-going child. The mention of her acne also suggests she is just entering her teenage years, when pimples commonly appear.

2. Who do you think is speaking to her?

ANSWERThe speaker in the odd-numbered stanzas is most likely one of Amanda’s parents – probably her mother – or another elder/guardian at home. The constant scolding about homework, room, shoes, nails, posture, chocolate and acne is the kind of nagging that a concerned but over-controlling parent would direct at a child.

3. Why are Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 given in parenthesis?

ANSWERStanzas 2, 4 and 6 are placed in parenthesis (brackets) because they are not spoken aloud – they are Amanda’s private, silent thoughts and daydreams. The brackets separate her inner world of imagination from the outer world of the adult’s nagging in the other stanzas, showing that Amanda has mentally drifted away from the scolding into a peaceful fantasy of her own.

4. Who is the speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6? Do you think this speaker is listening to the speaker in Stanzas 1, 3, 5, and 7?

ANSWERThe speaker in Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 is Amanda herself, imagining different free and peaceful lives. No, she is not really listening to the adult who is scolding her in Stanzas 1, 3, 5 and 7. Instead of paying attention to the orders, she has switched off and escaped into her own dream world, which is why the adult later complains that she is ‘sulking’ and ‘moody’.

5. What could Amanda do if she were a mermaid?

ANSWERIf Amanda were a mermaid, she could drift slowly and blissfully through a calm, green sea, completely alone and free. As the ‘sole inhabitant’ of that languid, emerald sea, she would have no one to nag or instruct her – she could move about peacefully and enjoy total freedom and solitude.

6. Is Amanda an orphan? Why does she say so?

ANSWERNo, Amanda is not really an orphan – she has parents who keep instructing her. She only imagines being an orphan because she longs for freedom from the constant control of her elders. As an imaginary orphan roaming the streets, she would have no one to scold her; she could quietly pattern the soft dust with her bare feet and enjoy the ‘golden’ silence and ‘sweet’ freedom she craves.

7. Do you know the story of Rapunzel? Why does she want to be Rapunzel?

ANSWERYes. Rapunzel is a fairy-tale girl with very long golden hair who was locked away in a tall tower; a prince climbs up by using her hair. Amanda wishes to be Rapunzel because she wants a calm, peaceful, ‘tranquil and rare’ life in a tower, far away from everyone. Unlike the original Rapunzel, however, Amanda declares she will never let down her bright hair – she does not want anyone (not even a prince) to reach her and disturb her cherished solitude and freedom.

8. What does the girl yearn for? What does this poem tell you about Amanda?

ANSWERAmanda yearns for freedom, peace, solitude and the right to be left alone, away from constant nagging and instruction. The poem tells us that Amanda is a sensitive, imaginative child who feels trapped and burdened by the endless faultfinding of her elders. Rather than rebel openly, she quietly escapes into a rich world of daydreams, which reveals both her unhappiness and her vivid imagination.

9. Read the last stanza. Do you think Amanda is sulking and is moody?

ANSWERNo, Amanda is not really sulking or moody. She is simply tired of being scolded again and again, so she has gone silent and withdrawn into her imagination. The adult mistakes this quiet, dreamy state for sulking and moodiness. In truth, the constant nagging is the real cause of her silence – the adult’s own complaint, “Anyone would think that I nagged at you,” ironically proves that Amanda is indeed being nagged.

Extra questions

Short answer (30–40 words)

1. Why does Amanda repeatedly escape into a world of imagination?

ANSWERAmanda escapes into imagination because she is tired of being constantly scolded and instructed. Her daydreams of being a mermaid, an orphan and Rapunzel give her the freedom, peace and solitude that she cannot find in her real, controlled life.

2. What instructions are given to Amanda in the poem?

ANSWERAmanda is told not to bite her nails or hunch her shoulders, to sit up straight and stop slouching, to finish her homework, tidy her room and clean her shoes, not to eat chocolate, to remember her acne, to look at the speaker and to stop sulking.

3. What is the significance of the green sea in Amanda’s daydream?

ANSWERThe languid, emerald sea symbolises calm, freedom and solitude. As its ‘sole inhabitant’, Amanda imagines herself drifting blissfully and completely alone – a peaceful escape from the crowded, controlling world where she is constantly nagged.

4. How does the poet show that Amanda is not actually listening to the adult?

ANSWERThe poet shows this through the parenthetical stanzas containing Amanda’s daydreams, and through the adult’s complaint that she is ‘sulking’ and ‘moody’. Amanda’s mind has drifted to mermaids, orphans and Rapunzel, so she ignores the orders being given.

5. Why does Amanda say she will never let down her bright hair?

ANSWERAmanda says she will never let down her hair because she does not want anyone to climb up and reach her in her tower. She wishes to keep her imagined solitude and freedom undisturbed, unlike the original Rapunzel who let the prince climb up.

Long answer (100–120 words)

6. “Amanda!” is a poem about the conflict between freedom and control. Discuss with reference to the text.

ANSWERThe poem sets up a sharp conflict between an adult’s desire for control and a child’s longing for freedom. In the odd-numbered stanzas, an elder bombards Amanda with orders – about her nails, posture, homework, room, shoes, chocolate and acne – reflecting constant supervision and faultfinding. In contrast, the parenthetical stanzas reveal Amanda’s inner cravings: she dreams of being a mermaid alone in a calm sea, an orphan roaming free, and Rapunzel in a peaceful tower. Each fantasy is built around solitude and the absence of instruction. The clash shows how over-control crushes a child’s spirit and forces her to flee into imagination. Robin Klein thus gently appeals to elders to allow children space, trust and freedom.

7. Write a character sketch of Amanda based on the poem.

ANSWERAmanda is a young, sensitive and highly imaginative girl, probably in her early teens. She is constantly scolded by an elder, yet she does not argue or rebel openly; instead, she quietly withdraws into a world of daydreams. Her imagination is rich and vivid – she pictures herself as a blissful mermaid, a free orphan and a tranquil Rapunzel, each image revealing her deep craving for peace, freedom and solitude. She is also somewhat lonely and unhappy, weighed down by endless nagging. Far from being truly sulky or moody, as the adult claims, Amanda is simply a gentle child seeking escape and a little space to be herself.

MCQs & Assertion–Reason

1. Who is the poet of “Amanda!”?

(a) Robert Frost   (b) Robin Klein   (c) Walt Whitman   (d) John Berryman

2. Which stanzas of the poem are given in parenthesis?

(a) 1, 3, 5, 7   (b) 2, 4, 6   (c) All stanzas   (d) Only the last stanza

3. The speaker in the bracketed stanzas is:

(a) Amanda’s mother   (b) Amanda herself   (c) a teacher   (d) a narrator

4. The colour of the sea in Amanda’s daydream is:

(a) blue   (b) golden   (c) emerald (green)   (d) silver

5. In her second daydream, Amanda imagines herself as:

(a) a mermaid   (b) an orphan   (c) Rapunzel   (d) a princess

6. Why does Amanda want to be Rapunzel?

(a) to marry a prince   (b) to have long hair   (c) to live a tranquil life alone in a tower   (d) to be rescued

7. The word ‘languid’ in the poem means:

(a) noisy   (b) relaxed/slow   (c) stormy   (d) crowded

8. What does Amanda yearn for the most?

(a) wealth   (b) friends   (c) freedom and solitude   (d) good marks

9. The adult finally accuses Amanda of being:

(a) lazy and rude   (b) sulking and moody   (c) careless and dirty   (d) noisy and naughty

10. The central message of the poem is that:

(a) children must always obey   (b) daydreaming is harmful   (c) constant nagging harms a child and they need freedom   (d) parents are always right

Answer key: 1-(b)   2-(b)   3-(b)   4-(c)   5-(b)   6-(c)   7-(b)   8-(c)   9-(b)   10-(c)

Assertion–Reason – choose: (a) A and R true, R explains A; (b) A and R true, R does not explain A; (c) A true, R false; (d) A false, R true.

1. Assertion (A): Amanda escapes into a world of daydreams.

Reason (R): She is tired of the constant scolding and instructions from the adult.

ANSWER(a) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

2. Assertion (A): Amanda is actually an orphan.

Reason (R): She longs for the freedom of an orphan who has no one to nag her.

ANSWER(d) A is false – Amanda only imagines being an orphan; she has parents. R is true.

3. Assertion (A): Amanda says she will never let down her bright hair.

Reason (R): She wants no one to reach her and disturb her peaceful solitude.

ANSWER(a) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

4. Assertion (A): Amanda is genuinely sulking and moody.

Reason (R): She has withdrawn into silence only because of the endless nagging.

ANSWER(d) A is false – she is not truly sulking; the adult misreads her quiet daydreaming. R is true.

5. Assertion (A): Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are written in parenthesis.

Reason (R): These stanzas express Amanda’s silent, inner thoughts rather than spoken words.

ANSWER(a) Both A and R are true, and R correctly explains A.

Exam tips

Score full marks in “Amanda!”

• Always remember the two-voice structure: odd stanzas = the nagging adult; even (bracketed) stanzas = Amanda’s daydreams.

• Link each daydream to a desire: mermaid → freedom/solitude; orphan → freedom from control; Rapunzel → peace/privacy.

• In long answers, use the key theme word “over-control vs freedom” and quote short phrases like “languid, emerald sea” or “the freedom is sweet”.

• Note the irony in the last line: the adult denies nagging while doing exactly that – a common 3-mark question.

• Do not write that Amanda is truly an orphan or truly moody – both are misreadings the poem corrects.

FAQs

Who wrote the poem “Amanda!”?

The poem “Amanda!” was written by the Australian author Robin Klein. It appears as Poem 6 in the NCERT Class 10 English textbook First Flight.

Why are some stanzas of “Amanda!” in brackets?

Stanzas 2, 4 and 6 are in brackets because they are Amanda’s silent daydreams, not spoken words. The brackets separate her inner imaginative world from the adult’s spoken nagging.

What is the main message of the poem “Amanda!”?

The poem shows that constant nagging and over-control harm a child. It urges elders to give children freedom, space and understanding instead of endless instructions and faultfinding.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT First Flight textbook; the summary and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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