NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English (Snapshots) Mother’s Day: J. B. Priestley (NCERT 2026–27)

Complete solutions for Class 11 English Snapshots Chapter 3 – “Mother’s Day” by J. B. Priestley: an original summary, theme and message, word meanings, and every textbook exercise question answered in full, exam-ready prose. The questions are reproduced exactly as in the NCERT Snapshots book, while all answers, summaries and notes are written originally by ClearStudy.

Class: 11 Subject: English Book: Snapshots Type: Play (Drama) Author: J. B. Priestley Session: 2026–27
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About the author

John Boynton Priestley (1894–1984) was a celebrated English novelist, playwright, essayist and broadcaster. Born in Bradford, Yorkshire, he served in the First World War before studying at Cambridge. He became one of the most popular British writers of the twentieth century, known for blending sharp social commentary with warm humour. His best-known works include the novel The Good Companions and the plays An Inspector Calls, Dangerous Corner and Time and the Conways. Priestley was deeply interested in ideas of time, fairness and the dignity of ordinary people. In Mother’s Day, written in the 1950s, he uses a light comic fantasy to expose how thoughtlessly a typical family can take a homemaker for granted.

Summary

Mrs Annie Pearson is a gentle, anxious housewife in a London suburb who waits hand and foot on her selfish husband and two grown-up children. Although she is unhappy at being treated like an unpaid servant, she is too soft-hearted to confront them. Her neighbour, Mrs Fitzgerald – an older, blunt woman who tells fortunes and learnt strange tricks “out East” – urges her to put her foot down and become the mistress of her own house. When Mrs Pearson admits she simply cannot do it, Mrs Fitzgerald proposes an astonishing solution: the two women magically exchange bodies.

Now Mrs Fitzgerald’s strong personality occupies Mrs Pearson’s body. She lights a cigarette, plays cards, refuses to make tea and coolly defies the family. Daughter Doris is stunned to be denied her ironed dress and is reduced to tears; son Cyril is told to fend for himself; and the pompous husband George is bluntly informed that at his club they secretly laugh at him and call him “Pompy-ompy Pearson”. The shocked family suspects their mother has gone mad.

The real Mrs Pearson, now in Mrs Fitzgerald’s body, returns and is so upset to see her family miserable that she begs to change back. The two women swap personalities again. Before leaving, Mrs Fitzgerald sternly warns Mrs Pearson never to apologise or go soft, but to keep a firm hand. The lesson works: the chastened family meekly agrees to stay home for a family game of rummy and to get the supper themselves, and they finally treat their mother with the respect she deserves.

Theme & message

The play is a witty satire on the way a family takes the mother – the homemaker – for granted. Priestley highlights how a woman who runs the household receives no wages, no thanks and no consideration, while her husband and children expect to be waited upon. Through the comic device of an exchange of bodies, the play argues that self-respect and firmness, not endless self-sacrifice, win a person genuine respect. Its gentle message is that family love must be a two-way relationship of care and courtesy, and that everyone – especially the mother – deserves dignity, rest and gratitude.

Word meanings

Word / PhraseMeaning
sinisterseeming evil or threatening; suggesting something bad will happen
flurriednervous, agitated and confused
put your foot downto assert oneself firmly; refuse to be moved
thoughtlessnot caring about others’ feelings; inconsiderate
dubiouslyin a doubtful, hesitant manner
have it outto settle a dispute by speaking frankly
complacentlyin a smug, self-satisfied way
incisivesharp, clear and direct (in speech or thought)
off-colourslightly unwell
snap out of itto quickly get over a bad mood; pull oneself together
get crackingto begin doing something quickly
laconicusing very few words
stouta strong, dark beer
clot(British slang) a foolish person
barmy(British slang) mad, crazy
concussiona brain injury caused by a blow to the head
far-fetchedunlikely; hard to believe
guffawa loud, hearty laugh
pompousself-important and overly grand in manner
aggrievedfeeling resentful at unfair treatment
piecan(British slang) a silly or foolish person
at sixes and sevensin a state of total confusion or disorder
tiddly(British slang) slightly drunk

Textbook exercise (verbatim & answered)

The questions below are reproduced exactly as printed at the end of the lesson in the NCERT Snapshots textbook; the answers are original.

1. This play, written in the 1950s, is a humorous and satirical depiction of the status of the mother in the family. (i) What are the issues it raises? (ii) Do you think it caricatures these issues or do you think that the problems it raises are genuine? How does the play resolve the issues? Do you agree with the resolution?

ANSWER (i) The play raises several genuine issues about the status of the mother and homemaker in a family. The mother does endless household work without any wages, thanks or recognition; she is treated like an unpaid servant. The family members – husband, son and daughter – are selfish and inconsiderate, expecting to be waited on hand and foot while they go out and enjoy themselves. They give orders instead of showing affection, and they take the mother’s presence and sacrifices completely for granted. The play also touches on the unequal “working hours” of a homemaker, who has no fixed day off, no leisure and no holidays of her own. (ii) The play is presented through humour and a fantastic device (the exchange of bodies), so some scenes are deliberately exaggerated for comic effect – for example, the speed with which the family collapses into fear and obedience. To that extent it caricatures the situation. However, the underlying problems are entirely genuine: in many real homes the mother is overworked, undervalued and taken for granted. The play resolves the issue by showing that firmness and self-respect, rather than constant self-sacrifice, earn a mother genuine respect: Mrs Fitzgerald (in Mrs Pearson’s body) refuses to serve the family blindly, and by the end they treat the mother with consideration. I largely agree with the resolution – mutual respect and shared responsibility are the right answer – though in real life such a lasting change would need honest conversation and cooperation rather than a single dramatic shock, and the family’s respect should ideally come from love, not fear.

2. If you were to write about these issues today what are some of the incidents, examples and problems that you would think of as relevant?

ANSWER If I wrote about these issues today, I would draw on situations that remain familiar in modern households. I would show a working mother who returns from her own job and is still expected to cook, clean and manage the children single-handedly – the “double shift” that many women carry. I might include children glued to their phones who ignore the mother’s requests, or a husband who calls housework “not real work”. Other relevant examples are the lack of any holiday or “off day” for a homemaker, the unequal sharing of chores between sons and daughters, and the absence of thanks or appreciation. I would also highlight positive change – families that divide cooking and cleaning fairly, and children who learn to look after themselves – to suggest that the solution lies in shared responsibility, gratitude and treating every member of the family as an equal.

3. Is drama a good medium for conveying a social message? Discuss.

ANSWER Yes, drama is an excellent medium for conveying a social message. Because a play is performed before a live audience, it makes ideas immediate and personal: we watch real-seeming people in real-seeming situations, so the message reaches us through emotion and not just argument. Drama allows the writer to use humour, conflict, suspense and surprise – as Priestley does with the body-swap – which hold attention and make the lesson memorable without sounding like a lecture. Seeing the family’s selfishness and the mother’s transformation lets the audience reflect on their own behaviour and perhaps feel ashamed of similar attitudes. Dialogue and action also let the dramatist present several points of view at once, so the audience can judge for themselves. For these reasons drama can entertain and instruct at the same time, making it one of the most effective ways to spread a social message.

4. Read the play out in parts. Enact the play on a suitable occasion.

ANSWER This is a class activity. Divide the roles among classmates – Mrs Annie Pearson, Mrs Fitzgerald, George Pearson, Doris Pearson and Cyril Pearson – and read the play aloud with the correct tone for each character: Mrs Pearson light and flurried at first, Mrs Fitzgerald deep and forceful, George slow and pompous, and the children sulky and demanding. Pay special attention to the moment when the two women swap personalities, as the same actors must change their voice and manner completely. The play can be enacted on a suitable occasion such as the school annual function, Mother’s Day, a literary or drama-club event, or a Parents’ Day programme, using a simple living-room setting with a table, chairs, cards, tea-cups and a cigarette as the main props.

5. Discuss in groups plays or films with a strong message of social reform that you have watched.

ANSWER This is a group-discussion activity, so share examples from your own experience. Many plays and films carry a strong message of social reform. Priestley’s own An Inspector Calls attacks social inequality and the irresponsibility of the privileged. Films such as Taare Zameen Par highlight the needs of children with learning difficulties, Swades and Lagaan deal with community development and unity, Thappad and English Vinglish address the dignity and self-respect of women in the home (closely related to the theme of Mother’s Day), Article 15 and Aarakshan examine caste discrimination, and Toilet: Ek Prem Katha and Padman tackle sanitation and women’s health. In your group, name one or two such works, summarise the social problem each one raises, and discuss how effectively the message was conveyed.

Extra questions

Short answer (30–40 words)

1. Who is Mrs Fitzgerald and why does Mrs Pearson go to her?

ANSWERMrs Fitzgerald is Mrs Pearson’s next-door neighbour, an older, strong-willed woman who tells fortunes and learnt magic “out East”. Mrs Pearson, troubled by her family’s neglect, turns to her for advice and help.

2. What advice does Mrs Fitzgerald give Mrs Pearson at the start of the play?

ANSWERShe advises Mrs Pearson to put her foot down once and for all and become the mistress of her own house and the boss of her own family, rather than letting her husband and children treat her like a servant.

3. How does Doris react when she finds her mother smoking and playing cards?

ANSWERDoris is astounded. She cannot believe her mother is smoking, that tea is not ready and that her yellow silk dress has not been ironed. When scolded about Charlie Spence, she breaks down in tears and runs out of the room.

4. What does Mrs Pearson (Mrs Fitzgerald) reveal to George about his reputation at the club?

ANSWERShe tells George that the men at the club secretly laugh at him behind his back and call him “Pompy-ompy Pearson” because they think he is slow and pompous. Cyril embarrassingly confirms that this is true.

5. Why does the real Mrs Pearson want to change back to her own body?

ANSWERWhen she returns and sees her whole family looking miserable, frightened and unhappy, her tender, motherly heart cannot bear it. She insists that the situation has gone far enough and begs Mrs Fitzgerald to change them back at once.

Long answer (100–120 words)

6. Draw a character sketch of Mrs Annie Pearson.

ANSWERMrs Annie Pearson is a pleasant but worried-looking woman in her forties, the gentle homemaker of the Pearson family. She is loving and self-sacrificing, devoted to her husband and children even though they are thoughtless and selfish. She is, however, timid and submissive: though she resents being treated like a servant, she dreads any unpleasantness and cannot bring herself to confront her family. She is also kind-hearted and forgiving – she cannot endure her family’s misery and quickly wants to change back. By the end she learns, with Mrs Fitzgerald’s help, to value her own dignity and to be gently firm, winning the respect she had always deserved.

7. How does the device of the body-exchange help Priestley deliver his message?

ANSWERThe fantasy of the body-exchange is the heart of the play’s comedy and its message. Because the timid Mrs Pearson cannot stand up to her family herself, Priestley lets the forceful Mrs Fitzgerald do it inside Mrs Pearson’s body. This allows the audience to enjoy seeing the selfish family shocked and humbled, while sparing the gentle real mother from acting out of character. The device also makes the lesson clear: the family’s respect appears only when the “mother” becomes firm. When the women swap back, Mrs Fitzgerald warns Mrs Pearson to keep a firm hand, so the change in the family’s behaviour can continue. Thus the comic trick neatly dramatises the play’s serious point about self-respect.

8. “Sometimes it does people good to have their feelings hurt.” Discuss this idea with reference to the play.

ANSWERIn the play, “Mrs Pearson” (really Mrs Fitzgerald) tells the truth bluntly – that George is laughed at as “Pompy-ompy Pearson”, that Doris’s choices are foolish, and that the children waste their time and money. These home truths sting, but they shake the family out of their complacency and selfishness. The remark suggests that a short, honest shock can do more good than years of silent suffering, because the truth, though painful, forces people to examine their behaviour. By the end of the play the family, having had their feelings hurt, begins to value their mother. The play, however, balances this with warmth, implying that firmness should ultimately serve love, not cruelty.

MCQs

1. Who is the author of the play ‘Mother’s Day’?

(a) William Saroyan   (b) J. B. Priestley   (c) Marga Minco   (d) A. R. Barton

2. Where does the action of the play take place?

(a) A village in Ireland   (b) A club   (c) The living-room of the Pearsons’ house in a London suburb   (d) A fortune-teller’s shop

3. What is Mrs Fitzgerald doing for Mrs Pearson when the play opens?

(a) Cooking tea   (b) Telling her fortune with cards   (c) Ironing a dress   (d) Playing rummy

4. How does Mrs Fitzgerald propose to help Mrs Pearson deal with her family?

(a) By talking to them herself   (b) By exchanging bodies with her   (c) By writing them a letter   (d) By calling the police

5. Where did Mrs Fitzgerald say she learnt her magic tricks?

(a) In London   (b) Out East   (c) From a book   (d) From her mother

6. Why does Doris start crying in the first part of the play?

(a) She fails an exam   (b) Her mother refuses to iron her yellow silk and mocks Charlie Spence   (c) She loses her job   (d) George scolds her

7. What nickname is George called at the club?

(a) Slowcoach   (b) Big George   (c) Pompy-ompy Pearson   (d) Duke of Edinburgh

8. What is Cyril’s relationship to Doris?

(a) Her husband   (b) Her brother   (c) Her cousin   (d) Her neighbour

9. What makes Mrs Pearson insist on changing back to her own body?

(a) She misses smoking   (b) She cannot bear to see her family miserable   (c) George threatens her   (d) The magic is wearing off

10. What do the family finally agree to do at the end of the play?

(a) Go out separately   (b) Move to a new house   (c) Stay in for a family game of rummy and get the supper themselves   (d) Send the mother on holiday

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

Assertion–Reason

Choose the correct option: (a) Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A; (b) Both A and R are true but R is not the correct explanation of A; (c) A is true but R is false; (d) A is false but R is true.

1. Assertion (A): Mrs Pearson is unable to stand up to her family on her own.

Reason (R): She is timid and hates any kind of unpleasantness or quarrel.

2. Assertion (A): Mrs Fitzgerald exchanges bodies with Mrs Pearson.

Reason (R): She wants to take over Mrs Pearson’s house permanently.

3. Assertion (A): George is shocked and humbled during the play.

Reason (R): He learns that the men at his club secretly laugh at him and call him names.

4. Assertion (A): The real Mrs Pearson begs to be changed back into her own body.

Reason (R): She enjoys living in Mrs Fitzgerald’s body and wants to keep it.

5. Assertion (A): Mrs Fitzgerald warns Mrs Pearson not to apologise or explain to her family.

Reason (R): Any softness would undo the change and put Mrs Pearson straight back where she was.

Answer key: 1-(a)   2-(c)   3-(a)   4-(c)   5-(a)
Notes: (2) A is true but R is false – the swap is temporary, only to teach the family a lesson. (4) A is true but R is false – she changes back because she cannot bear to see her family unhappy, not because she enjoys the other body.

Exam tips

Remember the five characters and their roles: Mrs Annie Pearson (the timid mother), Mrs Fitzgerald (the bold neighbour), George (the pompous husband) and Doris and Cyril (the selfish children). In long answers, always link the comic body-swap to the play’s serious theme – the status and dignity of the homemaker. When asked for opinions (Questions 1(ii) and 2), give a clear view supported by reasons and modern examples. Quote short, well-known lines such as “put your foot down”, “Pompy-ompy Pearson” and “Sometimes it does people good to have their feelings hurt” to add value. Note that ‘Mother’s Day’ is a play, so use words like scene, stage directions, dialogue and audience in your answers.

FAQs

What is the play ‘Mother’s Day’ by J. B. Priestley about?

It is a humorous, satirical play about how a family takes the mother for granted. With the help of her neighbour Mrs Fitzgerald, the timid Mrs Pearson exchanges bodies to teach her selfish husband and children to respect and value her.

How do Mrs Pearson and Mrs Fitzgerald change places?

Mrs Fitzgerald, who learnt magic tricks “out East”, holds Mrs Pearson’s hands and recites a spell, after which their personalities swap bodies temporarily so that the bold Mrs Fitzgerald can deal firmly with the Pearson family.

What is the main message of ‘Mother’s Day’?

The play teaches that a mother and homemaker deserves respect, gratitude and consideration, and that self-respect and firmness, rather than endless self-sacrifice, are needed to win that respect within a family.

Questions are taken verbatim from the NCERT Snapshots textbook; summaries and answers are written originally by ClearStudy.

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