Struggling to understand The Little Girl by Katherine Mansfield? This complete guide is designed to help Class 9 CBSE students grasp the summary, themes, word meanings, and key questions from Chapter 3 of the NCERT Beehive textbook. Get detailed answers, extra questions, extract-based MCQs, and important exam questions to boost your preparation. Perfect for test revision and board exam success! 📖✨

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Summary of The Little Girl by Katherine Mansfield
Kezia, a young girl, fears her strict and authoritative father. She sees him as an unapproachable figure and often avoids him. Her mother and grandmother provide her with comfort, while her father remains distant. One day, Kezia tries to surprise her father with a birthday gift—a pincushion—but mistakenly fills it with bits of her mother’s papers, leading to a scolding.
Her perception of her father changes when her mother falls ill, and she is left alone with him. One night, after a nightmare, her father comforts her gently. She realises he is not as harsh as she thought—he is busy and does not express his love openly. This moment brings a new understanding between them, showing the complexity of parental relationships.
Themes of The Little Girl by Katherine Mansfield
1. Fear and Misunderstanding
Kezia perceives her father as a strict and harsh figure, leading her to fear him. She avoids interaction with him and feels uneasy in his presence. This theme highlights how children often misunderstand their parents’ strictness, interpreting it as a lack of affection.
2. Parental Authority vs. Love
The story contrasts the father’s authoritative nature with his hidden love for Kezia. He appears cold and distant, but his concern for her becomes evident when he comforts her during the night. This theme emphasises that love is not always expressed through words but also actions.
3. Childhood Innocence
Kezia’s actions, such as making a pincushion for her father, reflect her innocence. She does not realise the consequences of using important papers, which leads to her punishment. The story portrays how children often fail to understand adult expectations.
4. Emotional Growth and Realisation
As the story progresses, Kezia’s perspective of her father changes. She realises that he is not as unkind as she once believed. This transformation symbolises the emotional growth that comes with understanding relationships better.
5. The Generation Gap
The story also highlights the communication gap between parents and children. Kezia’s father is unable to express his love, and Kezia misunderstands his sternness. This reflects how generational differences can lead to a lack of emotional connection.
Word Meaning
Word | Meaning |
---|---|
Wretched | Very bad or unhappy |
Hue | A shade or colour |
Grave | Serious or solemn |
Nightmare | A bad dream |
Pincushion | A small cushion for holding pins |
Laboriously | With great effort |
Brute | A cruel or insensitive person |
Snuggled | To settle into a warm, comfortable position |
Stuttered | Spoke with difficulty, repeating sounds |
Reluctant | Unwilling or hesitant |
The Little Girl Questions and Answers
Thinking about the Text
I. Match the Emotions in Column A with the Items in Column B
A – Emotions | B – Items |
---|---|
1. Fear or terror | (iii) Father comes home |
2. Glad sense of relief | (ii) Noise of the carriage grows fainter |
3. A “funny” feeling, perhaps of understanding | (vi) Father comforts her and falls asleep |
II. Answer the Following Questions in One or Two Sentences
1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
Kezia was afraid of her father because he was strict, spoke to her harshly, and rarely showed affection. His authoritative nature made her nervous, and she avoided him as much as possible.
2. Who were the people in Kezia’s family?
Kezia lived with her father, mother, and grandmother.
3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine?
(i) Before going to his office – He would enter Kezia’s room to give her a casual goodbye kiss.
(ii) After coming back from his office – He would ask for tea, read the newspaper, and rest on the sofa.
(iii) On Sundays – He would relax at home, stretch on the sofa, and sleep soundly, sometimes snoring.
4. In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?
Kezia’s grandmother encouraged her to spend time with her father by suggesting she make a gift for his birthday. She also advised her to go to the drawing room in the evenings to talk to him.
III. Long Answer Questions
1. Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much. How did this happen?
Kezia wanted to surprise her father with a heartfelt birthday gift, so she crafted a pincushion. Innocently, she used important papers from his desk as stuffing. When he found out, his anger shattered her intentions, leaving her feeling lost and scared. Her loving gesture turned into a painful reminder of the distance between them, deepening her sorrow.
2. Kezia decides that there are “different kinds of fathers.” What kind of father was Mr Macdonald, and how was he different from Kezia’s father?
Mr. Macdonald, Kezia’s neighbor, was a warm and playful dad who loved spending time with his kids. In contrast to her strict father, he laughed, played games, and interacted openly, allowing his children to approach him without hesitation. Watching this tender relationship made Kezia yearn for a similar connection with her own father.
3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?
Kezia’s view of her father shifts dramatically when her mother falls ill, leaving her alone with him. One night, frightened by a nightmare, she cries out and finds comfort in his embrace instead of a scolding. In that tender moment, she sees past his tough exterior, recognizing the love and exhaustion he carries, and begins to empathize with him.
Extra Questions and Answers The Little Girl
Q1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father?
A. Kezia was afraid of her father because he was strict, spoke harshly, and did not show affection openly. She felt nervous in his presence and avoided him whenever possible.
Q2. What was Kezia’s relationship with her mother and grandmother?
A. Kezia felt more comfortable with her mother and grandmother. They provided her with warmth and care, unlike her father, whom she feared.
Q3. Why did Kezia make a pincushion for her father?
A. Kezia wanted to give her father a birthday present, so she made a pincushion. However, she unknowingly filled it with important papers, which led to her being scolded.
Q4. How did Kezia’s opinion of her father change?
A. After her mother fell ill, Kezia was left alone with her father. One night, he comforted her when she had a nightmare, making her realise that he loved her, though he expressed it differently.
Q5. What lesson does The Little Girl teach?
A. The story teaches that parents may not always express their love openly, but their actions often show their care and concern. It also highlights the importance of understanding emotions in relationships.
Extract-Based MCQs The Little Girl
I. Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:
“To the little girl, he was a figure to be feared and avoided. Every morning before going to work, he came into her room and gave her a casual kiss, to which she responded with ‘Goodbye, Father.'”
- Why did Kezia fear her father?
a) He never spoke to her
b) He was always angry and scolded her
c) He did not love her
d) He was absent from home - What does ‘casual kiss’ indicate about the father?
a) He was affectionate
b) He had a strict routine
c) He showed distant affection
d) He did not care for Kezia - What did Kezia say when her father left for work?
a) “Good morning, Father.”
b) “Goodbye, Father.”
c) “Come home early.”
d) “I love you, Father.”
Answer Key:
1 – (b) He was always angry and scolded her
2 – (c) He showed distant affection
3 – (b) “Goodbye, Father.”
Important Questions The Little Girl
Q1. How does the story depict the contrast between parental authority and love?
A. The story shows how strict discipline can create fear in children, but love is often hidden behind a parent’s tough exterior. Kezia learns that her father loves her, even if he does not show it openly.
Q2. What role does Kezia’s grandmother play in the story?
A. Kezia’s grandmother acts as a source of comfort and encourages her to understand her father better. She plays an important role in bridging the gap between them.
Q3. How does Katherine Mansfield use Kezia’s perspective to shape the story?
A. The story is told from Kezia’s point of view, which helps readers understand a child’s innocent fears and misunderstandings about parental behaviour.