Class 8 English - KARNATAKA
Poetry: Somebody's Mother
The chapter 'Somebody's Mother' by Mary Dow Brine is a touching poem included in the Class 8 Karnataka (KSEEB) English syllabus. It tells the story of an old, ragged woman struggling to cross a busy, icy street safely. While many young people pass her by without care, a schoolboy stops to help her, teaching a profound lesson on empathy, kindness, and respect for elders. For board exams, students must understand the central theme of compassion, the poetic devices used, and be able to answer reference-to-context questions, character sketches, and paragraph questions based on the poem's moral message.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Theme of Empathy and Kindness
The poem highlights how a small act of kindness towards a helpless stranger can bring immense joy and leave a lasting positive impact.
The Schoolboy's Character
The young boy represents helpfulness and good upbringing; he stops his play to guide the old woman across the slippery street without expecting any reward.
The Old Woman's Vulnerability
Described as aged, ragged, and timid, she represents all elderly people who feel overwhelmed and unsafe in crowded public spaces.
Poetic Structure and Rhyme Scheme
The poem is written in narrative couplets with an AABB rhyme scheme, making it easy to read, recite, and remember.
The Mother's Evening Prayer
In the concluding stanzas, the old woman prays for the boy's safety, believing that someone will similarly help her own son if he is ever in need.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In the Karnataka (KSEEB) Class 8 English examinations, this chapter typically carries around 4 to 6 marks. Common question types include 1-mark objective questions about the poet or context, 2-mark short answer questions on the boy's action, and 3-to-4-mark descriptive questions explaining the central theme or the moral lesson of the poem.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the author of the poem 'Somebody's Mother'?
The poem was written by the American author and poet Mary Dow Brine.
Why was the old woman afraid to cross the street?
The old woman was aged, weak, and timid, and she was afraid of being trampled or slipping on the wet, crowded, and icy street.
What was the boy's reason for helping the old woman?
The boy helped her simply out of kindness and respect, thinking, 'Somebody's mother, boys, too poor and slow, / Some day, some time, old and gray and poor,' realizing his own mother might one day need similar help.
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