Amanda is poem authored by Australian poet, Robin Klein. The main theme of poem “Amanda” is Control and Freedom. Robin Klein is famous for her poems about children, so “Amanda” is also a Children poem.
“Robin Klein’s Amanda Class 10 Summary”
“Summary of Amanda By Robin Klein”
Amanda’s story centers around a life of a little girl named Amanda whose mother wants teach her many things at young age but she is lost in her own childhood imagination. Amanda wants to be free but her mother wants her to be mature and acceptable for society.
The story of poem begins Amanda’s mother who is stopping her from biting her nails. Don’t bend your shoulders and sit up straight. Stop being lazy and start being active. Amanda’s mother saying this to Amanda.
Let’s learn what Amanda thinks, there is a sea with clear water where only one person lives and that is me. I’m not living there like a little girl but as a mermaid. I’m living as a mermaid who is swimming slowly-slowly across the ocean. Amanda’s mother wants Amanda to come in reality but she is imagining herself as a mermaid who is swimming in ocean.
Did you completed your homework ? Have you cleaned your Room ? I feel like I asked you to clean your shoes, Amanda. Amanda’s mother had told her to do many things.
Amanda is lost in her own imagination. She say I’m an orphan girl who is walking in streets barefoot. I make pattern of soft dust which has covered my foots. I like silence and Freedom is sweet for me. Amanda’s mother wants her to behave like mature woman who doesn’t bite her nails, doesn’t bend her shoulders and keep her room clean.
On the other side, Amanda doesn’t like when her mother commands her and tries to control her because she wants to be free. So that is why Amanda is imagining herself as an orphan girl who can roam on streets freely and can do whatever she wants to do.
Amanda’s mother say, do not eat that chocolate. Just remember how many pimples and acne it has given to you on face. Can you look into my eyes when I’m talking to you, Amanda!
So now Amanda is imagining herself as a Rapunzel, who doesn’t care about anything. As I’m Rapunzel, I have my own tower where I live alone and which is quiet and rare. I will never allow anyone to come in my tower to live with me.
Stop being sad and lazy, you always give excuses, Amanda! If anyone will see us they will feel like that I nagged you. I just want you to behave like a mature woman. So start being Active. This time Amanda isn’t imagining anything. Amanda’s mother interrupted her so much time that she stopped imagining. Amanda left her imagination behind and now she is starting to accept Society’s reality.
In poem, poet is trying to say, how children lose their imagination power due to the pressure from their parents to fit in society standards.
About Author : –
Robert Klein is an Australian author who was born in 28 February 1936. She has won Human Rights Literature Award. Her famous work include “Hating Alison Ashley”, “Halfway Across the Galaxy and Turn left” and “Came Back to Show You I could Fly”.