Notes For All Chapters English Beehive Class 9
Written by: Katherine Mansfield
About the Story
This story is about a little girl named Kezia, who is initially afraid of her father. She finds him strict, cold, and harsh. But later, through an incident, she realizes that her father loves her deeply and works hard for the family. Her feelings change from fear to understanding and love.
Main Characters
1. Kezia:
- A small, shy, and innocent girl.
- Very scared of her father because of his strict and dominating behaviour.
- She stammers while speaking to him.
- Gradually learns that her father truly loves her.
2. Father (Mr. Macdonald):
- A strict, busy man who works hard all day.
- Appears harsh but is actually loving and caring.
- Later shows affection when Kezia is scared at night.
3. Mother:
- Calm and firm but doesn’t try to soften the relationship between father and daughter.
- Follows household discipline.
4. Grandmother:
- Kind and loving.
- Understands Kezia’s fear and encourages her to get closer to her father.
Summary of the Story
1. Kezia’s Fear of Her Father
- Kezia’s father was a man to be feared and avoided.
- Every morning, he gave her a casual kiss before leaving for work.
- She felt relieved when he left the house.
- In the evening, when he returned, his loud voice and orders frightened her.
- He often asked her to remove his boots and bring his tea.
- Kezia stammered while talking to him because she tried too hard to speak correctly.
2. The Sunday Routine
- On Sundays, Kezia’s grandmother sent her to the drawing-room to talk to her parents.
- Her father was usually asleep on the sofa, snoring.
- Once, her grandmother suggested that she make a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday gift.
3. The Birthday Gift Incident
- Kezia made a pin-cushion out of yellow silk and filled it with torn pieces of paper.
- Unfortunately, those papers were part of her father’s important speech for the Port Authority.
- When her parents found out, her father became angry and beat her with a ruler.
- Kezia cried a lot and asked her grandmother, “What did God make fathers for?”
- She began to fear him even more.
4. The Macdonald Family
- The Macdonalds, their neighbours, had five children.
- Kezia often watched them play happily with their father.
- Their father was loving, playful, and friendly.
- Seeing them together, Kezia thought there were different kinds of fathers.
5. The Night of Realization
- One night, when Kezia’s mother was in hospital, she was left alone with the cook, Alice.
- She had a nightmare about a butcher with a knife, and screamed in fear.
- Her father came to her room, comforted her, and took her to his bed.
- He tucked her in and asked her to rub her feet against his legs to keep warm.
- Feeling safe and loved, Kezia realized her father wasn’t so bad after all.
- She noticed his tiredness and thought, “Poor Father, not so big after all.”
- She understood that behind his strictness was love and care.
Themes
1. Parent-Child Relationship:
- The story highlights the misunderstanding between children and parents due to lack of communication and expression of love.
2. Fear vs. Love:
- Kezia’s fear turns into understanding and affection as she realizes her father’s love.
3. Human Emotions and Understanding:
- The story shows how empathy and warmth can replace fear and build stronger relationships.
4. Hard Work and Responsibility:
- Kezia’s father works hard every day and appears strict because of his responsibilities.
Important Points
- Kezia’s fear is caused by her father’s strictness and lack of emotional expression.
- The incident of tearing papers shows her innocence, not mischief.
- The father’s harsh reaction comes from anger, not cruelty.
- The nightmare scene becomes the turning point in their relationship.
- Kezia realizes that her father loves her and that his heart is big and kind.
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