Mother's Day

MOTHER’S DAY
Short Q & A
Why is Mrs. Pearson always ordered about by her family
members?
Mrs. Pearson is a docile and submissive mother. She never asserts
herself. In fact she serves the family like a domestic servant. She
never raises her voice and always tries to avoid any kind of
unpleasantness in the house.
What is the main idea of the play? Has the writer brought it out
effectively?
The writer has very effectively brought out the main idea of the
play. The mother who is the central focus of any family should be
given proper love, care, respect and understanding. The family
learnt its lesson in the end and the play has a happy ending.
How are Mrs. Pearson and Fitzgerald contrasted?
Both the ladies are in sharp contrast with each other. While Mrs.
Pearson in passive docile, submissive and confused. She is also

timid and soft spoken. Mrs. Fitzgerald is aggressive, dominating,
sinister and bold. She has a deep voice.
Mrs. Pearson is sick of being ordered about by her family. Why
is she so hesitant to put her foot down?
Mrs. Pearson loves her family a lot. At the same time she gets
dominated by each of her family members. Her meek and timid
nature prevents her from retaliating. Even though she drops a hint
here and there, but no one really cares about her. When her
neighbour Mrs. Fitzgerald asks her to be assertive, she doesn’t
have the courage to do so.
How does Mrs. Fitzgerald plan to show the Pearson’s their
places?
Mrs. Fitzgerald had learnt some magic during her few years stay
in the east. She offers to exchange her personality with Mrs.
Pearson for some time. While she will look like Mrs. Pearson, she
would still be able to use her domineering nature to show the
Pearson family their place. This plan was a temporary
arrangement.
Who is Charlie Spence? How does Mrs. Pearson talk about him
to Doris?
Charlie Spence is Doris’s boyfriend. They had planned an evening
out together. After undergoing change in personality tells Doris
that Charlie is dull headed, foolish and has bucked teeth. She
advises her to find a better man to go out with.
What plans does Mrs. Pearson have about her work in the
future?
Mrs. Pearson declares that she had joined a Mother’s Movement.
She had decided to work for only forty hours a week like workers
in their places of work. She would even go out on weekends to
amuse herself and take a break from the family.
What do Doris and Cyril think about their mother’s sudden
change in the behaviour?
Both Doris and Cyril are utterly confused and bewildered at their
mother’s strange behaviour. They have never seen her smoking,
drinking, playing cards and speaking in such a strange and
sarcastic manner. They think that she has hurt her head and is
suffering from a concussion.

How does the end of the play justify the title?
Mrs. Pearson being a weak person was taken for granted by her
family. They dominated her a lot and did not care for her feelings.
But in the end, she winds when Mrs. Fitzgerald takes over for
sometimes and is able to get the respect that Mrs Pearson deserves.
She has her day.
What advice does Mrs. Fitzgerald give Mrs. Pearson regarding
being the boss in her family?
Mrs. Fitzgerald tells Pearson to become the mistress of her own
house. She should not allow herself to be dominated by others.
Her family should learn to treat her with respect.
Why does Doris say ‘Mum – what’s the matter with you?’?
Doris returns home to find that the mother has not got the tea
ready. Her clothes are not ironed. The shock comes when the
mother tells her to iron her dress herself as she was planning to go
to Clarendon for a meal. This behaviour shocked Doris.

How does Mrs. Pearson express her disapproval of Charlie
Spence?
The mother ridiculed Charlie Spence about his buck teeth and said
that he was half witted. She herself would have found someone
better for herself at Doris’ age.
Mrs. Pearson says, ‘… I’ve joined the movement’. What does she
mean?
Mrs. Pearson says this to Cyril, her son. She told him that just as he
wouldn’t like to do anything that he doesn’t want to do when he
was at work, she too would not do anything if she didn’t like to.
She would also join the movement of Union – to bar what she
doesn’t want to do.
What is Doris’ reaction when Mrs. Pearson says she will work
for only forty hours a week?
Doris was shocked at the answer. She also wondered where her
mother would go away for the weekend. She thought her mother
had gone crazy because of an accident or a hit on the head.
Doris says, ‘you’ll see’ to her father. What does she mean?
Doris was crying when her father returned from work. When he
asked her the reason, she spoke these words to tell him about her
mother’s peculiar behaviour. She also told him that mother had
refused to do any work for anyone and was also talking rudely.
What does Mrs. Pearson tell her husband about her visit to the
bar?
George got a rude shock when his wife had not prepared tea for
him although he had first said that he hadn’t wanted any. But he
was annoyed when he found that tea wasn’t ready. She asked him
if he had ever shouted at the bar for not giving something he had
not wanted.
What advice does Mrs. Fitzgerald give to Mrs. Pearson after they
change back personalities?
She advises Mrs. Pearson not to give any explanations. She tells
her to be assertive and give them a tough look or a rude tone
occasionally.
How does the Pearson family finally spend the evening?
The evening was finally spent in the way Mrs. Pearson had always
wanted. The children helped to prepare dinner. She could play
rummy and chat with her husband. She was a happy and
contented woman now.

This is a humorous play with many humorous situations. Which
situation did you enjoy most?
The play indeed is very humorous. But the funniest moment was
when Mrs. Pearson (or Mrs. Fitzgerald) insults and humiliates her
husband George by telling him what they thought of him at the
club. She even told him the nickname 'Pompy - Ompy Pearson',
with which he was called at the club, behind his back.

Long Q & A
Bring out the humour of the play.
The dramatist has combined a serious theme with some comical
concept of the magic trick which ensures that the theme of the play
is effective in a very humorous manner. Despite being a sinister
and aggressive character, Mrs. Fitzgerald is the one that evokes
maximum laughter. The way in which she scolds rebukes and
mocks at each family member is an effective source of laughter.
When she assumes Mrs. Pearson’s form and challenges the
children with sarcasm and bitter jest, the two rude and demanding
children are forced to mend their ways. Her clever remarks and
indignant out burst provide an element of humour throughout the
play. During her conversation with George Pearson, she is harsh
and offensive towards him. It is amusing in the way she
reprimands a grown man. It is even more amusing as she points
out flaws in each of the family members. All in all the deeper
meaning of the play has been displayed through humour making
it not only moralistic but entertaining as well.

Mrs. Annie Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald are totally opposite to
each other in their attitudes. Show the difference between their
personalities.
The play ‘Mother’s Day’ by J.B Priestley brings out a sharp
contrast in the characters of the two main protagonists, Mrs.
Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald. Mrs. Pearson is shown as a quiet,
submissive woman who thinks it to be her prime duty to serve her
family. On the other hand, her family consists of rude, arrogant
and dominating members each of whom treat her like a servant,
ordering her about and talking rudely in the process hurting her
sentiments and feelings. Mrs. Pearson suffers quietly, never speaks
her mind and never retaliates all because she wants to avoid any
kind of unpleasantness. Mrs. Fitzgerald, on the other hand is
strong, domineering, frank and outspoken. She demands respect
and takes pride in the fact that no one can take her for a ride. She
has an identity of her own, speaks her mind and asserts herself.
She is instrumental in bringing about a transformation in the
family members of the Pearson family. She exchanges her
personality with Pearson with the help of magic and then tackles
her family members one by one. She openly insults, humiliates
and offends them. She refuses to do any work. She rebels by
smoking and drinking. All this was done to make them realise
their mistakes and make them love and respect their mother. She
succeeds in the end.

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How are Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald contrasted in their personalities?

How are Mrs. Pearson and Mrs. Fitzgerald contrasted in their personalities?

What plan does Mrs. Fitzgerald have to show the Pearson family their place?

What plan does Mrs. Fitzgerald have to show the Pearson family their place?

MOTHER’S DAY

Why is Mrs. Pearson always ordered about by her family

Mrs. Pearson is a docile and submissive mother. She never asserts

unpleasantness in the house.

given proper love, care, respect and understanding. The family

How are Mrs. Pearson and Fitzgerald contrasted?

Pearson in passive docile, submissive and confused. She is also

sinister and bold. She has a deep voice.

Mrs. Pearson is sick of being ordered about by her family. Why

is she so hesitant to put her foot down?

dominated by each of her family members. Her meek and timid

neighbour Mrs. Fitzgerald asks her to be assertive, she doesn’t

have the courage to do so.

How does Mrs. Fitzgerald plan to show the Pearson’s their

in the east. She offers to exchange her personality with Mrs.

would still be able to use her domineering nature to show the

Pearson family their place. This plan was a temporary

Charlie Spence is Doris’s boyfriend. They had planned an evening

out together. After undergoing change in personality tells Doris

advises her to find a better man to go out with.

Mrs. Pearson declares that she had joined a Mother’s Movement.

in their places of work. She would even go out on weekends to

amuse herself and take a break from the family.

What do Doris and Cyril think about their mother’s sudden

change in the behaviour?

mother’s strange behaviour. They have never seen her smoking,

drinking, playing cards and speaking in such a strange and

suffering from a concussion.

She has her day.

What advice does Mrs. Fitzgerald give Mrs. Pearson regarding

being the boss in her family?

Mrs. Fitzgerald tells Pearson to become the mistress of her own

house. She should not allow herself to be dominated by others.

Her family should learn to treat her with respect.

to Clarendon for a meal. This behaviour shocked Doris.

better for herself at Doris’ age.

wouldn’t like to do anything that he doesn’t want to do when he

doesn’t want to do.

for only forty hours a week?

had gone crazy because of an accident or a hit on the head.

change back personalities?

her to be assertive and give them a tough look or a rude tone

How does the Pearson family finally spend the evening?

wanted. The children helped to prepare dinner. She could play

contented woman now.

situation did you enjoy most?

husband George by telling him what they thought of him at the

with which he was called at the club, behind his back.

Bring out the humour of the play.

The dramatist has combined a serious theme with some comical

is effective in a very humorous manner. Despite being a sinister

and aggressive character, Mrs. Fitzgerald is the one that evokes

maximum laughter. The way in which she scolds rebukes and

mocks at each family member is an effective source of laughter.

When she assumes Mrs. Pearson’s form and challenges the