3. What was Kezia’s father’s routine
(i) before going to his office?
Kezia’s father would come into her room, give her a casual kiss, and say goodbye.
(ii) after coming back from his office?
he would ask for his tea to be brought to the drawing-room, inquire about the newspaper, and request his slippers.
(iii) on Sundays?
he would often sleep on the sofa while Kezia’s mother read, and they would occasionally have a “nice talk” with Kezia, although he would sometimes fall asleep and snore during these conversations.
4. In what ways did Kezia’s grandmother encourage her to get to know her father better?
Kezia’s grandmother encouraged her to get to know her father better by sending her to the drawing-room to have conversations with him and her mother on Sunday afternoons.
III. Discuss these questions in class with your teacher and then write down your answers in two or three paragraphs each.
1. Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in displeasing him very much.How did this happen?
Kezia’s attempt to please her father on his birthday took a turn for the worse. She made a pin-cushion using sheets of paper she found in her mother’s room, unaware that they were important. When her father discovered the torn-up papers in the pin-cushion, he wrongly accused Kezia of deliberately destroying his important speech. He became furious, scolded her, and even resorted to physical punishment by beating her with a ruler. Despite her innocent intentions, Kezia’s efforts to please her father resulted in his anger and disappointment, creating a major misunderstanding between them.
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 represents a loving and involved father, contrasting with Kezia’s strict and distant father. His interactions with his children highlight a nurturing side of fatherhood that Kezia’s father lacks, leading her to recognize the different types of fathers.
3. How does Kezia begin to see her father as a human being who needs her sympathy?
Kezia sees her father as a human being in need of her sympathy. When he comforts her during a nightmare and shows his fragility and loneliness, Kezia realizes his need for affection and understanding, shifting her perception and developing compassion towards him.
