Mother of a Child in Question
Analysis of ”the mother of a child in question”
The short story is about a social worker who comes to a Pakistani family. The daughter is mentally retarded, but the mother will not realize this, and tries to convince the social worker Stephen Bentley, that she has to go in a normal school like the rest of her children, because she doesn’t see that there is anything wrong with her little girl.
The short story shows how difficult it can be for a mother to accept her children’s flaws, and it shows the difference between the western and the eastern culture when it comes to accepting mentally retarded people.
Shireen is the handicapped daughter, she is 10, and does not have much contact with the world og even her family, because of her handicap. It is hard for the mother to see that shireen lives in her own little world, and she is not only trying to convince the world that she is normal, but also herself.
The father does not show up when the social worker is there because he has realized that he cannot convince his wife or change her opinion, this I s also why Hassan, the son, leaves as soon as possible. the kahn family lives in some sort of ghetto neighbourhood I perhaps London. It’s described with sad and grey colours and smell of urine.
Stephen: social worker
Mrs. Kahn: mother, strong and stubborn, not very good at English
Hassan: 12 years old, doesn’t want to discuss anything with his mother, runs away from her almost instead of trying to convince her about the truth
Shireen: 10 years old, mentally handicapped, lives in her own little
The short story is about a social worker who comes to a Pakistani family. The daughter is mentally retarded, but the mother will not realize this, and tries to convince the social worker Stephen Bentley, that she has to go in a normal school like the rest of her children, because she doesn’t see that there is anything wrong with her little girl.
The short story shows how difficult it can be for a mother to accept her children’s flaws, and it shows the difference between the western and the eastern culture when it comes to accepting mentally retarded people.
Shireen is the handicapped daughter, she is 10, and does not have much contact with the world og even her family, because of her handicap. It is hard for the mother to see that shireen lives in her own little world, and she is not only trying to convince the world that she is normal, but also herself.
The father does not show up when the social worker is there because he has realized that he cannot convince his wife or change her opinion, this I s also why Hassan, the son, leaves as soon as possible. the kahn family lives in some sort of ghetto neighbourhood I perhaps London. It’s described with sad and grey colours and smell of urine.
Stephen: social worker
Mrs. Kahn: mother, strong and stubborn, not very good at English
Hassan: 12 years old, doesn’t want to discuss anything with his mother, runs away from her almost instead of trying to convince her about the truth
Shireen: 10 years old, mentally handicapped, lives in her own little