StudyOSStudyOS CBSE Study Material, Class 5–12

Somebody's Mother

NCERT Class 8 · English Based on NCERT Class 8 English textbook · Free CBSE study kit

Everything you need to ace this chapter, in one place.
Notes · Mind Map · Quiz · Assertion-Reason · Case Studies · Question Bank · Past Papers

Get Full Study Kit →
Studying with friends? Send them this chapter.

Chapter Notes

Overview
This chapter is a poem by Mary Dow Brine that tells the story of an old, ragged woman struggling to cross a slippery street on a winter day. It highlights how a group of schoolboys ignore her, but one boy stops to help, reminding his friends that she is 'somebody's mother' and hoping someone would help his own mother someday. The big idea a student must walk away with is that empathy and kindness towards the elderly and strangers are essential human values, and that helping others brings joy and satisfaction to the helper.
Key Concepts (19)
ragged
Old and torn; shabby, especially referring to clothes.
e.g. The beggar wore a ragged shirt with holes at the elbows.
bent
Stooped or curved due to age or cold.
e.g. My grandmother is bent with age and walks with a stick.
throng
A large crowd of people.
e.g. There was a throng of people at the railway station during Diwali.
heeded
Paid attention to; took notice of.
e.g. The students heeded the teacher's warning and completed their homework.
hastened
Moved or acted quickly; hurried.
e.g. The children hastened to finish their lunch before the bell rang.
meek
Quiet, gentle, and submissive; not wanting to argue or assert oneself.
e.g. The meek boy never complained even when others took his turn.
timid
Shy and nervous; lacking courage or confidence.
e.g. The timid puppy hid behind the sofa when strangers came.
lest
A conjunction meaning 'to prevent something bad from happening' or 'just in case'.
e.g. She carried an umbrella lest it should rain.
lend a hand
An idiom meaning to help someone.
e.g. When my neighbour was shifting houses, I went to lend a hand.
simile
A figure of speech that compares two different things using the words 'like' or 'as'.
e.g. In the poem, 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep' is a simile comparing boys to sheep.
alliteration
The repetition of the same initial consonant sound in a line of poetry.
e.g. In 'her aged hand on his strong young arm', the 'h' sound is repeated.
repetition
A poetic device where a word or phrase is repeated for emphasis.
e.g. The phrase 'Somebody's mother' is repeated in the poem to stress the universal connection.
imagery
Descriptive language that appeals to the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.) to create a vivid picture.
e.g. The line 'The street was wet with a recent snow' creates a visual image of a cold, slippery street.
rhyme scheme
The pattern of rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem.
e.g. The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme, e.g., 'day' rhymes with 'grey', 'snow' rhymes with 'slow'.
couplet
Two consecutive lines of poetry that rhyme with each other.
e.g. The poem is written in couplets, like 'The woman was old and ragged and grey / And bent with the chill of the Winter's day.'
tone
The general mood or feeling of a literary work.
e.g. The tone of the poem is sympathetic and hopeful.
central theme
The main idea or underlying message of a literary work.
e.g. The central theme of the poem is kindness and empathy.
antonym
A word that means the opposite of another word.
e.g. The antonym of 'firm' is 'weak' or 'bent'; the antonym of 'meek' is 'bold' or 'arrogant'.
fact vs opinion
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false; an opinion is a personal belief or judgment.
e.g. Fact: 'The street was wet with recent snow.' Opinion: 'The woman was too weak to cross the street on her own.'
How It Works
Sequence of events in the poem
  1. An old, ragged, grey woman stands alone at a street crossing on a cold, snowy winter day.
  2. She is hesitant to cross because the street is slippery and she fears being knocked down by carriage wheels or horses' feet.
  3. A crowd of people passes by without noticing her anxious eyes.
  4. Schoolboys come down the street, laughing and shouting, glad that school is over.
  5. They hurry past the old woman without offering help.
  6. One boy, the 'gayest laddie' of the group, stops and whispers to her, offering to help her cross.
  7. The woman places her aged hand on his strong young arm, and he guides her trembling feet safely across.
  8. The boy feels proud that his own feet are firm and strong, and his heart is happy and content.
  9. He returns to his friends and explains that she is 'somebody's mother', and he hopes someone will help his own mother if she ever needs it.
  10. That night, the old woman bows her head in prayer, thanking God for the noble boy who is 'somebody's son, and pride and joy'.
💡 Students often confuse the order of events — especially that the boy helps AFTER all other children have passed, not before. Also, the boy's explanation to his friends comes AFTER he has helped her cross, not before.
How to identify poetic devices in the poem
  1. Read the poem line by line and look for comparisons using 'like' or 'as' — that is a simile (e.g., 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep').
  2. Look for repeated consonant sounds at the beginning of words — that is alliteration (e.g., 'her aged hand on his strong young arm' — 'h' sound).
  3. Look for words or phrases repeated for emphasis — that is repetition (e.g., 'Somebody's mother' is repeated throughout).
  4. Identify the rhyme scheme by writing the last word of each line and seeing which ones rhyme — the poem uses AABB.
  5. Notice descriptive language that appeals to the senses — that is imagery (e.g., 'The street was wet with a recent snow' appeals to sight and touch).
💡 Students often confuse alliteration with rhyme. Alliteration is about the SOUND at the BEGINNING of words, not the end. Also, a simile MUST use 'like' or 'as' — if it doesn't, it is a metaphor, not a simile.
How to use the conjunction 'lest'
  1. Identify a situation where you want to prevent something bad from happening.
  2. Use 'lest' to connect the action taken to the thing you want to avoid.
  3. Replace 'lest' with 'just in case' to check if the sentence makes sense.
  4. Example: 'She showed all the documents lest we doubt her' means she showed documents just in case we doubted her.
💡 Students often use 'lest' with 'should' unnecessarily or forget that 'lest' itself carries a negative meaning — do not add 'not' after 'lest'. Also, 'lest' is followed by a verb in the subjunctive mood (e.g., 'lest he fall', not 'lest he falls').
How to write a diary entry based on the chapter
  1. Start with the date, day, and time at the top left.
  2. Begin with 'Dear Diary,'.
  3. Write in first person (I, me, my).
  4. Describe the day and the situation where you helped someone.
  5. Mention whom you helped, where, and when.
  6. Explain how you helped and how the other person reacted.
  7. Describe your feelings during and after helping.
  8. Conclude by saying why you would do it again.
  9. End with your name or signature (optional).
💡 Students often forget to include the date and time, or write in third person. The diary entry must be personal and emotional, not just a factual report.
Exam Traps — Don't Make These Mistakes
⚠ Confusing 'ragged' with 'angry'
✗ The woman was ragged meaning she was angry and frustrated.
→ In the context of the poem, 'ragged' describes her old and torn clothes, not her mood. The word 'ragged' here means shabby, not irritable.
✓ The woman was ragged, meaning her clothes were old, torn, and shabby.
⚠ Thinking the boy helped because he was forced or felt guilty
✗ The boy helped the old woman because his friends forced him or because he felt guilty for ignoring her earlier.
→ The poem clearly states he was the 'gayest laddie' and he paused 'beside her and whispered low' — he acted out of genuine kindness and empathy, not pressure or guilt.
✓ The boy helped the old woman out of genuine kindness and empathy, thinking of his own mother and hoping someone would help her.
⚠ Mistaking the rhyme scheme as ABAB
✗ The poem follows an ABAB rhyme scheme.
→ The poem is written in couplets, meaning every two lines rhyme with each other. For example, 'grey' rhymes with 'day', 'snow' rhymes with 'slow'. This is an AABB rhyme scheme, not ABAB.
✓ The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme, as seen in 'The woman was old and ragged and grey / And bent with the chill of the Winter's day.'
⚠ Confusing 'simile' with 'alliteration'
✗ The line 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep' is an example of alliteration.
→ This line uses 'like' to compare boys to sheep, which is a simile. Alliteration requires repetition of the same initial consonant sound, e.g., 'her aged hand on his strong young arm' (repetition of 'h').
✓ 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep' is a simile because it compares boys to sheep using the word 'like'.
⚠ Thinking the tone is humorous or playful
✗ The tone of the poem is humorous and playful because the boys are laughing and shouting.
→ While the boys are merry, the overall tone of the poem is sympathetic and hopeful. The poet focuses on the old woman's helplessness and the boy's kindness, not on humour.
✓ The tone of the poem is sympathetic and hopeful, as it highlights the old woman's vulnerability and the boy's compassionate act.
⚠ Misinterpreting 'lest' as 'so that'
✗ She stood still lest the carriage wheels would hit her, meaning so that the wheels would hit her.
→ 'Lest' means 'to prevent something bad from happening', not 'so that'. The woman stood still to PREVENT being hit, not to cause it.
✓ She stood still lest the carriage wheels should hit her, meaning she stood still to prevent being hit by the wheels.
Compare & Contrast
Poetic device definition and identification
Simile
Alliteration
A simile compares two things using 'like' or 'as' (e.g., 'like a flock of sheep'), while alliteration repeats the same initial consonant sound in nearby words (e.g., 'her aged hand on his strong young arm' — 'h' sound).
Nature of statement
Fact
Opinion
A fact is a statement that can be proven true or false (e.g., 'The street was wet with recent snow'), while an opinion is a personal belief or judgment that cannot be proven (e.g., 'The woman was too weak to cross the street on her own').
Physical and emotional state in the poem
The old woman
The young boy
The old woman is vulnerable, neglected, timid, and physically weak (aged, slow, trembling feet), while the young boy is strong, confident, kind, and empathetic (firm and strong feet, proud, happy, well content).
Reaction to the old woman
Other schoolboys
The kind boy
The other schoolboys hurried past the old woman without offering help, ignoring her anxious eyes, while the kind boy paused, whispered to her, and guided her safely across the street.
Exam Focus
Marks pattern: 2 MCQs (1 mark each), 1 Very Short Answer (1 mark), 2 Short Answer questions (2-3 marks each), 1 Long Answer question (5 marks), and 1 question on poetic devices (2-3 marks). Total approximately 15-18 marks.
Most asked: Central theme of the poem (kindness and empathy) · Character sketch of the old woman and the boy · Poetic devices: simile, alliteration, repetition, rhyme scheme · Imagery and its effect · Significance of the title 'Somebody's Mother' · Use of the conjunction 'lest' · Difference between fact and opinion · Sequence of events in the poem
Don't skip: Long answer question on the central theme and values taught by the poem (5 marks); Question on poetic devices with examples from the poem (3 marks); Question on the significance of the title (3 marks); Question on character analysis of the boy or the old woman (3 marks)
One-Line Revision (read aloud before the exam)
  1. The poem 'Somebody's Mother' is written by Mary Dow Brine.
  2. The central theme of the poem is kindness and empathy towards the elderly.
  3. The tone of the poem is sympathetic and hopeful.
  4. The poem is written in couplets with two lines in each stanza.
  5. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABB.
  6. 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep' is an example of a simile.
  7. 'Her aged hand on his strong young arm' is an example of alliteration (repetition of 'h' sound).
  8. The phrase 'Somebody's mother' is repeated to emphasise the universal connection — every old woman is someone's mother.
  9. The old woman is described as 'ragged and grey' meaning her clothes are old and torn and her hair is grey with age.
  10. The boy helps the old woman because he thinks of his own mother and hopes someone will help her.
  11. 'Lest' means 'to prevent something bad from happening' and can be replaced with 'just in case'.
  12. The old woman's prayer at the end shows her gratitude and the impact of the boy's kindness.
  13. The contrast between the woman's 'trembling feet' and the boy's 'firm and strong' feet emphasises the difference in their physical strength and age.
  14. The poem teaches that helping others brings happiness and contentment to the helper.
  15. A fact is a provable statement; an opinion is a personal belief.
  16. The idiom 'lend a hand' means to help someone.

MCQs — 10 Questions with Answers

Q1. What was the main reason the old woman stood alone at the crossing without crossing the street?

  • A. She was waiting for a friend to meet her
  • B. She was too weak, timid, and afraid of the traffic and slippery street ✓
  • C. She did not want to cross the street at all
  • D. She was busy watching the children play in the snow

Answer: B — The poem clearly states the woman was meek, timid, and afraid lest the carriage wheels or horses' feet should crowd her down in the slippery street.

Q2. Which of the following BEST describes the tone of the poem 'Somebody's Mother'?

  • A. Humorous and lighthearted
  • B. Angry and critical of children
  • C. Sympathetic and hopeful about human kindness ✓
  • D. Sarcastic and mocking

Answer: C — The poem shows sympathy for the elderly woman while celebrating the boy's compassion, creating a hopeful message about goodness in people.

Q3. Identify the simile used in the line 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep.'

  • A. Boys are compared to sheep moving together as a group ✓
  • B. Boys are compared to freedom and happiness
  • C. Sheep are compared to school children
  • D. Freedom is compared to a flock of sheep

Answer: A — A simile uses 'like' or 'as' to compare two things; here boys are compared to sheep for their collective movement.

Q4. Why does the boy say 'She's somebody's mother, boys, you know' to his friends?

  • A. To scold them for not helping her
  • B. To remind them that elderly people deserve respect because they are loved ones like their own mothers ✓
  • C. To prove that the woman is famous in the town
  • D. To show off that he helped her before the others did

Answer: B — The boy wants his friends to understand that the old woman is not just a stranger—she is someone's mother, and they should treat her with the same kindness they would want for their own mothers.

Q5. Scenario: Priya sees a small boy who has dropped his books on the crowded bus. Many people pass by without helping. What would Priya most likely do, based on the message of this poem?

  • A. Ignore him and continue with her journey
  • B. Stop and help him pick up his books, realizing that kindness matters ✓
  • C. Tell him he should be more careful
  • D. Ask the boy why he dropped his books

Answer: B — The poem teaches that noticing someone in difficulty and choosing to help—even when others ignore them—is the right action, making B the best answer.

Q6. Which of the following is NOT a correct description of the old woman in the poem?

  • A. She was aged, ragged, and grey in appearance
  • B. She was strong and confident at the street crossing ✓
  • C. She was meek, timid, and afraid to move alone
  • D. She was ignored by most people hurrying past her

Answer: B — The poem explicitly states the woman was bent, trembling, meek, and timid—never strong or confident; she needed help to cross safely.

Q7. What does the repetition of the phrase 'Somebody's mother' throughout the poem emphasize?

  • A. That the woman is not actually anyone's mother
  • B. That every elderly person deserves respect and kindness as a valued human being ✓
  • C. That mothers are more important than other family members
  • D. That the boy wants people to remember the woman's name

Answer: B — Repetition of 'Somebody's mother' reminds readers that this elderly woman, though poor and weak, is still a loved one deserving of dignity and compassion.

Q8. The phrase 'His young heart happy and well content' tells us that the boy felt satisfied because—

  • A. His friends praised him loudly for helping the woman
  • B. He was proud of using his strength to help someone vulnerable, and this act gave him inner joy ✓
  • C. The woman gave him money as a reward
  • D. He wanted to show off his good deed to everyone

Answer: B — The boy's happiness comes from the genuine act of helping and knowing he did the right thing, not from praise or rewards.

Q9. Examine these two statements: (1) The old woman was weak because she was careless. (2) The old woman was vulnerable due to her age and poverty. Which statement is FACT and which is OPINION?

  • A. Statement 1 is fact; Statement 2 is opinion
  • B. Statement 1 is opinion; Statement 2 is fact based on evidence in the poem ✓
  • C. Both statements are facts
  • D. Both statements are opinions

Answer: B — Statement 1 makes an unsupported judgment, while Statement 2 is supported by the poem's description of her age, appearance, and circumstances.

Q10. What does the contrast between 'trembling feet' and 'firm and strong' feet reveal about the poem's message?

  • A. That young people are always better than old people
  • B. That strength and youth create a responsibility to help those who are weak and vulnerable ✓
  • C. That the boy was showing off his physical abilities
  • D. That old people are useless to society

Answer: B — The contrast highlights that those with strength and youth have a moral duty to use those gifts to help others who are vulnerable—not to boast, but to serve with compassion.

Flashcards

What is the main theme of 'Somebody's Mother'?

The poem celebrates kindness, empathy, and how a single act of helping someone in need can create lasting human connection.

Why did the old woman stand alone at the crossing for so long?

She was too weak, afraid, and timid to cross the slippery, snow-covered street alone, and other people ignored her pleas for help.

What poetic device is used in 'Came the boys like a flock of sheep'?

A simile is used to compare the boys rushing together to a flock of sheep moving as a group.

Why does the boy help the old woman cross the street?

He realizes that the old woman could be somebody's mother, just like his own mother, and he hopes someone would help her one day.

What does the phrase 'ragged and grey' describe in the poem?

It describes the old woman's worn-out, shabby appearance and her grey hair, emphasizing her age and poverty.

Identify one example of alliteration from the poem.

'Hailing the snow' or 'Glad in the freedom' uses repeated consonant sounds to create rhythmic flow in the poem.

What is the rhyme scheme of the poem?

The poem follows an AABB rhyme scheme, where consecutive lines rhyme with each other (grey/day, snow/slow).

How does the old woman show gratitude to the boy?

When the boy returns home, she prays to God and blesses him, calling him 'somebody's son' and a 'noble boy.'

What is the significance of the title 'Somebody's Mother'?

The title emphasizes that every elderly or vulnerable person deserves dignity and kindness because they are somebody's loved one and a valuable part of society.

How does the boy feel after helping the old woman?

The boy feels proud, happy, and well-content because he has used his strength and youth to help someone in need.

Important Board Questions

What does the old woman fear as she waits at the crossing? Support your answer with one line from the poem. [2 marks]

Look at the description of the street conditions (wet snow, slippery) and the woman's physical state (trembling, meek, afraid). The poem mentions 'carriage wheels or horses' feet'—this shows her fear of being hurt.

How does the poet use imagery to show the helplessness of the old woman? Explain with two examples from the poem. [3 marks]

Identify words that describe her physical appearance and condition: 'ragged and grey,' 'bent,' 'trembling feet,' 'aged and slow.' Explain how these words create a picture of weakness and vulnerability.

The title of the poem is 'Somebody's Mother.' Explain why this title is appropriate and how it relates to the poem's central message about kindness and human values. What does the poem teach us about how we should treat vulnerable people in society? [5 marks]

The title reminds readers that every elderly or weak person is loved and valued by someone—they deserve dignity. Connect this to the boy's realization that the woman could be his own mother, and explain how this recognition leads to kindness. Discuss what the poem suggests about our responsibility toward others in society.

Assertion-Reason Questions for Somebody's Mother

Q1. Assertion (A):

The central theme of 'Somebody's Mother' is the importance of kindness and empathy toward vulnerable members of society.

Reason (R):

The poem shows how one boy's simple act of compassion stands out against the indifference of others and creates a ripple effect of mutual care.

Answer: A — Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A — Both the assertion and reason are true. The poem clearly demonstrates that kindness is its main theme, and the reason correctly explains why this is the central message—showing the contrast between indifference and compassion.

Q2. Assertion (A):

The old woman's 'trembling feet' represent her physical weakness due to age.

Reason (R):

Trembling feet indicate the woman's emotional anxiety about crossing the busy street safely.

Answer: B — Both A and R are true, but R is NOT the correct explanation of A — Both statements are true—the trembling feet do show her physical fragility AND her emotional anxiety. However, the reason does not fully explain the assertion about physical weakness; it explains emotional vulnerability instead. They are related but not the same explanation.

Q3. Assertion (A):

The other schoolboys demonstrated lack of compassion by not helping the old woman.

Reason (R):

The poem states that the boys were absorbed in their own joy and did not take notice of her needs.

Answer: C — A is true but R is false — The assertion makes a judgment about their character (lack of compassion), but the reason suggests they simply did not notice rather than deliberately being uncompassionate. The reason is true, but it doesn't prove the assertion—they may have been thoughtless rather than cruel.

Unlock more Assertion-Reason questions in Premium — unlock →

Case-Based Questions (CBQ) for Somebody's Mother

Case Study:

In a busy city intersection on a cold winter morning, an elderly man stands waiting to cross. A group of office workers rush past him, focused on reaching work on time. A young college student, delayed for her exam, notices the man struggling and immediately steps back to help him cross safely. Once across, the man thanks her with tears of gratitude. The student continues to her exam, feeling a sense of purpose and warmth. That evening, the old man writes a letter to his family about the kindness of a stranger, and the student receives a call from her grandmother, who reminds her that such acts of kindness are the true measure of a person's character.

Q1. What does this scenario have in common with the poem 'Somebody's Mother'?

  • A. Both show an elderly person being ignored by busy people
  • B. Both demonstrate a young person offering help and recognizing the universal human need for compassion ✓
  • C. Both are set during winter and involve crossing a street
  • D. Both show that helping elderly people prevents them from getting lost

Answer: B

Q2. How does the student's action reflect the boy's character from the poem?

  • A. She is trying to make other people feel guilty
  • B. She is looking for recognition and rewards
  • C. She demonstrates natural compassion and empathy that others overlook ✓
  • D. She is helping only because she was late for her exam

Answer: C

Q3. What can be inferred about why the student feels 'warmth' after helping?

  • A. She feels physically warm due to the winter weather
  • B. She experiences satisfaction from acting on her values and creating a positive human connection ✓
  • C. She expects the old man to reward her later
  • D. She is relieved that she did not face any obstacles

Answer: B

Q4. How does the grandmother's message to the student relate to the poem's overall message?

  • A. True character is shown through acts of kindness and empathy toward others ✓
  • B. Grandmothers always know best about helping people
  • C. Students should focus more on character than on exams
  • D. Phone calls are more important than helping people

Answer: A

Unlock more case studies in Premium — unlock →

Next chapterVerghese Kurien — I Too Had A Dream →
Found this useful? Share it with your class group.

You've seen the free preview. Open the full interactive study kit — mind map, instant-graded quiz, progress tracking — free, no sign-in required.

Open Full Study Kit — Free →

Premium unlocks the full Question Bank, Daily Practice Papers, Chapter Quiz and Full Mock Papers for every chapter.