What Is The Little Girl About? Plot Summary & Key Messages
In the Class 9th English textbook, the little girl is a chapter about a girl named Kezia. The central theme of the story revolves around the father and daughter relationship. With this chapter, you will get to know that the author Katherine Mansfield tried to showcase the parents' bond with their children.
In some cases, children might not feel that their parents love them as they are quite strict and even scold them a bit when they do something wrong. But eventually, when the time comes, parents are the ones children look for in terms of security and comfort. When the children grow up, they realize that all the scolding that was done was necessary to make them the good person they are now. Besides, beneath the strictness lies a soft heart that is full of love for the children. In this Class 9 English, the little girl gives you the perfect moment to cherish the love between father and daughter.
Chapter 3 of the English textbook from Standard 9 consists of the story of The Little Girl. This story is about a little girl who lived with her parents and grandparents and was scared of her father. As the story unfolds there is a curiosity that arises whether she will ever open up to her father or not! IF you are a student who would like to understand the story of The Little Girl in a short paragraph and would like to read The Little Girl Summary for Class 9 then here it is provided by Vedantu along with the takeaways from this chapter.
The Little Girl Summary
The chapter little girl Class 9 has a title that says a lot about the story that the readers will read. The name of the little girl is Kezia, and the main story revolves around her only. With this story, the writer wants us to feel the bond of love that children have with their parents.
In the story, we get to know about Keiza, who lives with her father, mother, and grandmother. The girl was young, and she was afraid of her father, and in most cases, she looked for a way to avoid him. Moreover, she feels a sense of comfort as her father leaves for the office.
She thinks her father appears to be rude, harsh, and critical when he is in front of her. On the other hand, her grandmother knows about the fear, but she believes her granddaughter needs to confront her fear, and the parents aren’t that harsh on her. She asks Kezia to go to the drawing-room and talk to her parents. Still, Kezia finds her parents to be cold towards her.
On her father’s birthday, Kezia thought about preparing a pin cushion to make him feel special and giving that cushion as a present. She stitches the casing of the pillow, but to complete it, she needs to fill the cushion with something. That’s when she goes to her parent’s room and finds the sheets of fine paper. Without reading any of the documents, she tore them apart and stuffed them into the cushion.
The papers she used to stuff her cushion have the port authority speech, which her father has penned down after working hours. She accepted her mistake and tried to explain, but her father was too angry to listen to her. He punished her with a ruler in her palm.
The Little Girl Story
In English, little girl means a child, not in their teens. She was too young to understand the importance of the speech, and once she got punished, she asked God what fathers made for? She saw her neighbor Mr. McDonald having fun with his five children. They were playing games, enjoying themselves, and laughing. This event changed her mind map, and she thought all fathers are not similar. One day her attitude towards her father changed. Someday her mother was not feeling well, and she needed to be hospitalized.
Thus, her grandmother also has gone to the hospital. The day was fine, and it felt pretty normal to her. But when the night was coming, she felt fear growing inside her. In the middle of the night, she works up screaming and weeping as she just had a terrible nightmare. When she opened her eyes, she saw her father standing right next to her bed. Her father carried her to his bedroom and made her feel comfortable.
Her father told her to rub her feet with his legs to get them warm. She spends the rest of the night with him feeling safe and secure. From that day, she knew her father wasn’t a bad person. He does love her and takes good care of her. He had to work hard the whole day to provide a living for the family, and thus, when he comes back, he becomes too weary of playing with her.
FAQs on The Little Girl Summary: Key Points, Themes & Character Analysis
1. Who are the main characters in Katherine Mansfield's story, 'The Little Girl'?
The main characters in the story are:
- Kezia: The protagonist, a young girl who is initially terrified of her strict father but later comes to understand his love for her.
- Kezia's Father: A hardworking and seemingly harsh figure who struggles to express his affection, but ultimately shows his caring side.
- Kezia's Grandmother: A source of comfort and support for Kezia, who often acts as a bridge between Kezia and her parents.
- Kezia's Mother: A more passive character who is often occupied with household duties and upholds her husband's authority.
- The Macdonalds: The neighbours who serve as a contrast to Kezia's family, showing a more playful and open form of parenting.
2. What is the central theme of the story 'The Little Girl'?
The central theme of 'The Little Girl' is the nature of parent-child relationships and the idea that love can be expressed in different ways. The story explores how a child's perception can be shaped by fear and misunderstanding, and how a single act of tenderness can reveal the deep, unspoken love that a parent holds. It highlights the communication gap that can exist between generations.
3. Why was Kezia so afraid of her father?
Kezia was afraid of her father primarily because of his authoritarian and intimidating presence. He appeared to her as a giant figure who was always giving commands. He would question her formally, making her stutter, and she saw him as a stern critic rather than a loving parent. The incident where he punishes her with a ruler for tearing his important papers, despite her good intentions, solidifies this fear.
4. What is the importance of the Macdonald family in the story?
The Macdonald family is important because they serve as a foil, or a direct contrast, to Kezia's family. Mr. Macdonald plays happily with his children, showing open affection and joy. Witnessing this makes Kezia wonder why all fathers are not the same and intensifies her feelings of loneliness and fear towards her own father. This contrast is crucial for highlighting Kezia's perspective and setting up her eventual change of heart.
5. How does Kezia's perception of her father change by the end of the story?
Kezia's perception dramatically changes after she has a nightmare. Frightened, she is comforted by her father, who carries her to his bed. As she snuggles next to him for warmth and safety, she realises he is not a fearsome giant but a hardworking man who gets too tired to play. She feels his protective presence and understands his unspoken love, concluding that he had a 'big heart'. This moment of vulnerability and care completely transforms her view of him.
6. What misunderstanding leads to Kezia being punished by her father?
The key misunderstanding occurs when Kezia decides to make a pin-cushion as a birthday gift for her father. Searching for stuffing, she finds some papers on her mother's bed table and tears them into small pieces. She is unaware that these are the papers for her father's important speech for the Port Authority. Her father, seeing only the destruction of his hard work, fails to understand her loving intention and punishes her out of anger and frustration.
7. What role does the grandmother play in Kezia's life?
The grandmother plays the role of a primary caregiver and emotional anchor in Kezia's life. She provides the warmth and affection that Kezia feels is missing from her parents. The grandmother encourages Kezia to build a better relationship with her parents, such as suggesting she make the pin-cushion. She is Kezia's confidante and protector, often shielding her from her father's sternness and comforting her in times of distress.
