Class : 9 – Lesson (3) The Little Girl

EXPLANATION & SUMMARY

“The Little Girl” by Katherine Mansfield is a touching short story about a young girl named Kezia and her evolving relationship with her seemingly strict and cold father. The story explores themes such as fear, misunderstanding, parental love, and how children’s perceptions change as they grow and experience new things.

Kezia is a small, sensitive girl who is very afraid of her father. He is a big, serious man with a stern face and a habit of speaking sharply. Every evening, when he comes home from work, Kezia feels nervous. She stammers in front of him, tries to stay out of his way, and is uncomfortable in his presence. She sees him as an authority figure, not someone she can confide in or be affectionate with.

Her fear is increased by her father’s lack of emotional expression. He never plays with her or shows her gentleness, and her mother seems indifferent too. The only person Kezia feels safe and comfortable with is her grandmother, who tells her stories and encourages her to engage with her father more.

On one occasion, Kezia decides to make a surprise gift for her father’s birthday — a pin-cushion. Since she doesn’t have any proper stuffing, she uses some important papers from her father’s desk without understanding their value. This innocent mistake leads to a scolding and punishment from her father. He beats her with a ruler, and Kezia feels deeply hurt and scared. She thinks of him as cruel and harsh, and the incident confirms her fear of him.

However, a shift in her understanding occurs when her mother falls ill and is taken to the hospital, leaving Kezia in the care of her father for a night. She is frightened to sleep alone, especially during a thunderstorm. Seeing her scared, her father takes her in his arms, comforts her, and lets her sleep beside him. She feels warm and secure in his presence, something she had never associated with him before.
This moment becomes a turning point in their relationship. Kezia realizes that her father is not as unkind as she had believed. He has a different way of showing love and care. He works hard for the family, and though he doesn’t express emotions like her grandmother, he does love her in his own silent, responsible way. She begins to understand that parents, too, can feel tired, lonely, and loving — even if they don’t always show it openly.

The story ends on a tender note, with Kezia recognizing the depth of her father’s affection. It teaches that children often misinterpret strictness as lack of love, and that parents, too, have emotional layers that children must grow to understand.

Conclusion
“The Little Girl” is a beautifully written story that sensitively portrays the emotional distance between a child and a parent, and how empathy and shared moments can bridge that gap. It reminds us that love can exist quietly, behind a serious face, and that understanding builds stronger bonds than assumptions.
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PASSAGE

📜 Passage from “The Little Girl”
But it was for her father that she reserved her biggest surprise. She had been working on it for days. It was a pin-cushion. She stitched three sides carefully with double cotton and filled it with scraps. But to stuff it, she had torn up a great many sheets of fine paper out of her father’s great speech for the Port Authority. Kezia was too young to understand what she had done.

Questions and Answers

✅ Q1. Fill in the blank (1 mark)
Kezia stitched the pin-cushion carefully with __ cotton. (Choose the correct adjective for thread type)
Answer: double

✅ Q2. Multiple Choice Question (1 mark)
Choose the correct one-word substitution for “a formal talk given to an audience”:
A) story
B) conversation
C) speech
D) dialogue
Answer: speech

✅ Q3. Answer in 15 words (1 mark)
Why did Kezia use her father’s speech papers for stuffing the pin-cushion?
Answer:
She didn’t realize their importance and thought they were just waste paper suitable for stuffing.

✅ Q4. Answer in 40 words (2 marks)
What does this passage reveal about Kezia’s intentions and her understanding of consequences?
Answer:
Kezia’s action was innocent and full of love. She wanted to surprise her father with a handmade gift. However, being young and unaware, she couldn’t foresee the seriousness of using important documents. Her mistake stemmed from affection, not mischief.

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OTHER IMPORTANT QUESTIONS

Questions 1–4 carry 3 marks each (60-word answers), and Questions 5–6 carry 6 marks each (120-word answers) .

✅ Q1. Why was Kezia afraid of her father? (3 marks – 60 words)
Answer:
Kezia was afraid of her father because he was strict, short-tempered, and rarely smiled. His loud voice, serious demeanor, and constant scolding made her nervous. She stammered in front of him and avoided interaction. To Kezia, her father was a figure of authority, not affection, which created a sense of fear and emotional distance.

✅ Q2. How did Kezia’s grandmother try to bridge the gap between Kezia and her father? (3 marks – 60 words)
Answer:
Kezia’s grandmother encouraged her to speak to her father and spend time with him. She suggested Kezia make a birthday gift for her father — a pin-cushion — to express her love. The grandmother understood Kezia’s fear and gently guided her toward forming a more affectionate relationship, showing her that her father was not unkind, just reserved.

✅ Q3. What misunderstanding led to Kezia being punished by her father? (3 marks – 60 words)
Answer:
Kezia made a pin-cushion for her father’s birthday and unknowingly tore up important speech papers from his desk to stuff it. Her father was furious upon discovering this and punished her by hitting her with a ruler. The incident was a result of innocent ignorance, but it reinforced Kezia’s fear and misunderstanding of her father’s strict nature.

✅ Q4. How did Kezia’s opinion of her father change by the end of the story? (3 marks – 60 words)
Answer:
Kezia’s perception changed when her mother fell ill and she was left alone with her father. One night during a storm, he comforted her, carried her in his arms, and let her sleep beside him. She realized he wasn’t as cold as he seemed — just tired and overburdened. She understood he loved her in his quiet way.

✅ Q5. What message does “The Little Girl” give about parenting and emotional expression? (6 marks – 120 words)
Answer:
“The Little Girl” conveys that love and care should be expressed with warmth and understanding, especially toward children. Kezia’s father, though loving in his own way, failed to communicate his affection openly, leading her to fear and misunderstand him. Many parents believe discipline alone is enough, but children need emotional security, gentleness, and bonding. Kezia’s grandmother recognized this need and tried to help. The story reminds us that children judge love through action and affection, not just responsibility. A gentle word, a kind gesture, or shared time can build trust and remove fear. The story encourages parents to create emotionally nurturing homes where children feel safe, respected, and loved — not just disciplined.

✅ Q6. Imagine you are Kezia. Write a diary entry the night your father comforted you during the storm. (6 marks – 120 words)
Answer:
Diary Entry –
Tonight changed everything. The storm was loud, and I was so scared in my room. But then Father came in, gently picked me up, and tucked me into his bed. I was surprised! He didn’t shout. He didn’t scold. He just held me close and made me feel safe. I used to think he didn’t love me — he always looked so stern. But today, I saw another side of him. He works hard, and maybe that’s why he always seems tired. I never knew he could be kind. For the first time, I felt warm and close to him. Maybe Father isn’t heartless after all — maybe he just doesn’t show love like others do.

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