Read the extracts and answer the questions that follow:

'Did that account partly for her great unhappiness, her sense of inadequacy, in the world ofother children?’

a) Why did Marian feel inadequate?

b) In what way was Anne responsible for Marian's unhappiness?

c) Was Anne aware of her role in this regard?

a) Marian played with her mother, went for walks but that was all. She never mingled with other children. When Freda passed her gate and disappeared, Marian began to speak on her fingers. With the help of gestures, Marian asked Anne if she rather had Freda than her. It was evident that Marian had sensed her mother’s desire for a child without her handicaps. Her little heart had been bitterly hurt.

b) Marian being a very sensitive child could have got a glimpse of her mother’s keeping things from others and in that case, had developed alarming anxiety and worry about being deaf and dumb. Although Anne is a loving mother but her over sensitivity had already done a large amount of hurt and damage to Marian’s development.

c) Anne realised that it was her behaviour which had caused hurt to Marian. Anne, in a way, commits a terrible error by putting a lot of weight on her daughter’s disability. Her overcautious nature would hamper Marian’s emotional growth. Anne is over sensitive and overly particular in keeping Marian’s deformity from Freda, probably, from all.