Mention any two reasons that substantiate that Bholi's mother was a negative presence in her life. (Bholi)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 07:10 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Bholi's mother was a negative presence in her life in the following ways:
- Neglect and indifference: Bholi's mother never got new clothes made for her; she wore old, unwashed hand-me-downs from her sisters. No one cared to mend or wash them, showing how her mother ignored her basic needs.
- Using her as a burden to dispose of: When Ramlal consulted his wife about sending daughters to school, she coldly said, "Send Bholi to school. As it is, there is little chance of her getting married… Let the teachers worry about her." She treated Bholi not as a daughter to nurture but as a liability to be shifted elsewhere. She also called her "a dumb cow" and a "witless one," showing complete lack of love and respect.
Source: Bholi, Chapter 8
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Explanation
For 3 marks, examiners expect two clearly stated points supported by textual evidence. Each point should name the negative behaviour and back it with a quote or detail from the text. Avoid vague statements like "she didn't love her" — always cite what the mother said or did. Here, the two strongest points are: (1) neglect of Bholi's clothing/physical care, and (2) the callous remark about sending her to school. The quote about "dumb cow/witless one" adds bonus support to point 2.