English Language & Literature — CBSE Class 10 board question

Both Amanda (from the poem Amanda) and Valli (from Madam Rides the Bus) long for freedom — Amanda from constant nagging and restrictions, and Valli from the limitations of her small village world.

Amanda escapes into a world of imagination. She dreams of being a mermaid roaming the sea, an orphan living freely, and Rapunzel who would never let down her hair. These daydreams reflect her deep desire to be free from the instructions and corrections she constantly receives from adults.

Similarly, Valli's "overwhelming desire" to ride the bus represents her longing to break free from her confined village life. She carefully saves sixty paise, resisting every temptation, and secretly plans her journey during her mother's afternoon nap. Her independent, determined behaviour — refusing help and insisting on managing alone — shows her fierce desire for freedom and self-reliance.

Both characters find their own ways to assert independence: Amanda through imagination, Valli through bold, planned action. Their struggles reflect a universal childhood longing to explore the world beyond set boundaries.

Source: Madam Rides the Bus, Chapter 7

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• The question asks you to compare both texts, so give roughly equal space to each character.
• For Amanda (not in the passages given), recall her daydreams — mermaid, orphan, Rapunzel — as symbols of freedom from adult control.
• For Valli, use textual evidence: "overwhelming desire," saving coins thriftily, slipping out during mother's nap, refusing the conductor's help.
• End with a linking conclusion that ties both characters to the common theme — examiners award marks for this synthesis.
• Avoid retelling the entire plot; focus on evidence of the longing for freedom.