What is the summary of sisters by saleem peeradina?

Answer 1

Sibling rivalry is a phenomena which manifests itself even in the early years of one's life. Quarrels between brothers and sisters, or siblings are quite common. Sometimes the differences or issues raised by their fights are harmless, sometimes these are serious. Parents are not always impartial when they intervene in the quarrels of their children. The poem 'sisters' written by Saleem peeradina, deals with the differences of temperament and age between two sisters.

The narrator of the poem is the father of the two sisters. The elder daughter is less than ten years of age, while the younger one is a little more than five years old. The younger child is aware that she would never be able to bridge the difference of nearly five year's gap between the two sisters. She feels that neither good behaviour("how hard she cheats") will make up for the age difference. The father is aware of the inner natures of his two children. He implies that the younger daughter can employ both fair and foul means to have her way.

The younger sister regards the age gap as a disadvantage. But she uses all kind of strategies to turn the disadvantage or the "handicap" of being the younger one into an advantage.

the younger sister tries to utwit the elder one by her manipulative nature: the younger one is bolder as well as shy by nature. Sometimes she uses sweet words and is obedient in order to impress her parents. But she is also capable of subverting rules, and deliberately influencing elders by shedding tears and shouting.

The father seems to be partial to the younger daughter. Even when the younger one is in the wrong, he tries to teach the elder one to be more tolerant, accommodating and protective towards her young sister.

The elder daughter often has to bear the brunt of the younger one's smart and manipulative behaviour. The elder sibling responds to the unfair treatmentmeted out to her through the expression on her face. She tries to fight against the injustice she receives by accusing her father of taking the wrong side.

The speaker of the poem, that is the father, tries to talk to the elder daughter in a pleasant manner, placing the ones of all good behaviour on the elder child. But the elder daughter rebels against the moralistic and unfair attitude of the father. Sometimes when the father is not in a good mood, he suppresses the elder daughter by shouting at her; but deep down, he is a loving father, and , he immediately regrets such behaviour on his part.

We find that although the father puts unfair pressure on the elder daughter by trying to make her endure her younger sister's negative behaviour, he is good at heart. He admits to the reader that he is unfair and moralizing.

The impact of the father's unfair shouting at the elder daughter is that she lapses into silence. But she is not cowed into submission; the word "simmering" shows her quiet anger against the injustice that she receives. The father is silently at the outcome, although he did not deliberatly intend to teach the elder daughter what she has learnt instinctively. by standing her ground, and revolting against injustice, the elder daughter demonstrates her ability to defy authoritative behaviour. The expression "to overcome father, real and imaginery", refers to standing up against authoritatrian figures in one's life.