7. Summary

The poem 'Amanda' by Robert Klein revolves around a young girl who is always given orders by her caretakers. The poem does not reveal the identity of the person who gives orders. But the readers can assume it is her parents. Amanda is instructed not to bite nails as it is a bad habit. She is asked to stop slouching as it can affect her posture. She imagines herself as a mermaid in a languid sea, where she is the only inhabitant to escape from these orders. Amanda is also asked to finish her homework and tidy her room and shoes, which are given as continuous orders, not giving space for her to finish any chores. She imagines herself as an orphan roaming in a silent street. She is given insecurity as she is asked to refrain from eating chocolate due to her acne. After giving so many orders, the parents do not realise that they have overwhelmed Amanda and ask her to stop sulking as people might think that they are nagging her. Amanda also fantasises about being Rapunzel but swears she does not want to escape the tower by throwing her hair, rather wants to stay there.