All Summer in A Day

1. What does Margot remember that the other children do not? Why?

Margot remembers a time when there wasn't only rain, when she was on Earth up till she was four
years old. She remembered the Sun, how it looked in the sky and its warmth and its bright golden
colour.
She lived on Earth in Ohio till she was four and hence she remembered the Sun.

2. Why do you think Margot refused to take a shower in the school one day?

Margot was terrified of the water. After moving from Earth to Venus she had grown homesick and
hated the never ending rain. She panicked at the very though of that water even touching her. She
wanted to go back home and feel he Sun on her face

3. How did the children react when they finally experienced the sun?

The children ran wild. They ran out into the Sun, looking up at it, taking off their jackets and letting it
burn their arms. They lay laughing on the jungle mattress. They ran among the trees, slipped and fell,
they pushed each other, they played hide-and-seek and tag but most of all they squinted at the Sun till
tears ran down their faces

4. Did seeing the sun change the children in any way? Discuss

Yes, seeing the Sun had been one of the greatest events of the children's life (till that age) and it was
the one thing they had been waiting for since seven years. When the last time the Sun had shown its
face they had been only two, so they had no memory of it so they could not miss it. But now that they
knew how the Sun felt, how it looked and how it brought about springtime and joy they would long for it
and yearn to see it once more.

5. Children tend to bully those who are different from others. Analyse this statement with
reference to the children in the story and their attitude towards Margot.

Margot was different from all the other children. She had lived on Earth in Ohio till she was four while
all the other kids were born and brought up on Venus. She remembered the Sun, its colour and
warmth and how it looked in the sky while all the other kids had no recollection of ever seeing the Sun
(as they were only two when it last came out). She distanced herself from everyone (due to
homesickness) and did not even attempt to involve herself with them while they tried to get her to play
tag with them and just talk to them. She hated the rain (she was sick of it) while the other kids were
used to it as they were born there. She did not like the underground tunnels while the other kids were
used to them. She was pale and faded, her voice just a whisper (she was a shadow of her former self)
while all the other kids were cheerful and bright. Also there was a chance that she might be going back
to Earth next year and this made the rest of the children jealous. Hence, the children realized she was
different (and they were jealous that she remembered the Sun while they did not) and bullied her.