POEM : WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU?

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO LULU?
BY CHARLES CAUSLEY

What has happened to Lulu, mother? 
What has happened to Lu? 
There's nothing in her bed but an old rag-doll 
And by its side a shoe. 

Why is her window wide, mother, 
The curtain flapping free, 
And only a circle on the dusty shelf 
Where her money-box used to be? 

Why do you turn your head, mother, 
And why do tear drops fall? 
And why do you crumple that note on the fire 
And say it is nothing at all? 

I woke to voices late last night, 
I heard an engine roar. 
Why do you tell me the things I heard Were a dream and nothing more? 

I heard somebody cry, mother, 
In anger or in pain, 
But now I ask you why, mother, 
You say it was a gust of rain. 

Why do you wander about as though 
You don't know what to do? 
What has happened to Lulu, mother? 
What has happened to Lu?

MEANINGS OF THE POEM

It is poem told in a child's voice about his older sister running away. A child is asking his/her mother what has happened to his/her sister, Lulu. There is nothing in her room, and her money-box has gone, with only an open window and old rag-doll left behind. His/her mother is crying and burning a note. He/ She thinks he/she heard voices and a car in the middle of the night, but his mother tells him/her that he/she was only dreaming.

QUESTIONS

1. Where is the setting of the poem?
Answer : In a room.

2. Who is asking what has happened to Lulu?

Answer : The persona / A child.

3. In stanza 1, what can be seen on Lulu's bed?

Answer : An old rag-doll

4. In Stanza 2,

- What does the line "the curtain flapping free" indicate?
Answer : The windows are open wide and wind is blowing the curtains.


-What did Lulu take with her?
Answer : Her money-box.

5. In stanza 3, why do you think the persona's mother crumples the note?

Answer : Because she is disappointed and sad.

6. In stanza 3, why do you think the mother says, "It is nothing at all?'

Answer : Because she does want to tell the persona about the truth.

7. Which line in stanza 3, suggest the mother is crying?

Answer : 'And why do tear drops fall?'

8. From stanza 4, "I woke to voices late last night". Whose voices the persona may have heard that woke him up?
Answer : Lulu's voice

9. In stanza 5, what does the phrase "gust of rain" being compared to?
Answer : A cry

10. In stanza 6, how does the persona 's mother feel?
Answer : She feels anxious and worry.

11. What is the persona's mother doing in stanza 6 and why do you think she reacts that way? Give a reason for your answer.
Answer : She is wandering around and cannot sit back because she is worried about Lulu.

12. Lulu has left the house. Give two reasons why do you think Lulu decided to do so?
Answer : - Because her parents ask her to stop  doing something that she likes.

              - Because she does not like the way her parents treat her.

13. In your opinion, what do you thinks had happened to Lulu?
Answer : In my opinion, Lulu had run away from home and went to her friend's house

14. The number of teenagers running away from home is on the rise. What could be the factors that contribute to this?
Answer : The factors are peers influence and lack of attention from parents.

15. In your opinion, why do you think teenagers run away? Give two reasons.

Answer : In my opinion, they run away because they think their parents never care about them and never understand their feelings. The other reason is that they want to be free to do what they want in life.