What Happened to Lulu

Poem What Has Happened To Lulu? (Form 5) : Chegue Thiba

Themes, Moral Values, Moral Lessons

THEMES:
 Family love
 Family values
 Grief
 Adult versus child 

MORAL VALUES:
 Love and care
 Responsibility
 Helpfulness
 Honesty
 Co-operation

MORAL LESSONS:
 Honesty is the best policy
Form 5  We should help others in need E-Tuition Arena Matriks – English- Literature
 Two heads are better than one
 Many hands make light work
 We have to show our concern towards our family members
 Blood is thicker than water
.

Based on the persona’s observations:

Stanza 1:        Lulu is missing

Old rag-doll & Lulu’s shoe

Stanza 2:        Lulu’s open window & flapping curtain

A circle on the dusty shelf

Stanza 3:        Mother is crying

Mother crumples the note

Stanza 4:        Voices late at night

Engine roar

Stanza 5:        Somebody cried in anger/pain

Stanza 6:        Mother is wandering / looking worried
 Poem What Has Happened To Lulu? (Form 5) :
Meaning

Stanza One Chegue Thiba

Line Line Interpretation
no.
1 What has happened to The persona (the child) is asking
Lulu, mother? his/her mother about his/her older
sister, Lulu.
2 The question is repeated but using
What has happened to
the name “Lu” (showing that the child
Lu? and Lulu are very close)
3 There's nothing in her bed Lulu is not in her bed. Only her rag-
but an old rag-doll doll is there
4 There is a shoe (Lulu’s) by the side
And by its side a shoe.
of the bed.
Stanza Two
Line Line Interpretation
no.
1 Why is her window wide, The persona is asking his/her mother
mother, about Lulu’s bedroom window that is
wide open
Form 5 2 The curtain flapping free, The curtain is moving
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Matriks –of the Literature
English-
wind from the open window
3 And only a circle on the Lulu’s money-box is also missing
dusty shelf (sign of a circle where the money-
      Where her money-box box was)
4 used to be?
Stanza Three
Line Line Interpretation
no.
1 Why do you turn your The persona is asking his/her mother
head, mother, why she turns her head away from
him/her
2 And why do tear-drops He/She asks why  mother is crying
fall?
3 And why do you crumple Why does his/her mother crumple
that note on the fire the note she is reading and throw it
into the fire (in the fire place)
4 And say it is nothing at The mother simply says that there is
all? nothing to worry about.
Stanza Four
Line Line Interpretation
no.
1 I woke to voices late last The persona tells his/her mother that
night, he/she woke up from his/her sleep
because he/she heard some people
talking
 2 I heard an engine roar. He/She also heard the sound of a
vehicle at that time
3 Why do you tell me the The persona is asking his/her mother
things I heard why she says what he/she heard
4 Were a dream and were only in his/her dream
nothing more? Chegue Thiba
Stanza Five
Line Line Interpretation
no.
1 I heard somebody cry, The persona tells his/her mother that
mother, he/she also heard someone cry in
2 In anger or in pain, anger or in pain
3 But now I ask you why, But when he/she asks his/her
mother, mother, she says it is just the sound
of the rain.
4 You say it was a gust of
rain.
Stanza Six
Line Line Interpretation
no.
1 Why do you wander about The persona is asking his/her mother
as though why she is walking or moving
2 You don't know what to aimlessly as if she is nervous,
do? worried and in panic.
Form 5 3 What has happened to Again, theE-Tuition
personaArena Matrikshis/her
is asking – English- Literature
Lulu, mother? mother about Lulu.
4 What has happened to The repeated question shows that
Lu? the child is really missing his/her
sister / is worried about her / in
confusion.
 Chegue Thiba

Form 5 E-Tuition Arena Matriks – English- Literature

 Chegue Thiba

Form 5 E-Tuition Arena Matriks – English- Literature

 Chegue Thiba
The Poem

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? 
Form 5 E-Tuition Arena Matriks – English- Literature
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?