Question 2

How do we know that Louise is a teenager and that Anna is younger than her?

In the text, the mother emphasizes that Anna is “barely 12” and she is “nowhere near old enough for that“ whilst
referring to whether Anna can have a training bra suggesting that she is younger and going through puberty.
Additionally, after the Mothers refusal to get a training bra, Louise showcases a “triumphant smirk” indicates she is
making fun of her little sister and looking down on her. Furthermore, as Louise and Anna got dressed, Louise is seen
applying “bubblegum lip gloss over her lips” revealing to the audience that she is old enough to wear makeup on the
contrary Anna is not wearing any makeup which suggests to the audience that Louise is older and more mature.
Likewise, in the opening of the story, Louise applies “skin-tinted Clearasil to the faint outbreaks on her forehead and
chin” implies she has gone through puberty unlike her little sister also alluding that she is a teenager. In addition,
Louise is shown to be older and more mature, this is demonstrated as Anna looks up to Louise and idolises/admires
her. Moreover, the mother continues to treat Anna as if she is still 9 years old. This is seen as Anna was forced to
wear a summer dress for nine-year-olds even though she was 12 and the text expresses how it was small and tight
on her in comparison to her sister. It is implied that the mother treats both daughters differently, and still continues to
treat Anna as a child because she is the youngest and fears change and her youngest growing up.

Question 4
How do we know that the mother is the dominant figure in the family?

Mum is a dominant figure in the family as she makes decisions for her daughter's as well as orders her husband to do
what she pleases. A key example of this is, when Louise and Anna had to wear a dress for 9 year olds despite them
being much older she is fearful of the thought of her children growing up. To add to that, she makes her children do
childish poses for the photocards to send to her international friends. Moreover, her mum refuses to get her a
training bra by adding that she is “barely 12” and “nowhere near old enough” even though Anna had just begun going
through puberty.The mother wishes for her family to look perfect and flawless to the public eye in doing so she
decides to hire a professional photographer since she believes there is in the single shot “where they all don't look
dreadful.” Both Anna and Louise are afraid to rebel against their mother as they fear the consequences due to her
domineering nature towards her family. “He’ll pay for that, that trussed” addresses how if things don’t go the
mother’s way it is clear that something negative/repercussions will occur. The mother pressures everyone to
act a certain way especially during the photoshoot. Moreover, the mother is very controlling and makes decisions for
the family. This is illustrated as the mother hates the existence of the pool, which is reinstated as Anna panics that
the pool will “sooner or later be the subject for attack.” The mother firmly believes that the pool should be a proper in-
ground one as that is considered more ideal, as she dislikes her husband and children seeking agency in the pool.
Moreover, the mother believes everything should occur to her will and standards and therefore she degrades her
husband and makes hurtful comments about Anna’’s body. Furthermore, the family dynamics come to light as the
mother constantly degrades and insults her husband as her children watch in dismay. Despite the fact that the mum
regularly compares the Dad to being a disappointment, for instance when the Dad brought home a christmas tree,
she states whether “they keep the dud one specially for him, every year”. The dad is still a supportive figure and kind
towards his daughters. A key indication of this is how Anna’s dad spends his days tending to the pool by “ sweeping
stray leaves off the pool surface with a net” just so that Anna and Louise can enjoy and have fun as it is a place
where the father and the children find refuge in the pool which shows the balance and family dynamics within their
family and power difference. Moreover, the father is rebelling against the Mum’s attempt in controlling the family by
his use of the pool despite facing her head on.

Question 6
There are two sides to the character of the mother; the image she wants the outside world to see and that
which she saves for her family. Find an example of each of these from the text. Embed evidence from the text
into your response.
The mother wants to send christmas cards to all of her international friends every year and it’s essential for her to
display an ideal and perfect family. Due to that, the Mother is oftentimes forcing her husband and children to be
dressed in their best clothes and pose according to the Mother’s will. Moreover, the mum wants everything to go
precisely the way she wants it too, therefore her character is displayed as more intimidating and domineering to the
rest of her family. Due to her keenness in portraying a perfect family she decides to have her family professionally
photographed since “there isn’t a single shot where we don’t all look dreadful.”The girls appear elegant, proper, and
obedient in the photo, and the entire family appears sophisticated, harmonious, and close but in reality the author
highlights the imbalance within the family. In the text, the mother is portrayed as controlling and someone who
scrutinizes the rest of the family. Although the family is shown as close-knit within photographs, this would be quite
the opposite of what's occurring behind closed doors. Kennedy highlights the mother’s personality change when the
photographer was there, when Louise asks whether she can go to the pool, which ideally would have caused a
commotion/uproar but she could “take this risk because the photographer is there.”Additionally, before the Mother
could respond, her Dad responds by saying its too hat to be inside on a day like this, “trussed up in your best
clothes”, Anna, the narrator emphasis “he’ll pay for that, that trussed” alluding to the idea that her mother will a
dispute later on after the photographer leaves. This illustrates how the Mother’s personality shifts to being kind and
polite when she is speaking to her husband and kids; however it's the opposite that occurs within closed doors. The
mom also makes sure to share that these photocards are going to her international friends around the photographer
to seem like she has numerous connections. Furthermore, the Mother’s controlling nature is showcased when both
Anna and Louise were forced to dress in “a nine-year-old’s dress” in spite of being much older and the dress being
small on Anna which is evident as it “squeeze[s] across the tingling, embarrassing swell of [her] chest,” alluding that
her body is growing through puberty.To add to that, Anna’s mother refused to buy her a training bra on christmas as a
result of being “barely 12” and “nowhere near old enough for that” indicating that her Mother is afraid of change and
her youngest hitting puberty and essentially growing up since she is becoming more independent,but this also
provides to readers that her mother is very controlling see as Anna hadn’t stood up to her. It also demonstrates the
amount of control the Mother has and how she does everything in her power despite her daughter feeling as though
she is sitting in a “humiliating dress, cross-legged like a child” and her mother's “heavy and proprietorial your mother’s
hand is on [her] shoulder” implying her mother is the one with all the power. Another incident includes the mother’s
constant abuse towards the Dad, as she makes several comments mocking him to be a failure, as she remarks
whether they keep the “the dud one specially for him” whilst referring to the christmas trees but on the contrary during
the photoshoot she seemed especially sweet and well-mannered. In addition, the mother also hates the idea of the
pool as it is the one place her children and the Dad find refuge without her, the children always fear whether it would
become the subject of attack especially because the mother oftentimes makes comments on having an in-ground
pool, not a temporary above-ground one which exemplifies the need to achieve perfection and her family failing to do
so.

Question 8
When the children are creating the whirlpool that the boy gets trapped in, the narrator states ‘He has to
learn’. What does she mean by this?

The whirlpool symbolises a place in which both Anna and Louise work together to reenact their mother’s
mistreatment. This is further indicated as the girls alongside Leanne force Chris to participate in the whirlpool which
Chris despises. This is evident as the rest would have to “wrestle him sideways to throw him in” because he hasn’t
agreed in doing so. The narrator outlines that a whirlpool created as individuals “run around the sides of the pool,
[their] legs [thresh] the water”. The whirlpool is taken in turns and whoevers turns next they would have to tumble
“into the middle and be spun around, outstretched.” This in turn can symbolise the pressures the girls undergo due to
their mother’s controlling nature. Moreover, the whirlpool symbolises the mother’s abuse and Chris’s “acquiescence”
can embody both Anna’s and Louise’s attitudes towards their domineering Mother. Another interpretation of this
would be Anna’s and Louise’s way of taking it out/ dealing with their situation. As the girls feel powerful watching “the
helpless ridge of his spine arching as he flounders, gasping”, the narrator describes these feelings of power as “cool
and blue and chemical.” Both Anna and Louise would be doing the same thing their mother does to them too. The
 narrator states ‘He has to learn’ insinuating that Chris has to play according to their will otherwise there would be
consequences, which is similar to the sisters' relationship with their mother as they are “trapped in” just like Chris.

Question 10
Each family member has a different idea of what makes the perfect summer/family. Fill in the table below to
outline each character’s perspective on this. It is important to use evidence from the text.

Character What is their idea of the perfect summer/family How do we know this (evidence from the text)

Mother The mothers idea of a perfect family would be a well-groomed and - Anna, Louise, and Dad spend as much
harmonious family. The mother wishes for her family to be well- time as possible outside in the pool. The
connected with her international friends and wants her family to look pool—which is an above-ground,
ideal as well as flawless. Moreover, she would want her family to be temporary one—also feeds into Mum’s
compliant to her wishes and demands and have her husband and sense of inadequacy, as she believes a
daughters meet her standards in order to look perfect, especially in perfect family should have a proper in-
public. She wants her children to remain young and not grow up as ground one instead. It also seems that
they start to become more independent. Additionally, the mothers Mum hates the pool because it gives her
idea of a perfect summer would involve an in-ground pool, perfect husband and daughters someplace
christmas cards, colourful decorations and her husa=band and away from her, where they can enjoy
daughters within her control. agency.

- Despite the fact that Louise and Anna

are much older, they had to wear a dress
designed for 9-year-olds because she is
frightened of her children growing up.

- The Mum frequently compares the Dad

to a disappointment; for example, when
the Dad brings home a Christmas tree,
she expresses whether "they keep the
dud one specially for him, every year."
- When the narrator(Anna) suggests “he'll
pay for that, that trussed” (when the Dad
allowed his daughters to go swim right
after the photoshoot) refers to the fact
that if things don't go the mother's way,
there will be negative consequences.

Father The Dad’s idea of a perfect summer centres around having a happy, - His daughters/ being supportive
loving family and hoping his wife is as supportive as he is towards his - The mum regularly compares the Dad to
daughters. He would also wish to be free from prejudice from his wife. being a disappointment, for instance
Moreover, an ideal summer would involve being by the pool and when the Dad brought home a christmas
keeping it clean and filled so Anna and Louise can play in it as much
tree, she states whether “they keep the
as possible. He too loves the pool as it is a place he can find refuge
in. dud one specially for him, every year”.
- “He’ll pay for that, that trussed”
addresses how if things don’t go the
mother’s way it is clear that something
negative/repercussions will occur.
 - Anna, Louise, and Dad spend as much
time as possible outside in the pool. The
pool—which is an above-ground,
temporary one—also feeds into Mum’s
sense of inadequacy, as she believes a
perfect family should have a proper in-
ground one instead. It also seems that
Mum hates the pool because it gives her
husband and daughters someplace
away from her, where they can enjoy
agency.
- This is especially seen when her Dad
tells Anna that he left the “hose on the
pool for [her].”

Anna Anna’s idea of a perfect family would be her mother being supportive - The pool
and more kind to her and not making comments about her body as - Her mothers control
she has just started going through puberty. Her idea of a perfect - Her relationship with her sister
summer would most likely involve having fun in the pool, being around
a loving family with no dysfunction and having a better relationship
with her sister.

Louise Despite Louise being slimmer, she still hopes for her mother to be less
controlling of her family. She spends a lot of her time in the pool
alongside Anna and seems disappointed when her mother targets her
dad and makes rude comments towards him. Louise’s ideal family
would consist of her mum not forcing her to pose and dress like a
child and would entail her mother accepting that her children are
growing up.
- The whirlpool
“It only takes a second, but you’re stunned to see
her, at the exact same moment, looking back at
you. Something passes between you. It’s like the
reckless moment after running hard around the
pool’s perimeter, when you eye one another,
savage and panting, before launching Chris or
yourselves into the stirring, threshing current of
the whirlpool.”

“You girls eye each other, expressionless, as he

staggers humbly to his feet afterwards, blinking
and choking.”

- Then you both turn back to the camera,

and you do not smile. You know Louise
is doing it too; keeping her face
compliant and blank. The camera snaps
like teeth. (form of rebellion)
- Dressing and posing like a child
““You sit there,” she directs, steering you, “in front
of the couch, on the floor. And Louise, you’ll be on
this side of me and Robert, you on the other.”

- The pool

Question 12
How does the mother feel about change? How do we know this?

The mother is often showcased to be wary of change and does everything in her power to delay change. This is
demonstrated in various occasions throughout the course of the short story. For instance the mum attempts to control
both Anna and Louise oftentimes by making them as young as possible, Anna who is twelve and going through
puberty was forced to wear “a nine-year-old’s dress” for the family photo despite her being evidently uncomfortable
by her dress. Moreover, the text highlights the Mum’s fearful nature towards her daughters growing up, especially
when Anna asks for a training bra for Christmas to which her mother responds by stating that she is “barely 12” and
“nowhere near old enough for that.” Anna also implies that despite the fact that Louise’s dress didn’t “look quite so
ridiculous” , the dress was more so embarrassing for the both of them. Additionally, it is clear to the audience that the
recipients of the photos will believe that both Anna and Louise are far too old to be wearing dresses for young
children and posing like one, this is exemplified as the Mother directs Anna to sit “in front of the couch, on the floor.”
This shines light on the Mothers controlling and domineering behaviour as the Mother’s actions misguided and her
attempts to pressure her family into her idea of perfection will only result in more dysfunction due to her fearing the
idea of her children growing up. To add that, her mother proceeds to express how it’s “ normal for young girls to feel
self conscious about their weight” to reason with her daughter. Furthermore, the mother’s refusal to get Anna a
training bra further suggests how she isn’t ready to accept the prospect of her youngest growing older and she wants
to keep Anna as young as possible.