Subject
English

Lesson-6

The Hundred Dresses Part II

By El Bsor Ester

The Hundred Dresses Part II Introduction

In continuation of the previous lesson, "The Hundred Dresses II" explains why Wanda Petronski hasn't been attending school. The Petronskis decided to relocate to a large city where no one would notice their unusual surname. When Maddie and Peggy heard the note, they became concerned because they realised they would never be able to make amends for all of their teasing. Only after learning that Wanda liked them and had dedicated one of the hundred dresses (drawings) to each of them do the girls feel relieved.

The Hundred Dresses Part II Summary

The lesson begins with all of the students in Room 13 looking at Wanda Petronski's wonderful drawings. Only then does Miss Mason receive a note from Wanda's father informing her that neither of his two children will be attending the school because they are moving to a big city where no one will judge them for their names. Miss Mason was taken aback and expressed her disappointment to the class. Wanda's father's letter had an impact on Maddie. She felt compelled to apologise to Wanda right away. Peggy and Maddie, two best friends, rush to Boggins Heights in the hopes that the family hasn't moved yet. However, there was no sign of life in or around the house, much to their dismay. Maddie lost sleep over the fact that she was a coward who couldn't stand up to injustice. That day, she resolved never to let anyone tease her like that again. That weekend, Peggy and Maddie decided to write Wanda a letter that was supposed to be apologetic but ended up being a friendly note asking her how she liked the new place. Weeks passed with no response until Miss Mason announced one day near Christmas that she had heard from Wanda. Wanda wrote in that letter that she misses everyone and that she intends to give Maddie and Peggy one dress each because she has a whole new lot of hundred dresses lined up in her new house. They were both delighted to receive it and later realised that it was their faces she had drawn alongside the dresses. As a result, they both concluded that Wanda liked them.

The Hundred Dresses Part II Lesson Explanation

WHILE the class was circling the room, the monitor from the principal’s office brought Miss Mason a note. Miss Mason read it several times and studied it thoughtfully for a while. Then she clapped her hands. “Attention, class. Everyone back to their seat.” When the shuffling of feet had stopped and the room was still and quiet, Miss Mason said, “I have a letter from Wanda’s father that I want to read to you.” Miss Mason stood there a moment and the silence in the room grew tense and expectant. The teacher adjusted her glasses slowly and deliberately. Her manner indicated that what was coming — this letter from Wanda’s father — was a matter of great importance. Everybody listened closely as Miss Mason read the brief note.

Listened closely- listened with attention

Everyone was looking at Wanda's amazing drawings and admiring them when the class monitor brought a piece of paper for Miss Mason. Miss Mason had to read that note several times because she couldn't believe what was written on it. Finally, she decided to gather the class and read it aloud. Wanda Petronski's father had written her a letter. For a brief moment, she remained silent, creating tension in the minds of her students. She adjusted her spectacles, emphasising the significance of that note. Everyone was paying close attention as she began reading it.

Dear Teacher:

My Wanda will not come to your school any more. Jake also. Now we move away to big city. No more holler ‘Pollack’. No more ask why funny name. Plenty of funny names in the big city.
Yours truly,

Jan Petronski

The letter started with a greeting to Miss Mason. Wanda's father stated that he would no longer send both of his children, Wanda and Jake, to school. He mentioned that they were moving to another city, a big one where no one would notice their unusual name, a big city with a lot of people with unusual names. (Wanda's classmates thought her name was strange and amusing.) Wanda was a Polish immigrant to America, so her name was unfamiliar.)

A deep silence met the reading of this letter. Miss Mason took off her glasses, blew on them and wiped them on her soft white handkerchief. Then she put them on again and looked at the class. When she spoke her voice was very low. “I am sure that none of the boys and girls in Room Thirteen would purposely and deliberately hurt anyone’s feelings because his or her name happened to be a long, unfamiliar one. I prefer to think that what was said was said in thoughtlessness. I know that all of you feel the way I do, that this is a very unfortunate thing to have happened — unfortunate and sad, both. And I want you all to think about it.”

Everyone was speechless after hearing what was in that letter. Miss Mason, too, was taken aback, so she cleaned her glasses, put them back on, and spoke to the class in hushed tones. She expressed her displeasure to the class and asked them to reassure her that nothing was done on purpose to harm Wanda. She gave the children the benefit of the doubt, claiming that everything they did was unintentional. Whatever happened was "sad" and "unfortunate," she said. She advised the students to think about it as well.

The first period was a study period. Maddie tried to prepare her lessons, but she could not put her mind on her work. She had a very sick feeling in the bottom of her stomach. True, she had not enjoyed listening to Peggy ask Wanda how many dresses she had in her closet, but she had said nothing. She had stood by silently, and that was just as bad as what Peggy had done. Worse. She was a coward. At least Peggy hadn’t considered they were being mean but she, Maddie, had thought they were doing wrong. She could put herself in Wanda’s shoes.

Everyone began to reflect on what was written in the letter and how they each made Wanda feel. Maddie couldn't concentrate on her studies during their first period because she was sick from not stopping Peggy at the appropriate time. Things might have turned out differently if she had stopped Peggy from playing the dress-up game with Wanda. Although Maddie never teased Wanda, she did not stop Peggy from doing so, making her just as bad, if not worse. Peggy's intentions were never to hurt Wanda, and she had no idea that her game was hurting her feelings. Maddie, on the other hand, was aware of the impact, but she remained silent, making her a coward for not standing up to what is wrong.

Goodness! Wasn’t there anything she could do? If only she could tell Wanda she hadn’t meant to hurt her feelings. She turned around and stole a glance at Peggy, but Peggy did not look up. She seemed to be studying hard. Well, whether Peggy felt badly or not, she, Maddie, had to do something. She had to find Wanda Petronski. Maybe she had not yet moved away. Maybe Peggy would climb the Heights with her, and they would tell Wanda she had won the contest, that they thought she was smart and the hundred dresses were beautiful.

Maddie wished for a chance to apologise to Wanda, who was filled with guilt and regret. She looks at Peg, hoping she is thinking about Wanda as well, but she is busy studying. Regardless of what Peggy was thinking, Maddie made the decision to act. She hoped Wanda hadn't already moved away so she could apologise and thank her for her hundred dresses.

When school was dismissed in the afternoon, Peggy said, with pretended casualness, “Hey, let’s go and see if that kid has left town or not.” So Peggy had had the same idea! Maddie glowed. Peg was really all right. The two girls hurried out of the building, up the street toward Boggins Heights, the part of town that wore such a forbidding air on this kind of a November afternoon, drizzly, damp and dismal.

Damp and dismal- wet and sad (here, expressing a state of hopelessness)
Forbidding- Unfriendly or threatening in nature

That day, after school, Peggy asked Maddie if they could go check to see if Wanda had moved or not. Maddie was relieved to learn that they both intended to apologise to Wanda. They both hurried to Boggins Heights, Wanda's home, in order to find her. During this season, the area was generally wet, and the mood was depressing and hopeless.

“Well, at least,” said Peggy gruffly, “I never did call her a foreigner or make fun of her name. I never thought she had the sense to know we were making fun of her anyway. I thought she was too dumb. And gee, look how she can draw!” Maddie could say nothing. All she hoped was that they would find Wanda. She wanted to tell her that they were sorry they had picked on her, and how wonderful the whole school thought she was, and please, not to move away and everybody would be nice. She and Peggy would fight anybody who was not nice. The two girls hurried on. They hoped to get to the top of the hill before dark.

Peggy tries to console herself by saying that at least she didn't refer to her as a foreigner because she was an immigrant. She also didn't make her feel different because she had an unfamiliar name. She was always under the impression that Wanda had no idea those girls were mocking her. Above all, Wanda is a fantastic artist. Maddie, on the other hand, was speechless. What she hoped for was an opportunity to confess, make amends, appreciate her, and try to keep her from leaving. She even considered telling Wanda about her plan to protect her if anyone tried to bother her in any way. They hurried to get there before it got dark.

“I think that’s where the Petronskis live,” said Maddie, pointing to a little white house. Wisps of old grass stuck up here and there along the pathway like thin kittens. The house and its sparse little yard looked shabby but clean. It reminded Maddie of Wanda’s one dress, her faded blue cotton dress, shabby but clean. There was not a sign of life about the house. Peggy knocked firmly on the door, but there was no answer. She and Maddie went around to the back yard and knocked there. Still there was no answer.

They noticed a white little house up there and assumed it belonged to Wanda Petronski. Like Wanda's worn-out blue dress, the house and its surroundings were "shabby but clean." Along the path leading to the house, thin clumps of grass grew. They looked like skinny kittens. There was no one to be seen around the house. They knocked on both the front and back doors, but received no response.

There was no doubt about it. The Petronskis were gone. How could they ever make amends? They turned slowly and made their way back down the hill. “Well, anyway,” said Peggy, “she’s gone now, so what can we do? Besides, when I was asking her about all her dresses, she probably was getting good ideas for her drawings. She might not even have won the contest, otherwise.”

(To) make amends- to show that one is sorry by doing something else

The Petronskis were gone, and with them, Maddie and Peggy's last chance to make amends. To console herself, Peggy began to say that Wanda must have looked for drawing inspiration only after she began her dress-up game. Wanda would not have won the drawing competition if she hadn't done so.

Maddie turned this idea carefully over in her head, for if there were anything in it she would not have to feel so badly. But that night she could not get to sleep. She thought about Wanda and her faded blue dress and the little house she had lived in. And she thought of the glowing picture those hundred dresses made — all lined up in the classroom. At last Maddie sat up in bed and pressed her forehead tight in her hands and really thought. This was the hardest thinking she had ever done. After a long, long time, she reached an important conclusion. She was never going to stand by and say nothing again.

Maddie also tried to persuade her after what Peggy said, saying that if this is the case, she shouldn't feel so bad. Later that night, however, she couldn't sleep because she kept thinking about Wanda's little house, her faded blue dress, both shabby but clean, and her glorious hundred dresses, which were all lined up in the classroom, rather than the "closet." Finally, she sat in her bed and began to think deeply, the most difficult thing she'd ever done. She clenched her fists around her brow, indicating that she was really trying to concentrate. She came to the conclusion after much and deep thought that she will always stand up to wrongs and will never say nothing when she has to.

If she ever heard anybody picking on someone because they were funny looking or because they had strange names, she’d speak up. Even if it meant losing Peggy’s friendship. She had no way of making things right with Wanda, but from now on she would never make anybody else that unhappy again.

Picking on someone- criticising someone

She resolved that she would never allow anyone to make fun of others because of their appearance, name, clothing, or origin. She would not be afraid to speak out against Peggy, even if it meant losing her friend. She couldn't go back in time to make amends with Wanda, no matter how badly she wanted to, but she will never let another person feel embarrassed or unhappy again.

On Saturday Maddie spent the afternoon with Peggy. They were writing a letter to Wanda Petronski. It was just a friendly letter telling about the contest and telling Wanda she had won. They told her how pretty her drawings were. And they asked her if she liked where she was living and if she liked her new teacher. They had meant to say they were sorry, but it ended up with their just writing a friendly letter, the kind they would have written to any good friend, and they signed it with lots of X’s for love. They mailed the letter to Boggins Heights, writing ‘Please Forward’ on the envelope.

On Saturday, they sat down and decided to write a letter to Wanda, telling her about the contest and asking her where she is now and how she likes it there. No matter how much they wanted to apologise, they couldn't muster the courage to do so, so they ended up writing a friendly letter to Wanda as if she were a good friend. Because they didn't know her new address, they mailed it to Boggins Heights with the note 'Please forward.'

Days passed and there was no answer, but the letter did not come back, so maybe Wanda had received it. Perhaps she was so hurt and angry she was not going to answer. You could not blame her. Weeks went by and still Wanda did not answer. Peggy had begun to forget the whole business, and Maddie put herself to sleep at night making speeches about Wanda, defending her from great crowds of girls who were trying to tease her with, “How many dresses have you got?” And before Wanda could press her lips together in a tight line, the way she did before answering, Maddie would cry out, “Stop!” Then everybody would feel ashamed the way she used to feel.

Wanda did not respond, but they did not receive the letter back, so they concluded that it must have reached Wanda, but she was so upset that she did not respond. They waited for weeks and received no response. Peggy began to forget about the whole thing, whereas Maddie used to play out scenarios in her head before going to bed in which she defended Wanda. She imagined scenarios in which large groups of girls surrounded Wanda and asked her, "How many dresses do you have?" and as soon as anyone could say anything more, Wanda would interrupt and say "stop," making them all feel embarrassed.

Now it was Christmas time and there was snow on the ground. Christmas bells and a small tree decorated the classroom. On the last day of school before the holidays, the teacher showed the class a letter she had received that morning.

“You remember Wanda Petronski, the gifted little artist who won the drawing contest? Well, she has written me, and I am glad to know where she lives, because now I can send her medal. I want to read her letter to you.”

It was the winter season, and there was snow on the ground everywhere. Christmas had arrived. Their classrooms were decorated with bells and a small tree. Miss Mason informed the students that she had received a letter from Wanda Petronski that day. She is overjoyed to have received it because she can now send her the medal as well.

Dear Miss Mason,

How are you and Room Thirteen? Please tell the girls they can keep those hundred dresses, because in my new house I have a hundred new ones, all lined up in my closet. I’d like that girlPeggy to have the drawing of the green dress with the red trimming, and her friend Maddie to have the blue one. For Christmas, I miss that school and my new teacher does not equalise with you. Merry Christmas to you and everybody.

Yours truly,

Wanda Petronski

The letter started out in a very friendly tone. Wanda asked how everyone was doing and if they could keep her hundred dresses because she has another hundred dresses "lined up in her closet" in her new house. She specifically requested that Maddie and Peggy take her dress home with them. Peggy wore the green dress with red trimmings, while Maddie wore the blue one. She expressed her feelings for Miss Mason and wrote that her new teacher would never be able to replace her. She ended the letter by wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and mentioning how much she missed everyone in Room 13.

On the way home from school Maddie and Peggy held their drawings very carefully. All the houses had wreaths and holly in the windows. Outside the grocery store, hundreds of Christmas trees were stacked, and in the window, candy peppermint sticks and cornucopias of shiny transparent paper were strung. The air smelled like Christmas and light shining everywhere reflected different colours on the snow. “Boy!” said Peggy, “this shows she really likes us. It shows she got our letter and this is her way of saying that everything’s all right. And that’s that.” “I hope so,” said Maddie sadly. She felt sad because she knew she would never see the little tight-lipped Polish girl again and couldn’t ever really make things right between them.

Cornucopias- decorative containers (usually containing flowers and fruits)
Holly- a shrub having prickly dark green leaves, small white flowers, and red berries. It is used in Christmas decorations.

It was the Christmas season, and all of the houses were decked out. Christmas trees, candy peppermint sticks, and other Christmas items were available in grocery stores. The atmosphere was vibrant and upbeat. When Peggy realised that this gesture implied that Wanda liked the drawings, she and Maddie took them home with great care. They also assumed she received their letter and that everything was fine between them. Maddie, on the other hand, was heartbroken because she would never see that Polish, close-lipped girl again. She'd never have the opportunity to make amends.

She went home and she pinned her drawing over a torn place in the pink-flowered wallpaper in the bedroom. The shabby room came alive from the brilliancy of the colours. Maddie sat down on her bed and looked at the drawing. She had stood by and said nothing, but Wanda had been nice to her, anyway.

When Maddie got home, she hung her drawing on the part of the wall where her pink-flowered wallpaper had been slightly torn. Maddie's room was also shabby, but the drawing brought it to life. She kept staring at the drawing, remembering how nice Wanda had been to them.

Tears blurred her eyes and she gazed for a long time at the picture. Then hastily she rubbed her eyes and studied it intently. The colours in the dress were so vivid that she had scarcely noticed the face and head of the drawing. But it looked like her, Maddie! It really looked like her own mouth. Why it really looked like her own self! Wanda had really drawn this for her. Excitedly, she ran over to Peggy’s

Maddie's vision blurred as she stared at the drawing Wanda had given her. She rubbed her eyes and realised Wanda had drawn Maddie's face along with the dress. The dress's colours were so bright and vibrant that the face was barely visible. Maddie became enthralled and dashed over to Peggy to see if she had noticed it as well.

“Peg!” she said, “let me see your picture.” “What’s the matter?” asked Peggy, as they clattered up to her room where Wanda’s drawing was lying face down on the bed. Maddie carefully raised it. “Look! She drew you. That’s you!” she exclaimed. And the head and face of this picture did look like Peggy.

She asked for the picture as soon as she arrived at Peggy's house. On the bed, the drawing was turned upside down. Maddie raised her hand, and yes, that was Peggy in the drawing. Both were taken aback and amazed at the same time.

“What did I say!” said Peggy, “She must have really liked us, anyway.” “Yes, she must have,” agreed Maddie, and she blinked away the tears that came every time she thought of Wanda standing alone in that sunny spot in the school yard, looking stolidly over at the group of laughing girls after she had walked off, after she had said, “Sure, a hundred of them, all lined up.”

Peggy exclaims that she was correct in her assessment that Wanda liked them. Maddie, whose eyes welled up with tears every time she remembered Wanda looking at the girls laughing at her, agreed with Peggy.

About the Author

Eleanor Estes (May 1906 – July 15, 1988) was a children's author and librarian from the United States. Her novel, 'Ginger Pyre,' was awarded the Newfry Medal. Eleanor based the storey 'The Hundred Dresses' on her own real-life experience as the recipient of Peggy's hand-me-down dresses.

Books Name
Online English tutor English Book

Publication
Online English tutor

Course
CBSE Class 10

Subject
English

The Hundred Dresses Part 2

By El Bosr Ester

Introduction

This chapter as the name suggests is the continuation of the story of the previous chapter.

In this part both the girls Peggy and Maddie introspect and regret upon their misdeeds and mistreatment against Wanda. They make attempts to make amends with Wanda but latter has moved to another city. However , at last they got relieved when they got to know through a letter that Wanda has no animosity with them. She actually liked them and two of sketches of dresses has been made for them.

Summary

The story continues with room no. 13 where all the children of room no 13 were admiring the drawings made by Wanda. In midst Miss Mason reads the letter received on the very day from Wanda’s father.

The letter reads that none of his children would attend the school as they have moved to another city where people are not judged by their names. Mason was very regretful to know about the mistreatment done towards Wanda. She conveyed her disappointment regarding the issue. That episode had a very positive Impact over Maddie that she was inclined to apologize for her bad behavior and make amends with Wanda . So both Peggy and Maddie went to Boggins Heights but they found that family had already moved on to another city. Since than Maddie kept awake repenting for her cowardice that she couldn’t stand against Peggy for her mistreatment toward Wanda and used to support the former.

Both the girls wrote a letter to Wanda asking how did she feels in the new place rather than asking to apologize. After many days waiting for the reply from Wanda finally they got informed through Miss Mason about Wanda’s message that she missed every one and wanted to gift the dresses she had in her closet. Both the girls realized that Wanda had drawn their faces along with the dresses which proved that latter actually liked them and dedicated two of the sketches to both of them.

Explanation

While everyone was admiring the sketches made by Wanda, Miss Mason received a letter from the principal’s office. After reading it Mr. Mason grew very concerned. She asked everyone to be on their seats. Suddenly the atmosphere became tense. She carefully adjusted her glasses which indicated that something was very important, to be announced. In next moment Miss Mason was reading and every student was carefully listening to it.

Dear Teacher:

Jan Petronski

The letter was from Wanda’s father informing that both Wanda and her brother Jake would not attend the school anymore as they had moved to a big city where nobody cared about any different and strange names as in big cities most of the people had such names.

After the letter had been read there was deep silence as everyone was shocked.

Miss Mason herself was disheartened. She took off her glasses, cleaned them with her white handkerchief and put them on again.

She spoke to the class in a low voice which was showing her disgust. In her speech she was trying to convince herself that no e of the students in Room no. 13would hurt anyone’s feelings just because of his or her long and different name. She further said if something has happened like that it was just because of the lack of consideration.

She remarked that incident unfortunate and sad and asked the students to introspect about it.

The above incident had a very deep impact over Maddie that she kept on introspecting about all her misdeeds. She was not even able to concentrate during her study period. She kept condemning herself that she hadn’t tried to stop Peggy to poke fun at Wanda regarding her dresses. Even though she didn’t like this behaviour towards Wanda, she couldn’t summon courage to go against Peggy. Thus, she held herself equally responsible for all that.

For Peggy it was just a game she wasn’t aware that to what extent it was hurtful for Wanda, Maddie, on the contrary, knew everything but due to her cowardice she couldn’t stand against Peggy.

Maddie regretted that she must have done something to stop Peggy. She should have at least assured Wanda that they didn’t want to hurt her. Thinking all this she looked at Peggy but she was studying hard and she didn’t pay any attention at Maddie.

Irrespective of Peggy’s intentions, Maddie decided to take an action by visiting Wanda at Boggins Heights. She was hoping that Peggy would come along with her and Wanda hadn’t moved away. They both would inform Wanda that she had won the contest and in their point of view latter is very smart and her hundred dresses were beautiful.

Word meanings

Damp and dismal- wet and sad (here, expressing a state of hopelessness)
Forbidding- Unfriendly or threatening in nature

At the end of the school, Maddie got excited and satisfied finding that Peggy herself had the same opinion as she offered her to visit Wanda.

Both the girls approached towards Boggins Heights, the wet and muddy area of the town with gloomy atmosphere.

On their way Peggy as trying to clarify that she never called her foreigner and made fun of her name. She rather used to think that Wanda was too dumb to understand that they were poking fun at her. However, she further appreciated Wanda’s drawings.

Maddie couldn’t say anything upon all the explanation given by Peggy. She was just hoping that they would find Wanda and apologize for their bad behaviour. She wanted to tell her how much appreciation she was getting for her amazing sketches and assure her that nobody would mistreat her in future and even fight for her against any mistreatment. Thus, she need not move to another place. Both the girls hurried to reach the place before getting dark.

Maddie pointed a white house that could be the resident of Wanda.

On the way of Wanda’s house, there were locks of old grasses looking like thin kittens.

The house and its yard were looking clean although their condition was poor. That sight reminded Maddie one of faded blue coloured cotton dress of Wanda that used to be of poor quality but clean.

When they reached there it seemed that none was residing there. Girls got distressed as they knocked at the front and backyard door but there was no answer.

Word meanings

(To) make amends- to show that one is sorry by doing something else

Both the girls were disappointed as they had lost the chance of making amends with Wanda. On their way back to home Peggy tried to console herself saying that it was just because of her dress game Wanda was getting new ideas for the sketches to be drawn for the contest otherwise she would have not won the contest.

At the comment of Peggy, Maddie tried to convince herself that there was no need to feel bad about Wanda. However, at that night she was not able to sleep as the thoughts about Wanda’s faded but clean dresses, her gleaming sketches all lined up in the class were coming again and again in her mind . She sat up in bed and tried to concentrate by pressing her forehead tight in her hands.

After a long, long time, she reached an important conclusion. She was never going to stand by and say nothing again.

Word meanings

Picking on someone- criticising someone

Finally after a deep thinking and introspection Maddie made a firm decision that she would never support criticising others.

She would raise her voice if there is any mistreatment towards anybody for his/ her strange name or looks. In doing so she would not care about her friendship even.

She had lost her chance of making amends with Wanda but since then she would never let anybody unhappy again.

On Saturday afternoon, both the girls wrote a letter to Wanda telling her that she had won the contest as her drawings were very beautiful and asked if she liked the new place and teacher. They wanted to express their confession regarding their misbehaviour but they couldn’t gather courage to do so . Thus, they ended up writing letter in friendly tone that they could have written to any of best friend and mailed it to Boggins Heights with ‘ please forward’ note on its top.

Many days passed but the didn’t get reply from Wanda nor even received the letter back so they assumed that she had received the letter but she was too hurt due to their misbehaviour that she didn’t want to answer. Soon Peggy began forgetting the whole incident. However, at night Maddie used to think about the situation where girl were making fun of Wanda and she used to defend her shouting “ stop” and everybody felt ashamed of their mistreatment towards Wanda.

It was Christmas time. There were snow all over on the ground. Classroom was decorated with Christmas tree and bells. On the last day before holidays Miss Mason showed and informed the class about Wanda’s letter she had received. She reminded the class about Wanda Petronski who had won the contest due to her innate abilities and expressed her happiness that now she could send medal to Wanda because she has got to know her address.

Dear Miss Mason,

Yours truly,

Wanda Petronski

The letter started in a friendly tone asking about Miss Mason and Room no Thirteen.

She requested Miss Mason to tell the girls to keep those hundred dresses with them as she has another set of hundred dresses all lined up in her closet. In the letter, she mentioned Peggy and Maddie her friends and requested both of them to take green and blue dresses among the drawings.

She wrote on the occasion of Christmas she is missing her school and her new teacher couldn’t take the place of Miss Mason and wished Merry Christmas to all of them.

Word meanings

Cornucopias- decorative containers (usually containing flowers and fruits)
Holly- a shrub having prickly dark green leaves, small white flowers, and red berries. It is used in Christmas decorations.

As it was the occasion of Christmas, there were decorations everywhere. Grocery store were stacked with christmas trees, candy peppermint sticks and cornucopia of shiny papers. Atmosphere was joyful , snow was shining in different colors due to colorful decorative lights . Both the girls carefully held the drawings on their way to home. Peggy exclaimed that since Wanda had specially mentioned their names it was her way of saying that everything was alright and even proved that she had received their letter. Maddie, on the other hand was sad thinking that she would never get chance to make amends with Wanda.

Maddie sticked her drawings over a torn place in the pink flowered wallpaper in the bedroom and realized that her lifeless room came alive due to beautiful designs and colors. She sat down gazing at the drawings for a while and finally stood saying Wanda had been nice to her any way.

Looking at the pictures her eyes got filled with tears. She suddenly rubbed her eyes and had a careful look upon the drawings.

She realized that she hadn’t been able to notice her own face in the picture due to the beautiful different colors. There was no doubt that Wanda had drawn it for Maddie as the face really resembled her face.

Excitedly, she ran over to Peggy’s

Being very excited Maddie ran towards Peggy’s house and asked her about the picture. It was lying upside down on the bed . Maddie carefully raised the drawing and looked at it and said that it was actually Peggy’s picture as the face was quite resembling her face.

Both the girls got amazed and fully assured that Wanda actually liked them inspite of their bad behavior. Maddie, whose eyes get filled with tears every time she recalled that scene where Wanda would look at the girls laughing at her, also agreed with Peggy.

Question Answers

Q1. What did Mr Petronski’s letter say?

Ans. In the letter Wanda’s father, Mr. Petronski informed that both of his children, Wanda and Jake, wouldn’t come school anymore as they were now being shifted to big city, a with a lot of people having weird names. So there nobody would care about their strange names.

Q2. Is Miss Mason angry with the class, or is she unhappy and upset?

Ans. Miss Mason gets shocked and disappointed after reading the fact in the students have misbehaved someone quite badly just because of different race and an strange name. Even though she was unhappy, she gave the children benefit of the doubt that whatever happened must have happened in thoughtlessness.

Q3. How does Maddie feel after listening to the note from Wanda’s father?

Ans. Maddie felt extremely bad after listening to the note from Wanda’s father. She regreted for her cowardice and supporting girls who were teasing Wanda. She was thinking about how they used to mistreat Wanda and hoping to get a chance to make amends with her.

Q4. What does Maddie want to do?

Ans. Maddie, wishes to make amends with Wanda and hopes to get a chance to express her apologies.

Q5. What excuses does Peggy think up for her behaviour? Why?

Ans. Peggy makes excuses that she never intended to make fun of Wanda Petronski because of her being an immigrant and strange name. She was only curious to know about her hundred dresses about which Wanda used to lie.

Q6. What are Maddie’s thoughts as they go to Boggins Heights?

Ans. Maddie was hopeful that Wanda would be at home so that she would be able to express her apologies and make amends with her and tell her how everyone in the class likes her drawings.

Q7. Why does Wanda’s house remind Maddie of Wanda’s blue dress?

Ans. Wanda’s house was looking clean but shabby as there were dry grasses all around. This reminded Maddie of Wanda’s faded blue dress which looked clean but shabby as if it was never ironed.

Q8. What does Maddie think hard about? What important decision does she come to?

Ans. The thought of never getting a chance to express apologies about her ridiculous behavior to Wanda, haunted Maddie again and again that night. Finally, she made a firm decision that she would never let anybody tease any one on the account of strange name or appearance.

Q9. What did the girls write to Wanda?

Ans. Firstly, the girls decided to write an apology letter to Wanda but they couldn’t gather courage to admit their guilt so they ended up to write a friendly letter telling her that she had won the contest and asking about how she feels at new place.

Q10. Did they get a reply? Who was more anxious for a reply, Peggy or Maddie? How do you know?

Ans. No, they didn’t get a reply. However, Miss Mason received letter from Wanda. Maddie was more anxious for a reply as she was feeling extremely sorry and wanted to make amends with Wanda. It was evident as weeks after sending the letter, Peggy almost forget about the business while Maddie used to make scenarios in her head where she would defend Wanda from the mean girls.

Q11. How did the girls know that Wanda liked them even though they had teased her?

Ans. In her note to Miss Mason Wanda had specifically mentioned to give the drawing of the blue dress to Maddie and the one with a green dress to Peggy. This implied that Wanda liked them even after they teased her.

Q12. Why do you think Wanda’s family moved to a different city? Do you think life there was going to be different for their family?

Ans. Since Wanda’s family was in great pain due to the misbehaviour their children were facing at school regarding their polish race and different names, so they moved to a big city where people don’t pay any heed on the racial or community differences. Thus, in hope to dwell a peaceful life the family moved to a big city. Certainly, there life Would be different and comfortable there

6.The Hundred Dresses 2

The Hundred Dresses Part II

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