Based on “Mrs. Dutta Writes a Letter,” how do Mrs. Dutta’s feelings affect her interactions with the other characters? She is unpredictable and causes her family to feel anxious.

She is lonely and dependent on her family.

She is withdrawn and doesn’t directly address her family.

She is full of experience and offers wisdom to her family.

Select TWO pieces of evidence from the passage that support the answer to Part A.

“But Mom, she’s in there. She’s been there forever. . .” says Mrinalini. Pause. “So go to the downstairs bathroom.”

“But all our stuff is here,” says Pradeep, and Mrinalini adds, “It’s not fair. Why can’t she go downstairs?”

A longer pause. Inside the bathroom Mrs. Dutta hopes Shyamoli will not be too harsh on the girl. But a child who refers to elders in that disrespectful way ought to be punished.

How many times had she slapped Sagar for something far less, though he was her only one, the jewel of her eye, come to her after she had been married for seven years and everyone had given up hope already/ Whenever she lifted her hand to him it was as though her heart was being put through a masala grinder. Such a mother’s duty.

But Shyamoli only says, in a tired voice, “That’s enough! Go put on your clothes, hurry.”

The grumblings recede. Footsteps clatter down the stairs. Inside the bathroom Mrs. Dutta bends over the sink, gripping the folds of her sari.

Hard to think through the pounding in her head to what it is she feels most - anger at the children for their rudeness, or at Shyamoli for letting them go unrebuked.