In the twelfth paragraph, Matilda's mother recalls a memory of being unable to decide between looking at an airplane or a coconut, reflecting a moment of disoriented perspective and indecision.
In the passage provided, Matilda's mother's memory of being unable to decide whether to look at an airplane or a coconut at the end of the twelfth paragraph suggests a theme of a disoriented perspective. The choice of looking at an airplane or a coconut reflects a moment of confusion and indecision, indicative of a mind temporarily adrift or disoriented. This memory illustrates a cognitive dissonance, where the mother is faced with conflicting stimuli, unable to resolve the dilemma. This supports the idea of a disoriented perspective rather than fanciful imagination, an unstable relationship with her daughter, inability to make decisions, or conflicting memories of the past. The focus is on the immediate sensory and perceptual challenge, pointing towards a transient state of confusion rather than deeper psychological or relational complexities.