Memories Of Childhood, Class 12 English(Vistas) CBSE (Summary, Detailed Explanation, Question-answer, word meaning)
MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
SUMMARY, DETAILED EXPLANATION, WORD MEANING AND QUESTIONS AND THEIR ANSWER
INTRODUCTION
"Memories of Childhood” is about prejudice and discrimination prevailing in our society. The chapter has two parts talking about two separate cultures. The stories of Bama and Zitkala Sa show how people are discriminated against on different bases. Both face hardships and difficulties because they belong to deprived sections of society. One was an American who lived in the 1800s, and she was part of a Native American tribe. The second story is by a modern Indian writer from a Tamil Dalit family.
WORD-MEANING (MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD)
Bare: uncovered
Belfry: a bell tower
Clatter: make a rattling sound
Bedlam: state of uproar and confusion
Paleface: yellow face
Clinging dress: tight dress
Shingled: cropped
Moccasins: soft leather shoes
Immodest: indecent
Spied: notice/see
Rear ranks: last line
Mutterings: the sound of more people talking quietly
Venture: dare/risk
Mourners: a person expressing sadness
Fate: destiny
Rebel: Revolt
Crept: Crawled
Squeaking: making high high-pitched sound
Whither: to where
Dim: dark
Huddled: sit holding arms and legs closely
Peered: try to look
Shuddering: shivering
Drag: pull
Resist: fight against something
Scratch: scrape
Gnaw: cut
Braid: plait
Indignities: insult/humiliation
Stare: gaze
Tossed: thrown
Anguish: pain
Moan: cry with pain/wail
Comfort: console
Reasoned: discussed
Herder: a person who looks after the sheep
Humiliated: insulted
Dawdle: do or go slowly
Novelties: new things
Oddities: strange things
Snake Charmer: an entertainer who appears to make snakes move by playing music.
Spur: encourage
Demonstrate: to show
Lemur: an animal similar to a monkey
Harangue: to give a lecture
Tumbler: Jug
Tether: tie up
Savoury: a salty or spicy dish
Payasam: a sweet dish made with rice and milk
Iced lollies: a piece of flavoured ice on a stick
Sack: bag
Ledge: a narrow flat area like a shelf that sticks out from a building
Tread: walk
Muzzled: covering the mouth of an animal
Double up: laugh out loud
Shriek: burst out
Wrap: cover
Stain: Spot
Strings: thread
Disgusting: unpleasant
Provoked: evoke, arouse
Wretched: miserable
Fetch: bring
Meekly: submissively
Reverently: respectfully
Infuriate: anger
Scraped: collected
Errands: a short trip to do something
SUMMARY/EXPLANATION AND QUESTION-ANSWER OF "MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD"
This unit presents autobiographical episodes from the lives of two women from marginalised communities…………………………………; the second is by a contemporary Tamil Dalit writer.
This part tells stories about the lives of two women from marginalised society. They talk about their childhood and how they see the mainstream culture. The first story is about a native American, Zitkala-Sa while the other Tamil Dalit writer, Bama.
Q. What is the unit about?
Ans. The unit is about stories from the lives of two women from marginalised communities. They talk about their childhood and feelings toward mainstream culture.
Q. Who are the two women mentioned in the unit?
Ans. The first woman is a Native American born in the late 1990s, and the second one is a contemporary Tamil Dalit writer.
Q. What do the stories focus on?
Ans. The stories focus on the childhood experiences of the two women from deprived sections of society, and their thoughts about the mainstream culture.
Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, born in 1876, was an extraordinarily ……………………………………….as a Native American woman was dedicated against the evils of oppression.
Gertrude Simmon Bonnin was born in 1876. She was a Native American. She was a highly talented and educated woman. She faced a lot of discrimination because of her race.
She chose a pen name, Zitkala-Sa, meaning "Red Bird". Zitkala-Sa was dead against Carlisle Indian School because it tried to erase Native American traditions. Therefore, she began to write articles in which she criticised Carlisle Indian School. She also fought against injustice.
Q. What did Zitkala-Sa criticise about the Carlisle school?
Ans. She believed that the school was trying to erase Native American traditions.
Q. What was Zitkala-Sa fighting for?
Ans. She fought for justice and equality for Native American women and for preserving their culture.
Q. Who was Gertrude Simmons Bonnin?
Ans. Gertrude Simmons Bonnin was an educated and talented Native American woman.
Q. What challenges did Zitkala-Sa face?
Ans. She faced prejudice and unfair treatment because of her race.
Q. What did she do as a writer?
Ans. She wrote articles criticising the Carlisle Indian School and spoke against unfair treatment given to Native American people as well as women.
Bama is the pen name of a Tamil Dalit woman from a Roman Catholic family. …………………………………..By a felicitous pun, the Tamil word ‘Karukku’, containing the word ‘karu’, embryo or seed, also means freshness, newness.
Bama, a renowned Indian writer, comes from a Tamil Dalit family. Her three main works are "Karukku," an autobiography, "Sangati," a novel, and "Kisumbukkaaran," a collection of short stories.
This story has been extracted from "Karukku," which means sharp palmyra leaves, with spikes on both sides like a double-edged sword."Karukku" contains the word "Karu," which means something fresh and new, and also a seed.
Q. Who is Bama?
Ans. Bama is an Indian writer. She is from a Roman Catholic Tamil Dalit family.
Q. What are her three main works?
Ans. She has written an autobiography called 'Karukku' in 1992, a novel named 'Sangati' in 1994, and a collection of short stories titled 'Kisumbukkaaran' in 1996.
Q. What does 'Karukku' mean?
Ans. ‘Karukku' means 'palmyra' leaves, which have edges like double-edged swords. Also, the Tamil word 'Karukku' includes 'Karu,' meaning embryo or seed, signifying freshness or newness.
The first day in the land of apples was a bitter-cold one;................................ And though my spirit tore itself in struggling for its lost freedom, all was useless
When Zitkala-Sa reached the land of apples, it was cold. Snow had covered the ground and the trees had no leaves. A long bell rang for breakfast. It made a harsh and unpleasant sound. The sound of shoes clanking on the floor and the children's murmuring created bedlam.
Q. How was the weather when Zitkala-Sa reached the land of apples?
Ans. It was very cold. There had been snowfall, and thus the earth’s surface was covered with snow. Even the trees were without leaves.
Q. What sound did the bell make for breakfast?
Ans. A loud, crashing metallic noise.
Q. How did the noises and voices make the person feel?
Ans. The noises and voices were irritating.
Q. What did the big bell do?
Ans. The big bell woke everyone up for breakfast.
Q. What was annoying?
Ans. The noise caused by the shoes clanking on the floor and murmuring by the children was annoying.
Q. What did the voices sound like?
Ans. The voices were like bedlam.
A paleface woman, with white hair, came up after us ………………………………………. I spied them in the rear ranks, looking as uncomfortable as I felt.
According to Zitkala-Sa, a pale-faced woman came behind them while they were going to the dining hall.
She found so many Native American girls wearing stiff shoes and tight dresses. The younger girls had full-sleeved aprons and shingled hair. On the other hand, she was wearing moccasins.
Zitkala-Sa felt embarrassed because her blanket had been taken away. She looked closely at the Native American girls, who were not troubled by their tight clothes, which were indecent. When they went inside, the boys came in through a different door. She kept an eye on the three young Native American boys who were looking just as uncomfortable as she felt.
Q. Who was the woman following the girls?
Ans. The pale-faced woman was a white woman. She might be the warden of the hostel.
Q. How had the girls been dressed?
Ans. They were wearing tight dresses and stiff shoes. The younger ones had sleeve aprons and short hair.
Q. How did Zitkala-Sa feel when her blanket was taken away?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa felt embarrassed without her blanket.
Q. How did the three young Native American boys in the party look when they entered?
Ans. They looked uncomfortable, just like the Zitkala-Sa felt.
A small bell was tapped, and each of the pupils drew a chair from under the table ……………………… I began crying instead, for by this time I was afraid to venture anything more.
When the children reached the dining hall, a short bell rang. Zitkala-Sa saw the students pulling out chairs from under the table. Following others, Zitkala-Sa also pulled out a chair and sat down. But when she looked around, she observed that she was the only one sitting while others were standing. Just as she tried to stand up, a second bell rang.
Finally, everyone sat down, and she also had to go back to her chair. In the meanwhile, she heard the muttering of a man. She began to look towards the direction from where the voice was coming. On the other hand, everyone kept their heads down, gazing at their plates.
When Zitkala-Sa looked around, she noticed the pale-faced woman watching her. She felt a little nervous. Then a third bell rang, and everyone started eating. On the other hand, Zitkala-Sa started crying because she was too scared to do anything else by then.
Q. What happened when the small bell rang?
Ans. When the small bell rang, the students pulled out chairs from under the table but remained standing.
Q. What did the Zitkala-Sa do when she noticed other children pulling out the chair?
Ans. She quickly sat down thinking that the ringing of the bell meant sitting.
Q. What did the others do when the man spoke at one end of the room?
Ans. Everyone kept their heads down and gazed at their plates.
Q. How did Zikala-Sa feel when the pale-faced woman looked at her?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa felt nervous.
Q. What did everyone start doing when the third bell rang?
Ans. Everyone started eating when the third bell rang.
Q. Why did Zitkala-Sa start crying?
Ans. She was very much scared. So, she started crying instead of eating.
But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial ………………………….”.... I will struggle first” I answered.
According to Zitkala- Sa the specific way of eating (eating by formula) was not the most challenging on the first day. Later in the morning, Zitkala-Sa’s friend, Judewin, gave her a serious warning.
Judewin knew a few English words and overheard the pale-faced woman talking about cutting off their long hair.
Zitkalas’s mother had told her that an unskilled warrior captured by the enemies had shingled hair. Moreover, mourners and cowards had shingled hair. Both Zitkala-Sa and her friend Judewin talked about their fate for some time. Later when Judewin said that they would have to surrender, Zitkala-Sa replied that she would not give up and that she would protest.
Q. What was the hard trial on the first day?
Ans. The hard trial was following the specific way of eating. (eating by formula)
Q. What did Judewin inform Zitkala-Sa ?
Ans. Judewin, who knew a little English, informed her about cutting off their long hair.
Q. What did Zitkala-Sa’s mother tell her about shingled hair?
Ans. Her mother said that the unskilled soldiers captured by the enemy had shingled hair. Moreover, shingled hair was worn by mourners and cowards.
Q. How did Zitkala-Sa react when she came to know that their hair would be shingled?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa felt sad and agitated after knowing that their hair would be shingled. Furthermore, she decided to oppose it.
I watched my chance, and when no one noticed, I disappeared. I crept up the stairs as quietly as I could in my squeaking shoes ……………………………………………………………… Not a soul reasoned quietly with me, as my own mother used to do; for now, I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder.
Zitkala-Sa found a moment when nobody was looking, and she quietly escaped from the place. Not knowing her destination, she went on. Then she entered a dark and spacious room with beds. The windows were covered with dark green curtains.
She hurried to the corner farthest from the door and hid under one of the beds. She started shivering when she heard footsteps nearby. She heard her name being called but remained silent.
A little later she noticed some women and girls entering the room. They started searching in closets and behind trunks. Someone drew back the curtains and the room was flooded with light. Then someone bent and looked under the bed. Finally, she was found and dragged out.
Zitkala-Sa started scratching and kicking while she was being dragged out. She resisted even when she was tied to the chair by crying and shaking her head. She stopped only when one of her plaits was cut.
Since she had been taken away from her mother, she had suffered a lot. She was stared at, treated like a puppet, tossed in the air, and finally, her long hair was cropped like a coward. Nobody came to comfort her. At this point, she recalled her mother who comforted her whenever she was in trouble. She felt like just another animal being controlled by someone else.
Q. What did Zitkala-Sa do when nobody was watching?
Ans. She quietly escaped and hid under a bed in a dark room.
Q. Why did Zitkala-Sa hide under the bed?
Ans. She wanted to avoid cutting off her long hair.
Q. How did Zitkala-Sa feel when her hair was cut?
Ans. She felt extremely sad and lost her hope. She felt lonely.
Q. How did Zitkala-Sa protest the cutting of her long hair?
Ans. As soon as she got an opportunity she escaped from the place where the cutting of the hair
was going on. Then she found a dark room where she hid herself and did not respond even when her name was being called repeatedly. While she was being dragged out and carried, she protested by kicking and scratching. Even when she was tied to the chair she continued to cry and shake her head.
Q. What were some of the challenges Zitkala-Sa faced before this incident?
Ans. She faced being stared at, treated badly, and controlled by others ever since she had been taken away from her mother.
Q. How did Zitkala-Sa feel?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa felt scared, alone, and helpless.
Q. What does the narrator's comparison to a "little animal" tell about her situation?
Ans. The narrator's comparison to a "little animal" shows that she feels vulnerable and scared. She is also given inhuman treatment.
When I was studying in the third class…………………… the shops and bazaar.
When Bama was in the third grade, she hadn't heard people openly discuss untouchability. Yet she had witnessed, felt, and faced humiliation because of what untouchability represented.
According to Bama, the distance from school to home was merely a ten-minute walk. However, it took her at least half an hour to one hour to reach home. It was because of activities, games, and many other new and strange things happening on the streets, in shops, and at the market.
Q. What had Bama experienced?
Ans. Bama had already witnessed, felt, and faced humiliation because of untouchability.
Q. How long did it usually take Bama to walk home from school, despite the short distance?
Ans. Although the distance was a ten-minute walk, it usually took her at least half an hour to an hour, to get home.
Q. What did Bama do while walking home from school?
Ans. She used to observe activities, games, and interesting things happening on the streets and at the market.
The performing monkey; the snake which the snake-charmer kept in its box and displayed from time to time; ……………………………………………Oh, I could go on and on. Each thing would pull me to a standstill and not allow me to go any further.
When Bama walked along the streets, she saw so many new and strange things like the monkey’s performance, the snake charmer displaying the snake, and a cyclist who had been pedalling from early in the morning, with rupee notes attached to his shirt for motivation.
She noticed a big bell in the Maariyaata temple and pongal offerings. There were stalls selling dried fish, and sweet and fried snack stalls. Even the street light changed colours from blue to violet. Sometimes she saw hunter gypsies with wild lemur and selling clay beads. Every little thing on the street attracted her, making it hard for her to keep moving forward.
Q. What caught Bama's attention while walking along the streets?
Ans. She noticed a performing monkey, snake charmers displaying snakes, a cyclist continuously pedalling with rupee notes pinned to his shirt, a temple bell, food being cooked for offerings, various stalls and even a changing street light.
Q. Why did the cyclist have rupee notes attached to his shirt?
Ans. The rupee notes were pinned to motivate the cyclist to keep pedalling without stopping.
Q. What were some of the items being sold in the stalls along the street?
Ans. Bama observed dried fish, sweets, fried snacks, needles, clay beads, and ear-cleaning instruments being sold in the stalls.
Q. How did Bama feel about these things on the street?
Ans. Each sight seemed captivating to her, making it difficult for her to continue walking.
At times, people from various political parties would arrive, put up a stage and harangue us through ………………………………………..savoury fried snacks, payasam, halva, boiled tamarind seeds and iced lollies.
Sometimes, people from different political groups delivered speeches using mikes. Often there used to be street plays, puppet shows, and stunt performances. These things happened now and then, always keeping things interesting.
Apart from that, there were coffee houses in the market where waiters used to cool coffee using tricks. Some people sat and cut onions outside shops in a strange way.
There were also almond trees in the area, and sometimes their fruit fell because of the wind. All these things tied her legs.
According to the season, there used to be many fruits and food items for sale like mangoes, cucumbers, sugarcane, sweet potatoes, and many more. Every day, people sold tasty fried snacks, sweet dishes like payasam and halva, boiled tamarind seeds, and ice lollies."
Q. What kind of performances did the political groups do?
Ans. They used to organise lectures by their leaders using mikes.
Q. What were the other things noticed by Bama?
Ans. Many other activities like street plays, puppet shows, and stunt performances were going on.
Q. What were some interesting things happening in the market?
Ans. There were coffee houses where waiters used to cool down coffee using tricks. Somewhere people cut onions looking away.
Q. What kinds of fruits and food items were sold according to the seasons?
Ans. According to the season, many fruits like mangoes, cucumbers, sugarcane, sweet potatoes etc. were available.
Q. What were some of the everyday items sold in the market?
Ans. People sold fried snacks, sweet dishes like payasam and halva, boiled tamarind seeds, and ice lollies every day.
Gazing at all this, one day, I came to my street, my bag slung over my shoulder……………………………. I stood for a while there.
One day Bama was returning from school carrying her bag. She saw that the process of threshing was going on.
There was a special place where people were working hard. The landlord was sitting and watching them. The people were making animals walk in circles on a pile of straw.
The animals had their mouths covered so that they could not eat the straw. Bama stood there for a while, enjoying watching everyone busy at work.
Q. What did Bama see on the other side of the street?
Ans. Bama saw people working hard in a special place where animals were separating grain from straw(threshing).
Q. Why were the animals' mouths covered?
Ans. The animals' mouths were covered to stop them from eating the straw.
Q. What was the landlord doing?
Ans. The landlord was sitting and watching the people working with the animals.
Q. How did Bama feel to see the threshing process?
Ans. Bama felt happy watching everyone busy at work with the animals.
Just then, an elder of our street came along from the direction of the bazaar……………………………………… The landlord opened the parcel and began to eat the vadais.
While Bama was enjoying the sight of threshing, she saw an older person from her street coming from the direction of the marketplace. The way he walked made Bama want to burst into laughter.
He was carrying a small packet in a strange manner. He was holding it with the string and keeping it away from his body. It seemed like he was carrying vadais or green banana bhajji because the paper around the packet had oil stains on it.
Bama thought that the packet might open and the vadais would fall out. The elder man walked up to the landlord, bowed down low, and offered the packet to him. The landlord opened the package and started eating the vadais.
Q. What caught Bama's attention?
Ans. Bama noticed an elderly person from her street walking in a funny manner. He was carrying the packet with the string and keeping it away from his body. The packet seemed to have vadai or green banana bhajji.
Q. Why did the wrapping paper have oil stains?
Ans. The wrapping paper had oil stains because it contained vadais.
Q. What did the elderly person do with the packet?
Ans. The elderly person went up to the landlord, bowed, and offered the packet to him.
Q. What did the landlord do with the packet?
Ans. The landlord opened the package and began eating the vadais.
Q. What made Bama want to burst into laughter?
Ans. Bama found it amusing to see a big person carrying a small packet in such a funny way.
After I had watched all this, at last I went home. My elder brother was there………………………………………………. That’s why he had to carry the package by its string.
After watching everything, Bama finally went home. She excitedly shared the whole story with her brother, laughing at the memory of the big man making a funny game out of carrying the parcel.
But her brother didn't find it funny at all. He explained that the man wasn’t playing a game when he carried the packet that way. According to Annan, her brother, the elderly man was forced to do as he was a Dalit, while the landlord was a member of the upper caste. If he had touched the packet vadai would have been polluted.
Q. What did Bama do after watching everything?
Ans. Bama went home after watching everything.
Q. Whom did Bama tell the story?
Ans. Bama told the story to her elder brother, Annan.
Q. Why did Bama laugh when recalling the incident of the man and the parcel?
Ans. Bama found it funny that a big and respected man made a humorous act of carrying the parcel.
Q. How did Annan react to Bama's story?
Ans. Annan wasn't amused by the story and explained that the man wasn't trying to be funny when carrying the packet that way.
Q. Why did Annan say the man carried the packet by its string?
Ans. Annan explained that the landlord was a member of the upper caste. If the elderly man, who was an untouchable, touched the packet the vadais would be polluted. That's why, the man carried the packet by its string to avoid touching it.
When I heard this, I didn’t want to laugh any more, and I felt terribly sad………………………………… take home our wages, and leave it at that.
When Bama heard the explanation given by her brother, she stopped laughing and started feeling very sad. She couldn't understand how the vadais which were wrapped first in a banana leaf and then in paper, could be polluted by touching the packet.
She felt so angry and frustrated that she wanted to touch those vadais herself right then. She felt upset that an important elderly man from their community obediently went to the shops to get snacks and then handed them over respectfully to someone who just sat there and ate them.
This made her infuriated. Bama realised that the upper-caste people thought so highly of themselves just because they were rich. She believed that they were also human beings and deserved respect.
She thought that their community people should never do such small tasks for the people like the landlord. Instead, they should work in their fields, get paid for their work and then return. They must not do anything for which they were not paid.
Q. How did Bama feel when she came to know the reason behind the elderly man’s action of carrying the packet in such a manner?
Ans. Bama stopped laughing and felt very sad. She was filled with rebellious thoughts.
Q. Why did Bama want to touch the vadais herself?
Ans. Bama was so enraged and frustrated after knowing about the treatment given to the untouchables that she wanted to touch the vadais herself right then.
Q. Why was Bama upset about the elderly people of her community going to the shops for snacks?
Ans. Bama was upset because an elderly man from their community obediently got snacks and handed them respectfully to the landlord who had no respect for others.
Q. What made Bama mad about the people like the landlord?
Ans. Bama was mad because those people thought highly of themselves just because they were rich. She believed they should respect everyone regardless of their status.
Q. What did Bama think their community should do?
Ans. Bama believed that the people of their community should work in the fields, get paid for their work, and return to their homes. They should not do anything for which they had not been paid.
Q. What made Bama upset about the situation?
Ans. Bama was upset because she felt that just because those people had some money, they acted as if they were God and had forgotten about humanity.
My elder brother, who was studying at a university, had come home for the holidays……………………… The point of this was that if he knew on which street we lived, he would know our caste too.
Bama's elder brother, who was studying at a university, came home for the holidays. During this period he often went to the nearby village library to borrow books.
One day, on his way home, he was stopped by one of the landlord’s men. Bama's brother seemed to be unfamiliar and therefore, he asked him his name and then the locality where he lived. The reason behind was that if the man knew his street, he would also know his caste.
Q. What was Bama's elder brother doing during his holidays?
Ans. Bama's elder brother, who was studying at a university, often went to the nearby village library to borrow books.
Q. Why did the landlord's man ask Bama's brother about his name and street?
Ans. The man wanted to know Bama's brother's name and the street he lived on to know about his caste.
Q. Why was the man interested in knowing about Bama's brother's street?
Ans. The man was interested in knowing the street because it would reveal his caste.
Q. What happened while Bama's brother was walking by the irrigation tank?
Ans. One of the landlord’s men approached him and asked his name. When he
told him his name, the man asked which street he lived on. The reason behind this question was to know his caste.
Annan told me all these things. And he added, “Because we are born into this community, …………………………. As Annan had urged, I stood first in my class. And because of that, many people became my friends.
Bama's brother, Annan said that they were not given any honour or respect just because they were untouchables.
Further, he added that if they studied hard and did well, they could change their condition. He suggested Bama to study hard and excel in studies.
He further said that if she got the top position, people would like to friendly with her.
These words affected Bama so much that she studied hard, putting all her energy into it. As a result, she stood first in the class and then made so many friends.
Q. What did Annan say about their community?
Ans. Annan explained that people of their community didn't get any honour or respect just because of their caste.
Q. How did Annan suggest they could change their situation?
Ans. Annan suggested that by studying hard and doing well, they could change the condition.
Q. How did Annan's words affect Bama?
Ans. Annan's words had a deep impact on Bama. They motivated her to study very hard.
Q. What happened when Bama followed Annan's advice?
Ans. Bama studied hard and stood first in her class. As a result, she was able to make so many friends.
Also Read:
Comments
Post a Comment