Moments - 1. The Lost Child - Mulk Raj Anand

 Glossary:

  • alleys: a narrow passageway between or behind buildings.
  • emerged: become visible
  • gaily: a bright or attractive appearance
  • clad: dressed
  • brimming: to be full to the point of overflowing
  • lagged: fail to keep up a pace
  • fascinated: to attract the strong attention and interest
  • lingering: to last for a long time
  • receding : move further away into the distance
  • suppress: forcibly put an end to
  • tyrant: cruel and oppressive
  • bustling: full of energy
  • gaudy: unpleasantly bright in colour or decoration
  • intercepting: obstructing someone or something to prevent them from continuing to a destination
  • cautionary: a warning
  • abreast: walk side by side and facing the same way
  • throngs: crowd of people
  • converging: meeting at a point
  • whirlpool: a confused commotion and movement
  • repelled: drive or force someone back or away
  • hawked: carry about and offer goods for sale, typically advertising them by shouting
  • murmured: say something in a low or indistinct voice
  • plea: request
  • heeded: pay attention to
  • irresistibly: too attractive and tempting to be resisted
  • overwhelming: very great in amount
  • possess: to own
  • forbidden: not allowed
  • coarse: unrefined and of low taste
  • shrieked: utter a high-pitched piercing sound, especially as an expression of excitement
  • dizzy: a feeling of spinning around and being unable to balance
  • whirling: moving rapidly round and round
  • intently: with earnest and eager attention
  • jerk: a quick, sharp, sudden movement
  • flushed: red and hot skin, typically as the result of illness or strong emotion
  • convulsed: an experience in which the muscles in the body shake in a sudden violent way
  • hither and thither: in various directions, especially in a disorganized way
  • panic-stricken: very frightened and worried about a situation
  • wailed: cry loudly
  • suppressed sobs: a noisy cry usually accompanied with short breaths
  • shrine: a temple
  • congested: a place that is extremely crowded
  • lingering: lasting for a long time
  • jostled: to push, elbow, or bump against someone roughly, typically in a crowd
  • hefty: stout and broad
  • thrust: to push suddenly or violently in a specified direction
  • brutal: violent and harsh
  • trampled: walk right over something or someone
  • surging: a sudden powerful forward or upward movement, especially by a crowd
  • stooping: to bend one’s head or body forwards and downwards
  • steered: make way in a controlled manner
  • soothe: calm gently
  • persuasively: make someone want to do or believe a particular thing
  • disconsolate: unhappy and unable to be comforted

Summary:

A child went to the fair with his parents. He was fascinated by toys in the shops and wanted to buy them. He couldn't buy them because his father looked at him angrily. His mother pointed towards a flowering mustard-field. He saw dragon-flies, black bees and butterflies there. He was attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath that were coming out of their hiding places to enjoy the sunshine.

He saw a sweetmeat seller selling gulab-jaman, rasagulla and burfi. The boy wanted a burfi. He was drawn towards a garland of gulmohur but thought that his parents would not buy it for him. Similarly, he saw balloons flying from a pole but believed that his parents would think that he was too old to play with such toys. He noticed a snake-charmer playing the flute to a snake, but moved on because his parents had forbidden him from hearing such music. He reached a roundabout and requested his parents to allow him to ride it. When his parents did not reply, he turned around and realized that they were not behind him.

He wailed and searched for his parents in vain. He ran towards the overcrowded shrine and shrieked at the highest pitch of his voice, "Father, Mother!" A man heard his cry and lifted him up in his arms. The man tried to calm him by taking him to the roundabout but the child said that he only wanted his mother and father. The man took the child where the snake-charmer was playing the flute but the child cried for his mother and father. Nothing interested him anymore, neither the colorful balloons nor a gulmohur garland.

EXERCISE:

1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Ans. The child sees toys and a flowering mustard- field. He tries to catch dragon-flies and watches little insects and worms. The child sees a sweetmeat seller selling sweets and flower-seller selling garlands of gulmohur. He wants to buy balloons. He notices a snake- charmer playing the flute and the roundabout fascinates him. He lags behind because he keeps running after these things.

1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Ans. The child sees toys and a flowering mustard- field. He tries to catch dragon-flies and watches little insects and worms. The child sees a sweetmeat seller selling sweets and flower-seller selling garlands of gulmohur. He wants to buy balloons. He notices a snake- charmer playing the flute and the roundabout fascinates him. He lags behind because he keeps running after these things.

2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Ans. The child sees sweets as he enters the fair and wants to have a burfi. But his parents would think he is greedy so he moves on. He likes a garland of gulmohur but is aware that his parents would not buy it for him. He wants balloons but feels his parents might object and say that he is too old to play with such toys. He walks away, knowing that his parents will not approve of him listening to the flute played by the snake-charmer.

3. When does he realize that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?
Ans. The child sees a roundabout and wants to ride it. He requests his parents to allow him to get on the ride but gets no answer. He cannot find his parents when he turns around. He starts wailing and is panic-stricken. He looks in all directions and runs towards the shrine shouting "Mother, Father!"

4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Ans. Even though the child was complaining about how his parents would not let him buy anything, he felt safe knowing his parents were there with him. He loses interest in tasting the sweets or watching the snake dance because he is afraid that he will never be able to find his parents.

5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Ans. Like the lost child, the parents might also be looking for him. I believe that the child finds his parents. The parents might have gone to the police. Similarly, the man would have helped the lost child in finding his parents.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Moments - 2. The Adventures of TOTO - Ruskin Bond

  Summary Points: The story revolves around a mischievous monkey named Toto. Toto lives with a family in a small Indian town. The narrative is from the perspective of a young boy in the family. Toto's playful and curious nature often gets him into trouble. His adventures include stealing food, creating chaos, and causing problems in the neighborhood. Toto bites the postman, Mr. Nath, which leads to a serious dilemma for the family. The family decides to keep Toto tied up to prevent further trouble. Despite his troublesome behavior, Toto is beloved by the family. The story highlights the bond between the family and their unique pet. It showcases the love and patience of the family as they learn to accept Toto for who he is. This short story combines humor, warmth, and a heartwarming message about acceptance and love for a unique pet. In the end, "The Adventures of Toto" is a heartwarming tale of a unique pet and the love and patience of a family who learns to accept Toto f...
Read more

Direct & Indirect Speech - G 9 & G 10

Direct and Indirect Speech: In English Grammar, direct and Indirect speech are used in instances when we wish to repeat or convey a speech or statement of some other person. Both direct and indirect speech describes what a third person said or conveyed in the past. Indirect speech is more commonly employed unless it’s a direct quotation, which is consistently enclosed in double quotation marks. Whereas indirect speech is used when you want to convey someone’s statement using your own precise words. It’s worth highlighting that indirect speech is consistently expressed using verbs like “said,” “told,” or “asked.” Direct and Indirect Speech There are two types of reported speech in English grammar, they are Direct and Indirect speech. Both speech conveys the speech or statement which was told by some other person. To explain any event, action or scenario we generally convey the sentences quoted by someone in the form of direct and indirect speech. In order to clearly differentiate and ma...
Read more