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ABOUT THE STORY
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand
"The Lost Child" is an interesting story by Indian writer Mulk Raj Anand. The story was published in 1947 by Lavanya Publication. It is about a young child who visits a spring fair with his parents. While looking around the fair, he gets separated from them and lost in the crowd.
THEME OF THE STORY
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand
The main theme of the story "The Lost Child" is the concept of the deep bond between children and their parents. The story mainly highlights how children feel a sense of security and happiness in the presence of their parents, but also feel lost and helpless without them. The story also shows that various material things like toys, sweets or balloons, which seem important for the child at first, lose all meaning when a child is separated from his/her parents. It emphasizes that the greatest comfort and need for a child is the love and care of parents.
SHORT SUMMARY
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand
"The Lost Child" is a fine story with a message for all types of readers. This story by Mulk Raj Anand is about a little boy who visits an attractive spring fair with his parents. At the fair, he is fascinated by different things, such as toys, sweets, balloons and a variety of other attractions, but his parents either refuse his requests or ignore them. Later, while watching a merry-go-round, he realizes that his parents are not around. Being terrified, he cries a lot and runs around looking for them. A kind man finds the child and tries to calm him by offering him the same things he had wanted earlier. But the boy refuses and keeps crying and demanding his parents. The story highlights the unconditional love of a little child for his parents. Here, we find him giving value to his parents' presence more than other things at the fair.
SUMMARY (LONG)
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand
"The Lost Child" is an interesting heart-touching story written by Mulk Raj Anand. It is about a little boy who visits a spring fair with his parents. The fair was packed with a lot of people. There were many stalls. The boy felt very pleased when he saw toys in the shops. He asked his parents to buy one for him. But his father looked at him quite seriously and said nothing. In the meantime, his mother tried to distract him. She pointed to a mustard field that looked golden.
When the boy looked in the field, he noticed some dragonflies flying around the mustard flowers. The dragonflies were showing their bright wings. He was quite fascinated towards the dragonflies. He tried to catch one but his mother called him to the footpath. After hearing the call from his mother, he happily ran back to his parents. Later, he heard doves cooing and picked up some flower petals in a grove. When his parents called him again, he left the banyan tree he was running around. He went back to them.
When the child arrived at the fair along with his parents, he heard a loud advertising call from a sweet seller. The man was shouting a variety of names of sweet items like gulab jamun, rasgulla, burfi and jalebi. The child’s mouth started watering after seeing sweet items. He again asked his father to buy him a sweet. But his parents did not listen to his request. As they walked further, the child heard a flower seller. He was selling garlands of gulmohur flowers.
The child saw a basket of flowers. He wanted to buy a garland. But he had an idea that his parents would not agree. So he kept on walking with them silently. A bit later, he saw a balloon seller. That man was selling colourful balloons.
The child had a desire to get one of those balloons. But he was also quite sure that his parents would directly say no. For him, there was no way to get balloons. His parents thought that he was quite old enough to play with balloons. So, he walked past the balloon-seller's stall with his parents.
As the child moved further, he noticed a snake charmer playing a flute. There was a coiled snake in a basket. He wanted to watch that play for some time. But he knew very well that his parents wouldn’t like him listening to such coarse music. The child again moved on. Then, he saw a merry-go-round. Many people were enjoying the ride. He requested his parents that he wanted to take a ride on it, but they didn’t reply to his request. As walking, when he turned back, he couldn’t see his parents anywhere. He became quite desperate. When he realized that he was lost, he started crying a lot.
The child began crying loudly. His tears were rolling down his face as he looked everywhere for his parents. He kept on shouting and running back and forth. He tried his best to find them but vain. The fair was very crowded, so he ran to a shrine, hoping to find his parents there. But he was still lost. Being small in height, he had to move past many tall people in the crowd.
A man heard the child crying. He picked him up in his arms. The child was lucky to be picked up by a kind man. The man gently asked him about his parents. The child didn't reply to his question. He kept on crying. Later, the child answered that man's question, saying that he didn’t know where they were. To make him calm and comfortable, the man asked if he wanted to take a ride on the merry-go-round.
The child replied that he didn’t want anything; he just wanted his parents. The man took him to other stalls, such as the balloon seller, sweet shop and flower seller and asked if he wanted anything. But the child refused to take anything. He didn’t care much about those things he had wanted before. He kept on crying and saying, “I want my mother! I want my father!”
CONCLUSION
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand
The chapter "The Lost Child" teaches students that children's love for their parents is so deep. Even though parents may scold their children for their own good, children always want their parents close to them and feel quite helpless when they are not around.
EXERCISE (QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS)
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand
1. Which things does the little boy see on his way to the fair?
Answer:
Following are the things that the little boy sees on the way to the fair.
1. A mustard field with dragonflies.
2. A group of cooing doves
3. A banyan tree.
2. What are the things that he wants in the fair? Does he get all those things? Why?
Answer:
The boy wants different things such as toys, sweets, a garland of flowers, balloons and a ride on the merry-go-round. No, he doesn’t get any of these things because his parents either ignore his requests or he knows that they would refuse.
3. When does the little boy realize that he has lost his way? Describe his anxiety and insecurity.
Answer:
The little boy realizes that he has lost his way when he turns around and doesn’t find his parents nearby. He becomes very anxious. A sense of insecurity hovers over his mind. He starts crying loudly and runs around the crowd. He seems quite desperate while searching for his parents.
4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier? What does he want instead?
Answer:
The lost child loses interest in the toys, sweets, and other things which he had wanted earlier because he is completely overcome by fear and sadness. All he wants is to be reunited with his parents instead.
5. Why does the child run towards his parents at the end of the story? Does he find his parents?
Answer:
The child doesn’t run towards his parents at the end of the story. Instead, he is found by a kind man. The man tries to comfort him. However, the child refuses everything the man offers. He keeps on crying continuously for his parents. No, he doesn’t find his parents. There isn't any mention in the story regarding the findings of his parents.
6. Discuss the setting and the theme of the story.
Answer:
The story is set in an attractive spring fair. The fair is crowded with people. It is filled with colourful stalls. The theme revolves around the concept of deep bond between children and their parents. It shows how a child feels lost and helpless without them. It doesn't matter for the child how attractive the surroundings might be.
Long Answer Questions
1. Write the summary of the story.
Answer:
"The Lost Child" is a fine story with a message for all types of readers. This story by Mulk Raj Anand is about a little boy who visits an attractive spring fair with his parents. At the fair, he is fascinated by different things, such as toys, sweets, balloons and a variety of other attractions, but his parents either refuse his requests or ignore them. Later, while watching a merry-go-round, he realizes that his parents are not around. Being terrified, he cries a lot and runs around looking for them. A kind man finds the child and tries to calm him by offering him the same things he had wanted earlier. But the boy refuses and keeps crying and demanding his parents. The story highlights the unconditional love of a little child for his parents. Here, we find him giving value to his parents' presence more than other things at the fair.
2. Have you ever been to any fair? What are the things that you liked at the fair? Did you get all those things fulfilled? Why or why not?
Answer:
Yes, I have been to a fair. At the fair, I liked the colourful balloons, toy stalls, magic shows, roller coasters, food counters with sweets like jalebis and ice cream etc. No, I didn’t get all those things fulfilled because I enjoyed many things there. My parents felt some items were unnecessary for me. We even had limited time that day.
3. 'Children today may still wish for things that they cannot have.' Explain.
Answer:
The present statement is right. Even today, children may still wish for toys, gadgets or activities they cannot always have. The reason behind this is their financial limitations, parental restrictions or the unavailability of certain things. Just like in the story "The Lost Child", children often learn the importance of valuing their relationships over desires regarding material things.
4. Imagine a situation in which you were lost. Describe what happened, how you felt, and how you got relief after being lost.
Answer:
Once, I also had a similar situation to the little child in the story. The place was different. I actually got lost in a crowded shopping mall. I was quite busy looking at a toy display, being very excited. I didn’t notice that my parents had walked ahead. When I realized that I was alone, I felt scared and started crying a lot. A shopkeeper noticed me crying. He approached me and helped me find the information desk. My parents were already there at the information desk searching for me. I felt quite relieved and safe after I was reunited with them.
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