Class 9th Eng. Ch-1“ The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand Summary, Theme, Message NCERT/CBSE Based Question and answers,

Ch-1

The Lost Child-Mulk Raj Anand

A Brief Note of the Author

Mulk Raj Anand (12 December, 1905 to 28 September, 2004) was an Indian writer in English, who devoted his entire life in describing the woes, plights and miseries of the underdogs of Indian society. He formed the trio of celebrated Indian writers of English along with R.K.Narayan and Raja Rao. He was the literary master of novels and short stories. Among his famous novels are Coolie, Untouchable, Two Leaves and a Bud, The Big Heart, etc. The present story is an extract from his book The Lost Child and Two Lyrical Stories. Anand has been the champion of lower strata of society, describing their exploitation, misfortune and cruel behaviour of society towards them. He is given the credit for incorporating Punjabi and Hindustani idioms into English language writing. The country appreciated his contribution and honoured him with the Padma Bhushan.

Summary of the Chapter

The Child's Attraction for Natural Beauty

This story has a rural background. A small child was very excited as he was going to visit a fair with his parents. He saw a toy shop and wanted a toy from there. He told his father that he wanted a toy. His father looked at him sternly. His mother asked him to look at the mustard-field. Some dragon-flies with colourful wings were bustling about the field. The child ran into the field and tried to catch them. His mother asked him to come back and walk on the footpath. He walked up to his parents and then got engrossed again in looking at little insects and worms along the footpath and was left behind.

The family soon took shelter under the shade of a grove to take some rest. When the child entered the grove, a shower of flowers fell upon him. He began to gather flower petals into his hands. Suddenly, he heard the cooing of doves and ran towards his parents shouting. The child then started running in wild capers round a banyan tree. His parents called him and they started walking on the footpath again. Soon they reached the entrance of the fair.

Child's Demands for Different Things

At the corner of the entrance, a sweetmeat-seller was selling different kinds of sweets. The child wanted to have a burfi and asked for it. But he already knew that his parents won't listen to his request, so he moved on. He was next attracted to garlands of flowers and wanted one. But he knew their answer, so he moved on. He saw a man holding colourful balloons and he instantly craved to have one. But well aware of his parents response, he

walked on further.

Next, he saw a snake-charmer playing a flute to a snake. He wanted to listen to the music of the snake charmer but he knew that his parents found such music coarse, so he moved on. Further, he saw a roundabout where the children were enjoying riding on a swing. He requested his parents that he wanted to enjoy the roundabout. But they gave no reply.

The Child Got Lost

He turned round but did not find his parents. He was shocked. He started crying and running in all directions. He did not know what to do and where to go. He was panic-stricken. He called out aloud for his parents but got no response. He saw a shrine at a distance. A thick crowd had gathered at the entrance of the temple. He ran through people's leg, crying aloud for his parents. He was about to be trampled down when, luckily, a kind man saw him struggling in the crowd and lifted him up. He asked him about his parents but he kept weeping aloud. To pacify him, the man took him to the roundabout and asked him if he wanted to ride the horse, but the child refused. The man then took him near the snake-charmer and then to the balloon-man. But the child wasn't excited by them anymore. He kept calling for his parents. The man then took him to the flower-seller and then to the sweet-shop also. But the child refused to be attracted to these things. Now, he only wanted his parents. He was no longer interested in all the things that he had wanted earlier. This proves that parents are the whole world for their children. The other charms and attractions are secondary to them. They are only interested in the beauties of the world when their parents are with them. This particular instance beautifully depicts the parent- children relationship.

Questions and answers

Q1.What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Ans. On his way to the fair, the child sees the flowering mustard fields, dragon-flies, little insects, worms and doves. He is attracted towards these natural objects and gets busy in looking at them and enjoying the company of these creatures. So, he lags behind.

Q2.In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Ans. The child observes many things in the fair which he wants to have. These are: gulab- jamun, rasgulla, burfi, jalebi, a garland of gulmohur and balloons. He also wants to ride a merry-go-round, and to listen to the music of the snake-charmer. He moves on without waiting for an answer because he knows that his parents won't buy any of these for him. So, he doesn't press for any of his demand.

Q3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Ans. He requests his parents to let him enjoy a ride on the merry-go-round. He looks around for a reply. But he is shocked to find that his parents were not there. He realises that he is lost, and feels nervous and confused. He doesn't know what to do and where to look for his parents. So, he starts crying and running here and there. Now, he doesn't care for anything but his parents. He falls down and his clothes get muddy

Q4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

Ans. When the child was with his parents, he was very happy. He was interested in many things, likes toys, balloons, sweets, etc. But now when he is without his parents, he feels nervous and confused. With his parents, he was safe but without them, he is a lost one. When the kind man tries to buy the same things for him that he wanted earlier, he doesn't take interest in any of them. He only wants his parents.

Q5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Ans. The writer has not given any hint or clue about what happens in the end. It is possible that the kind man takes the lost child to the priest of the shrine and makes an announcement about him. The parents of the child must have been searching for the child. When they listen to the announcement, they go to the shrine and take their child.

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