Memories of Childhood by Zitkala-Sa and Bama – Summary, Theme, and Word Meanings , question and answers

 Memories of Childhood by Zitkala-Sa and Bama – Summary, Theme and Word Meanings, question and answers

About the Writers

Zitkala-Sa (1876–1938) was a Native American writer, teacher, and political activist. Her real name was Gertrude Simmons Bonnin. She was born in the Yankton Sioux Tribe in South Dakota, USA. Through her writings, she showed the pain and struggle of Native Americans who lost their identity and culture because of white people’s rule. Her stories often speak about injustice, loss, and cultural conflict. Zitkala-Sa worked hard for the rights of Native Americans and wanted equality for all people.

Bama (Born 1958) is a Tamil Dalit writer from South India. Her real name is Bama Faustina Soosairaj. She is known for her famous book Karukku, which tells about her life as a Dalit woman. Through her stories, she writes about the problems of caste discrimination and the unfair treatment of poor people. Her writings are full of truth, courage, and self-respect. Bama inspires people to stand against injustice and fight for dignity through education and awareness.

About the Lesson

The lesson Memories of Childhood is taken from the book Vistas. It has two parts written by two different women writers — “The Cutting of My Long Hair” by Zitkala-Sa and “We Too Are Human Beings” by Bama.
Both parts describe the bitter experiences of childhood faced by two girls who suffered because of discrimination. Zitkala-Sa faced racial discrimination in America, while Bama faced caste discrimination in India.

Both stories show how unfair treatment hurts a person deeply and how courage and education can help people fight back and gain self-respect. The lesson teaches us the value of equality, dignity, and human rights.

Summary of the Lesson

Part 1: The Cutting of My Long Hair by Zitkala-Sa

Zitkala-Sa was a Native American girl. She was taken to a boarding school run by white people. At that place, everything was strange and frightening for her. The teachers and students spoke a different language, and the rules were very strict.

One day, she was told that her long hair would be cut. For her, this was very painful because, in her culture, long hair was a symbol of pride and honor. Cutting hair meant shame or punishment. She tried to hide under a bed to save herself, but the teachers found her, caught her by force, and cut her hair short.

This cruel act broke her heart. She cried loudly but no one helped her. She remembered her mother and her tribe. That day, she lost her happiness and felt that she had lost her identity and freedom. The incident shows how Native American children were forced to leave their own culture and accept the white people’s ways.

Part 2: We Too Are Human Beings by Bama

Bama was a little Tamil Dalit girl from a poor family. Her school was not far from home, but she always took a long time to reach back. She loved watching the lively scenes on the street — monkeys, vendors, fruit stalls, shows, and games. She laughed and enjoyed all these things on her way.

One day, she saw a strange scene that changed her thinking. An old man from her community carried a food packet for a landlord. But he held it by a string so that his hand would not touch it. He gave it carefully to the landlord. Bama found it funny and laughed a lot.

When she told this to her brother Annan, he explained that they were considered “low caste” and “untouchable.” The old man did not touch the food because upper-caste people thought their touch would make it impure. Bama was shocked and deeply hurt by this unfair behavior.

Annan told her that education was the only way to change this injustice. He said that if she studied well, she could earn respect and fight for equality. His words inspired Bama. She decided to study hard and prove that everyone is equal.

Theme of the Lesson

The main theme of Memories of Childhood is discrimination and struggle for equality. Both Zitkala-Sa and Bama suffered because society treated them as inferior. Zitkala-Sa was a victim of racial discrimination, and Bama suffered from caste discrimination.

The lesson teaches that discrimination of any kind — race, caste, or religion — is wrong. Every human being has equal rights and deserves respect. Education and courage can help people rise above such injustices. Both writers show that strong will and self-respect can bring real change in society.

It also highlights the importance of cultural identity, freedom, and human dignity. The story inspires everyone to stand up against inequality and believe in the power of knowledge and justice.

Difficult Words and Their Meanings

Word	Meaning in English	Meaning in Hindi
Boarding School	School where students live and study	आवासीय विद्यालय
Discrimination	Unfair treatment	भेदभाव
Culture	Way of life, traditions	संस्कृति
Identity	Who someone is	पहचान
Native	Belonging to a place by birth	स्थानीय
Racial	Related to race	नस्लीय
Forced	Made to do something	मजबूर किया
Tribe	Group of people with same culture	जनजाति
Symbol	Sign or mark of something	प्रतीक
Honor	Respect and pride	सम्मान
Shame	Feeling of guilt or embarrassment	शर्म
Punishment	A penalty for doing wrong	दंड
Frightened	Scared	डर गया
Unfair	Not right or just	अनुचित
Untouchability	Belief that some people are impure	अस्पृश्यता
Landlord	A rich man owning land	जमींदार
Impure	Not clean or holy	अशुद्ध
Respect	Feeling of honor or regard	सम्मान
Equality	State of being equal	समानता
Justice	Fair treatment	न्याय
Inspiration	Something that motivates	प्रेरणा
Courage	Strength to face difficulties	साहस
Suffer	To feel pain or hardship	दुख झेलना
Oppression	Cruel or unfair control	उत्पीड़न
Self-respect	Pride in one’s dignity	आत्मसम्मान
Humanity	Quality of being kind and fair	मानवता
Awareness	Understanding or knowledge	जागरूकता
Dignity	Self-worth and respect	गरिमा
Education	Gaining knowledge	शिक्षा
Freedom	State of being free	स्वतंत्रता
Injustice	Lack of fairness	अन्याय
Symbol of pride	Something that shows respect	गौरव का प्रतीक
Strict	Very disciplined	सख्त
Realization	Understanding truth	समझ
Encourage	To give support	प्रोत्साहित करना
Behavior	Way of acting	व्यवहार
Equality of rights	Same rights for everyone	समान अधिकार
Customs	Traditional practices	रीति-रिवाज
Helpless	Without support	असहाय
Cruelty	Unkindness	क्रूरता
Change	To make different	परिवर्तन

Short Answer Type Questions

I. The Cutting of My Long Hair – by Zitkala-Sa

Q.- 1. Why did Zitkala-Sa feel herself securely tied? What was the environment there?
Ans - Zitkala-Sa felt tied because her freedom was lost. The school had strict rules. The environment was strange, cold, and fearful. She felt like a prisoner among unknown people who didn’t understand her culture and feelings.

Q.-2. How were the Indian girls there and what did they feel?
Ans - The Indian girls were quiet and afraid. They felt lonely and helpless. They missed their homes and traditions. They could not express their true feelings because everything around them was new and frightening.

Q.-3. Why was the small bell tapped and what did they do then?
Ans - The small bell was tapped to give signals for actions. At the sound, the girls stood, sat, or moved as told. They followed every order without question, even when they didn’t understand its meaning.

Q.-4. What happened when a second bell was sounded?
Ans - When the second bell rang, all the girls pulled out their chairs and sat down quietly. It showed how strictly disciplined the school was. Everyone had to obey the timing and rules without any freedom.

Q.-5. Who was the paleface woman? What was she doing?
Ans - The paleface woman was a white lady teacher at the school. She was controlling and instructing the girls. She managed everything during meals and gave strict orders that the Indian girls had to follow carefully.

Q.-6. Who was Judewin? What did she tell Zitkala-Sa?
Ans - Judewin was Zitkala-Sa’s friend. She could understand some English. She told Zitkala-Sa that the teachers planned to cut her long hair. She warned her to be careful but said resistance would not help them much.

Q.-7. What did Zitkala-Sa’s mother tell about the cutting of hair?
Ans - Zitkala-Sa’s mother told her that cutting hair was a sign of sadness or slavery. Among their people, short hair was worn by mourners or prisoners. So, losing her long hair meant losing her dignity and pride.

Q.-8. Where did Zitkala-Sa go to escape from hair cutting?
Ans - Zitkala-Sa ran upstairs and hid under a bed in an empty room. She wanted to save her hair from being cut. She stayed quiet, hoping no one would find her, but soon the teachers discovered her hiding place.

Q.-9. What happened when Zitkala-Sa was being searched?
Ans - When she was searched, many people came into the room. They looked under the beds and corners. Finally, they found Zitkala-Sa hiding and pulled her out roughly. She cried and struggled but couldn’t escape their grip.

Q.-10. What was being done with Zitkala-Sa when she was searched?
Ans - The women dragged her out forcefully. They tied her to a chair and cut her long hair. She cried loudly but nobody cared. Her pain was deep because they insulted her culture and personal pride.

Q.-11. What did Zitkala-Sa feel after cutting of her hair?
Ans - After her hair was cut, Zitkala-Sa felt humiliated and broken. She lost her courage and identity. It was a painful moment. She felt like a helpless animal, controlled and dishonoured by the white authorities.

Q.-12. “No, I will not submit! I will struggle first!” Who said this and what does it suggest?
Ans - Zitkala-Sa said this line. It shows her courage and spirit of resistance. She didn’t want to accept injustice quietly. Even as a child, she wanted to fight for her dignity and cultural identity.

Q.-13. Describe in brief Zitkala-Sa’s experiences while getting a haircut.
Ans - Zitkala-Sa cried and resisted when they tried to cut her hair. She was held down by force. Her heart was full of anger and sorrow. The haircut made her feel helpless, insulted, and deeply hurt inside.

Q.-14. Where was the author Zitkala-Sa placed while marching into the dining room?
Ans - While marching into the dining room, Zitkala-Sa was placed at the end of the line. She didn’t know what to do during the meal. She felt awkward and uncomfortable among strangers and strange customs.

II. We Too Are Human Beings – by Bama

Q.-1. How much time did Bama take to reach home from school? Why?
Ans - Bama took almost an hour to reach home from school. She walked slowly because she watched many interesting things on the way. She enjoyed the sights, games, and shops around her village streets.

Q.-2. What things attracted Bama during the way to home?
Ans - Bama was attracted by monkeys, performing dogs, street plays, games, snacks, and fruits. She also watched men selling sweets, blowing balloons, and playing instruments. These simple things made her journey home joyful every day.

Q.-3. Which were the other entertainments Bama found in the way?
Ans - She enjoyed puppet shows, political talks, and temple festivals. She loved watching villagers, shops, and street vendors. Every sight entertained her, and she forgot how much time she took to reach home.

Q.-4. How did the waiter cool the coffee in the bazaar?
Ans - The waiter poured the hot coffee from one tumbler to another to cool it down. He did it many times in the air without spilling. Bama found this very amusing and watched it with great interest.

Q.-5. Which different sights tether the legs of Bama and stop her?
Ans - Bama stopped to see street shows, sweets, fruits, games, music, and village talks. She loved seeing everything that caught her eyes. These lively sights tied her legs and delayed her return home every evening.

Q.-6. What fruits were found there according to the season?
Ans - According to the season, there were mangoes, jackfruits, guavas, bananas, and sugarcane. The vendors sold them on the roadside. Their bright colours and sweet smells always attracted Bama and made her stop for a while.

Q.-7. What was the set up there in the corner of the street?
Ans - At the street corner, there was always a small gathering. Some people sold snacks and fruits, while others played games or performed tricks. It was a cheerful place full of laughter, sound, and activity.

Q.-8. What made Bama double up? Why did she want to laugh?
Ans - Bama laughed hard when she saw an old man carrying food carefully by a string without touching it. She found his act funny because she didn’t understand it was done due to caste discrimination.

Q.-9. How did the elder person give the package to the landlord?
Ans - The old man held the food packet by its string and gave it to the landlord without touching him. He did so because of untouchability rules. Bama didn’t know its reason and found it strange.

Q.-10. Who was Annan? What did he tell Bama about caste?
Ans - Annan was Bama’s elder brother. He explained to her that people from their community were considered low caste. He told her they must study hard to gain respect and end this unfair social treatment.

Q.-11. Why did Bama become angry and what did she want to do then?
Ans - Bama became angry after learning about caste discrimination. She felt insulted and wanted to protest. She decided to study well and become educated so that people would respect her and her community.

Q.-12. What thoughts arrived in the mind of Bama after knowing the fact of carrying the package in that different way?
Ans - Bama understood that her people were treated as untouchables. She realized the deep injustice behind that act. She decided that education was the best way to fight such humiliation and earn dignity in society.

Q.-13. What happened with Bama’s elder brother once while returning from the neighbouring village’s library?
Ans - Once, while returning from the library, Bama’s brother faced discrimination. People from the upper caste treated him disrespectfully. He was not allowed to walk near them, which made him realize the bitter truth of caste.

Q.-14. What did Annan tell Bama about their community? How did he motivate her to overcome those indignities?
Ans - Annan told Bama that their community was poor but intelligent. He said education could help them earn self-respect. He encouraged her to study well, gain knowledge, and prove that they were equal to everyone.

Q.-15. Why did the author’s brother often go to the library?
Ans - Bama’s brother often went to the library to study and gain knowledge. He wanted to improve himself through learning. He believed that education was the best way to remove caste discrimination and change their lives.

Long Answer Type Questions

Part I – The Cutting of My Long Hair

Q1. Who was Zitkala-Sa? Where was she carried? Why did she feel there as she was securely tied in a bedlam? Explain.
Ans -Zitkala-Sa was a Native American girl. She was taken to a boarding school run by white people. There, she felt lonely and scared because everything was strange. The school forced her to follow rules that were not her own. She felt trapped and helpless, like someone tied in a mad house. The strange language, harsh discipline, and loss of freedom made her feel imprisoned and unhappy.

Q2. What special way of dining did Zitkala-Sa find there? What did Judewin tell her and how did Zitkala-Sa try to escape herself?
Ans -Zitkala-Sa saw that the students ate in a very strange way. They had to sit quietly and wait for signals before eating. It was very different from her home customs. Her friend Judewin told her that the authorities would cut their long hair. Zitkala-Sa wanted to save her hair, so she hid under a bed in a room. She did not want to lose her cultural identity and felt frightened.

Q3. How and where did the paleface woman and others search Zitkala-Sa? What happened with Zitkala-Sa then? How did she remember her mother? Explain.
Ans -The paleface woman and others searched every corner of the building. Finally, they found Zitkala-Sa hiding under a bed. They pulled her out and tied her hands. She cried loudly, but no one helped. Her long hair was cut off by force. It made her feel deeply hurt and insulted. She remembered her mother, who had taught her that cutting hair was a sign of sadness. She felt heartbroken and powerless.

Part II – We Too Are Human Beings

Q1. Who was Bama? Why did it take at least thirty minutes for her to reach home from the school? What different things, shows or happenings, she used to observe in the way which attracted her?
Ans -Bama was a Tamil Dalit girl. She walked home from school every day. It took her thirty minutes because she stopped to watch many interesting things. She enjoyed seeing street shows, monkeys, puppet plays, and vendors selling snacks. She liked watching people, games, and celebrations in the market. These small street scenes gave her joy. She was a lively and curious girl who loved observing life around her.

Q2. What did she see once in a corner of her street? Which unusual scene made her double up and laugh?
Ans -One day, Bama saw an old man carrying a packet of vadas with a long string. He did not touch the packet, but held it by the string. This looked very funny to her. She could not stop laughing and thought it was some kind of silly act. She later came to know that the man belonged to their caste and was not allowed to touch food meant for upper-caste people.

Q3. Why was Annan not amused? What did he tell Bama about their caste? What were the reactions of Bama then? Explain.
Ans -Annan, Bama’s elder brother, was not amused by her laughter. He told her that the man was forced to carry the packet like that because of untouchability. Dalits were not allowed to touch food or things of upper-caste people. Bama was shocked and angry to know this. She felt sad and insulted. It opened her eyes to the harsh truth of caste discrimination in society. She decided to study hard and protest.

Q4. What incident had happened with Annan once? What information do you find by it? How do you take it? Discuss.
Ans -Annan once went to the market to deliver some goods for a landlord. He was asked to bow and show respect just because of his lower caste. This made him feel humiliated. It showed how deeply caste discrimination existed in society. It tells us that Dalits were treated unfairly and without dignity. Such incidents show the need for equality and respect for all human beings, regardless of caste or background.

Q5. How did Annan motivate Bama to go ahead in her life? Did those words affect Bama? How? Explain.
Ans -Annan advised Bama to study hard and gain knowledge. He told her that education was the only way to fight against caste injustice. He said that through learning, they could earn respect and live with pride. His words deeply inspired Bama. She decided to work hard in her studies. She topped her class and became a successful and confident woman. Education gave her strength and self-respect.