MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD

BY: ZITKALA SA & BAMA

1. Story by Zitkala sa
PART-1
THE CUTTING OF MY LONG HAIR

Two accounts took place in two cultures at different places and in different times but they
explore a common universal theme of prejudices and humiliation faced by marginalized
communities from mainstream culture and how both brave girls use their talent and education
to stand up for their own and community rights. Both use the power of pen to fight
oppression.

1. The Cutting of My Long Hair

The first part deals with the account of Simmons, An American Indian, who fought against
the prejudices of the society against American Indians.She describes her experiences on her
first day at the Carlisle Indian School. Zitkala SA‘s first day at school is unpleasant. The
customs and rules of the place were strange and new to her.She was forced to wear clothes
that were considered undignified in her culture.

At the breakfast table, she does not understand the rules and makes several mistakes.Eating
by formula- at the first bell everyone had to pull a chair. Zitkala sat down and realised that
others were still standing. At the second bell everyone had to sit down. Zitkala stood up when
the second bell rang. She felt humiliated. Another bell rang and she was too scared to do
anything. She burst out crying.She was scared of the pale face woman. She was told about the
cutting of her hair by her friend Judewin.In her culture, unskilled warriors who were captured
had shingled hair and short hair was worn by mourners.She tried to hide but was dragged,
tied to a chair and her long hair was cut off. This cruelty crushed her spirit. She remembered
the comfort of her home.

2. We Too Are Human Beings.

Story by: Bama

The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography ‘Karukku’ by Bama – a Tamil
Dalit. Bama was an innocent child living in a village. She used to walk back home
from school and covered ten minutes of walk in half an hour to one hour as she
watched all the fun games such as street play, puppet show, snake charmer,
performing monkey.

Her innocence was lost when she experienced untouchability very early in life. One day she
saw an elder of her community carrying food packet holding it by its strings. She was amused
but her brother told her that they belonged to a low caste. So people from upper caste
believed that the food packet would be polluted if it was touched by them. Her brother was
once asked about the street he lived in to determine the caste he belonged to. He told her to
work hard to win honour and dignity. She studied hard and stood first in her class.

PART –I
 • The first part deals with the account of Simmons, An American Indian, who fought
against the prejudices of the society against American Indians.
• She describes her experiences on her first day at the Carlisle Indian School.
• The customs and rules of the place were strange and new to her.
• She was forced to wear clothes that were considered undignified in her culture
• At breakfast, she was embarrassed as she did not know the routine of the place.
• When she comes to know that they were planning to cut her hair, she protests by
hiding under the bed, even though she knew it was futile. In her culture, it was the
cowards whose hair was shingled.
• She felt like an animal driven by a herder.

PART – II

• The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography ‘Karukku’ by Bama – a Tamil
Dalit.
• She was in her third grade when she becomes aware of the indignities that the lower
caste people face.
• She happens to see an elderly person from her community abase himself in frontof a
higher caste person as he was not supposed to touch the food that he was ordered to
fetch for the landlord.
• Later, her brother explains to her that the incident was not at all funny as she initially
thought, but very pathetic. The people from the lower caste were treated as
untouchables.
• She was deeply saddened and decided to study hard to overcome discrimination.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS

1.As I walked noiselessly in my soft moccasins, I felt like sinking to the floor?
a) Name the speaker.
b) Where is the speaker?
c) Why does the speaker feel like sinking to the floor?
d) What are moccasins?
2.As I glanced at the long chain of tables, I caught the eyes of a pale face woman upon me.
Immediately I dropped my eyes wondering why I was keenly watched by the strange woman.
a) Who was being watched?
b) Why was the speaker being watched?
c) Where was the speaker being watched?
d) How was the speaker being watched?
3.We discussed our fate some moments, and when Judewin said, ―We have to submit,
because they are strong.‖ I rebelled.
a) What is the speaker speaking about?
b) Why did the speaker rebel?
c) Who is strong according to the speaker?
d) What fate awaited the speaker?
4.From my hiding place I peered out, shuddering with fear whenever I heard footsteps
nearby.
a) Whom does ‗I ‗refer to?
b) Where is she/he hiding?
c) Why did he/she hide himself/herself?
d) Whom is he/ she hiding from?
5.Among our people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards!
a) Name the chapter.
b) Who is the speaker of this line?
c) Whom does the speaker remember through this line?
d) What does ‗shingled‘ mean?
6.But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day.
a) Name the speaker
b) What do you understand by eating by formula?
c) What was the ‗hardest trial‘ that awaited the speaker?
d) Where did this incident take place?
7.Then I lost my spirit.
a) Whom does ‗I‘ refer to?
b) Name the chapter.
c) Why did the speaker lose his/her spirit?
d) What was important to the speaker?
8.Since the day I was taken from my mother I had suffered extreme indignities?
a) Who had been taken away from his/her mother?
b) Where was he /she taken to?
c) What indignities were faced by the speaker?
d) What does ‗indignities‘ mean?
9.I was only one of many little animals driven by herder.
a) Whom does ‗I‘ refer to?
b) Name the chapter.
c) Why does she/he feel like one of many little animals?
d) Whom does‘ herder‘ refer to?
10.Inspite of myself, I was carried downstairs and tied fast in a chair
a) Whom does ‗myself‘ refer to?
b) Why was he/she carried downstairs?
c) What fate awaited her/him?
d) What characteristic trait of the speaker is brought about?

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

1.What were the indignities that the new girls were subjected to at Carlisle Indian School?
Ans. The girls were scrutinized thoroughly and supervised by a grey- haired woman. They
were made to wear tight fitting immodest clothes and stiff shoes. During breakfast a
systematic and regimental discipline was observed. The girls with long hair had to get them
shingled and they had to submit to the authorities who were strong, unfeeling and cruel.
2.How had Zitkala – Sa been subjected to extreme indignities?
Ans. Since the day she was taken from her mother Zitkala had suffered many indignities. She
was stared at and tossed like a wooden puppet. Her long hair was shingled like a coward's. In
her pain when she cried for her mother no one came forward to comfort her. She was just like
one of the animals driven by a herder.
3.What did Judewin tell the narrator? What was the effect?
Ans. Judewin who could understand a little English informed the narrator that the strange
woman intended to cut her long hair. But the narrator had learnt from her mother that the
enemy cut the hair of the unskilled warrior when they are captured and among their people
mourners wear short hair and cowards have shingled hair. So, she decided to resist. She hid
herself under a bed in a dark room.
4.Why was Zitkala-Sa so averse to having her hair cut?
Ans. It was an age old tradition among the people of her tribe, to which Zitkala-Sa belonged,
to maintain their long shining and beautiful hair. It was believed that only the warriors or the
mourners get their hair shingled. Short hair were worn by cowards as per their tradition. So,
obviously Zitkala-Sa never wanted her hair to be cut short.

1. What were the indignities that the new girls were subjected to at Carlisle Indian
School?
Ans. The girls were scrutinized thoroughly and supervised by a greyhaired woman.
They were made to wear tight fitting immodest clothes and stiff shoes. During
breakfast a systematic and regimental discipline was observed. The girls with long
 hair had to get them shingled and they had to submit to the authorities who were
strong, unfeeling and cruel.
2. How had Zitkala – Sa been subjected to extreme indignities?
Ans. Since the day she was taken from her mother Zitkala had suffered many
indignities. She was stared at and tossed like a wooden puppet. Her long hair was
shingled like a coward's. In her pain when she cried for her mother no one came
forward to comfort her. She was just like one of the animals driven by a herder.
3. What did judewin tell the narrator? What was the effect?
Ans. Judewin who could understand a little English informed the narrator that the
strange woman intended to cut their long hair. But the narrator had learnt from her
mother that the enemy cut the hair of the unskilled warrior when they are captured
and among their people mourners wear short hair and cowards shingled hair. So, she
decided to resists. She hid herself under a bed in a dark room.
4. Why was Zitkala-Sa so averse of having her hair cut?
Ans. It was an age old tradition among the people of tribe, to which Zitkala-Sa
belongs, to maintain their long shining and beautiful hair. It was believed that only the
warriors or the mourners get their hair shingled. Short hair worn by the cowards as per
their tradition. So, obviously Zitkala-Sa never wanted her hair to be cut short.

Long Answer Questions

1. "Children are keen observers. they notice every happening in their

surroundings. Injustice in any form can not escape being unnoticed by them."
Explain with reference to "Memories of Childhood".
Ans. Even the slightest action of the elders in their immediate surroundings never go
unnoticed by the children. They do not reconcile with their fate but become rebel as
and when find a chance. They tend to raise their voice against the injustice; it may not
bear fruit immediately like in case of Zitkala-Sa and Bama. But sown a seed of
rebellion they become more sensitive, receptive and readily get an idea of any
injustice done to them.
If got right grooming, with their courage, will power, hard work, determination, grit
and far-sightedness, these seeds (children) bloom. In both the versions of "Memories
of child hood", thought depicted are from societies in different parts of world. Both
the women belong to marginalized sections of their respective societies, suffered a lot
but never gave up. Being observant they took calculated steps i.e., Education, to up
bring themselves from the mess of ignorance and atrocities.

PART –2
WE TOO ARE HUMAN BEINGS
–By Bama
Bama is a Tamil Dalit woman. She experienced untouchability very early in her life.
One day she saw an elderly person carrying food packet with the help of strings as he
was not supposed to touch the food because of his caste. She found the whole incident
funny, but when she narrated it to her brother, he told her that the man held the packet
by its strings
because he was an untouchable. He also added that they too belonged to a lower caste.
He told Bama to work hard in order to win honour and dignity for herself. Bama was
inspired to fight back the injustices through education and sheer hard work. She
studied hard and stood
first in her class.

EXTRACT BASED QUESTIONS :

1.‗But I had already seen , felt, experienced and been humiliated by what it is.‘
a) Who is ‗I‘ in the above lines?
b) When had she/he realised that she/he had been humiliated?
c) What does ‗it‘ refers to ?
d) Why was she/he humiliated?

2.‗Oh! I could go on and on. Each thing would pull me to a stand-still and not allow
me to go any further.‘
a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
b) What would pull the speaker to a stand-still?
c) Where is the speaker coming from and where is he/she going to?
d) What characteristic of the speaker is depicted from the above lines?

3.‗The words that Annan spoke to me that day made a deep impression on me‘
a) Who is the speaker of the above lines/Who is ‗me‘ in the above lines?
b) What advice does Annan give to ‗me‘?
c) Did ‗me‘ follow Annan‘s advice?
d) How did Annan‘s words affect the speaker‘s life?

4.‗Our people were hard at work driving cattle in pairs round and round to tread out
grain from the straw.‘
a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
b) Whom does ‗our people‘ refer to ?
c) What work was being done by the people?
d) How did the sight affect the speaker?

5.Annan told me all these things and he added –‗Because we are born into this
community, we are never
given any honour or dignity or respect ; we are stripped of all that.‘
a) Who are ‗we‘ in the above lines?
b) What advice did Annan give Bama?
c) How did Bama respond to Annan‘s advice?
d) What impression do you form about the entire situation from the above lines?

6.‗When I heard this I didn‘t want to laugh anymore and I felt terribly sad.‘
a) Who is ‗I‘ in the above lines?
b) What was the cause of the laughter?
c) What was the speaker‘s reaction?
d) What made her terribly sad?
 7‗Thambi, on which street do you live?‘ The point of this was that if he knew on
which street we lived, he
would know our caste too.
a) Who is ‗he‘ in above lines?
b) Why did he ask the name of the street?
c) Who is ‗we‘ here?
d) What was Bama‘s reaction, when she came to know about untouchability?

8‗The elder went straight up to the landlord, bowed low and extended the packet
towards him, cupping the
hand that held the string with the other hand.‘
a) Who is the speaker of the above lines?
b) Why is the elder ‗ bowing low‘ ?
c) Why was he holding the packet with the string?
d) What impression do you form about the situation from the above lines?`

9 One of the landlord‘s men came up behind him. He thought my Annan looked
unfamiliar, and so he asked---
a) Who came up behind Annan?
b) Why did he come up to Annan?
c) What did he ask Annan?
d) Why did he ask so?

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

Q.1 Why did Bama take half hour to an hour to cover the distance to her home that
would normally take only ten minutes?
Ans. She walked very slowly and watched every scene, shop, snake charmer, man
paddling his bicycle to win prizes and so on. She liked to see the Maariyatta temple,
the Pongal celebrations, the statue of Gandhi and the sweet and snack stalls.
Everything stopped her and attracted her attention. She also stopped to see the
processions of the political parties, street play or a puppet show or a stunt
perforpolitic

Q.2 How did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the
people of her community?
Ans. She saw an elder carrying a small packet by its string without touching it. The
elder went straight to the landlord. He bowed low and extended the packet towards
him. The landlord opened it and started eating. She was amused to see the incident.
On reaching home, she
narrated the incident to her elder brother Annan. But her brother was not amused. He
explained that the man was from a low caste and the landlord was from the upper
caste. Everybody believed that they would be polluted if they were touched by the
low caste people.

Short Answer Questions

 1. Why did Bama take half hour to an hour to cover the distance to her home that
would normally take only ten minutes?
Ans. She walked very slowly and watched every scene, shop, snake charmer, man
paddling his bicycle to win prizes and so on. She liked to see the Maariyatta temple,
the Pongal celebrations, the statue of Gandhi and the sweet and snack stalls.
Everything stopped her and attracted her attention. She also stopped to the
processions of the political parties, street play or a puppot show or stunt performance.
2. How did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the
people of her community?
Ans. She saw an elder carrying a small packet by its string without touching it. The
elder went straight to the landlord. He bowed low and extended the packet towards
him. The landlord opened it and started eating. She was amused to see the incident.
On reaching home, she narrated the incident to her elder brother Annan. But her
brother was not amused. He explained that the man was from a low caste and the
landlord was from the upper caste. Everybody believed that they would be polluted if
they are touched by the low caste people.

Long Answer Questions

1. How did Annan advise his sister Bama regarding untouchability and what was
its effect on her?
Ans. Annan is a thoughtful and considerate elder brother. He guides her properly and
explains the social stigma of untouchability. He told that the elder carrying Vadai was
not amusing but pathetic. He was the victim of social prejudice. Bama became angry
and annoyed Annan guides her in right direction. He believe that people of their
community should study and outshine others to earn respect in society. Bama follows
his timely advice and grows up to be a balanced and well respected individual of the
society.