v Anees
Jung:
·
An Indian author,
journalist and a columnist for major newspapers
in India and abroad
·
From
an aristocratic family in Hyderabad – her father, Nawab Hosh Yar
Jung, was a renowned scholar and poet, and served as the musahib (adviser) to the last Nizam (prince) of Hyderabad State.
·
Famous
for her notable work “Unveiling India”
·
Her works reflects on-
1. Under privileged peoples plight
2. Condition of Indian women
v Reason
to include this chapter in your syllabus-
1. We should be aware of the contemporary world,
the world around us
2. We should be sensitive towards people living
next to us
3. We should try to understand plight of poor
children, who are deprived of schooling for different reasons(working in
different factories, hotels, shops etc)
4. We should know rights of children and laws made
to protect them
v The
title – “The Lost Spring”
1. Spring is the best season; it is the season of
joy and happiness. Flowers bloom and trees get new leaves in this season. So it
is the season of growth too. In the same way childhood is the best part of our
life. It is the time for our growth and development. It is the time to bloom
and be happy. But there are some children who’re deprived of this happiness.
For these children this spring is consumed in poverty, dirt and dust. And at a
very tender age their shoulders are burdened with hard labour. So, their
pursuit of childhood is lost in their overburdened life.
2. It suggests the plight of street children who
are forced into labour and denied of schooling.
3. Callousness of society and the elite class –
the society is not at all bothered by the condition of these children. Even the
elite group of people like politicians who’re elected to serve people are not
at all interested in the plight and future of these children, the policeman who
is recruited to protect people’s right harass these people in different
times.
4. Author analyses extreme poverty and traditions
which condemn these children to a life of poverty and exploitation.
v The
story taken from her book – “Stories of Stolen Childhood”
v Chapter
includes two stories
1. About SEEMAPURI
2. About FIROZABAD
v Story
from Seemapuri
1. Title-
Sometimes I Find a Rupee in the Garbage
I.
The story begins
with a statement given by a young boy named, Saheb. Sahib when says “sometimes I find a rupee in
the garbage” he uses a figures of speech i.e. hyperbole. When we exaggerate
something then that’s called hyperbole. It’s used to beautify the language.
II.
Then author
introduce us to Saheb in “Flashback” i.e. author moves back to introduce who is
Saheb and where he belong.
2. The Main character- Saheb
I.
Saheb is a
rag-picker. Every morning the narrator notices him scrounging the garbage for
something. He belonged to the green fields of Dhaka. But as his mother say long back they left
their home due to frequent storm and came to the present city in search of a
better life.
II.
When the narrator
asked why he keeps searching the garbage. He says he has nothing else to do. At
this point narrator suggests him to go to school. Saheb says there is no school in his neighborhood. If there will be one he’ll attend. Then narrator promised to build one. Although
she didn’t mean it. But the boy was serious. He asked of the school when he saw
her again. The narrator at this point felt small as she was not all serious
about the school.
III.
After months of knowing
him author comes to know his name. His name is Saheb- ei-Alam, meaning lord of
the universe. There is an irony behind his name. There is nothing he can own,
not even a pair of chappals. He roams bare foot with an army of barefoot boys. But he was named as Saheb- ei- Alam.
IV.
Then narrator
remembers the story of a man.
Settlement at Seemapuri
1.
Huts are made of
mud , tarpaulin and tin roofed
2.
Poor sanitation
and no sewage
3.
No proper
drinking water
4.
Compelled to live
a substandard life
5.
Though Seemapuri
is in the outskirt of Delhi its metaphorically far away from Delhi because
there is no match in the life style of inhabitants of Delhi and Seemapuri
6.
Food was more
important for survival than identity
7.
They don’t have
any identity or belonging but they do have a ration card which makes them
buy grain and acts as vote banks for the politicians
8.
They live by rag
picking. Both children and elders are rag-pickers. But rag picking means
differently to them. For the elders it’s the source of income and for the children
it is far more. It is the hidden treasure, a gold mine from where sometimes
they find a coin or even a ten rupee note.
9.
Children are
deprived of schooling and fulfilling their dreams. They don’t even have a pair
of shoes to wear. They walk barefoot and semi naked body.
Character
of Saheb
1. Ironically his complete name is Saheb-ei-Alam,
meaning lord of the universe. Whereas he is a rag-picker living in Seemapuri,
an outskirt of Delhi.
2. He is ten years old, dreams to go to school,
play tennis and wear tennis shoes. His dream is not fulfilled. Although he
managed to get a discarded pair of shoes.
3. Later he works in a tea stall for Rs.800/- per
month. Although he managed to get a job he is no more master of his own. Now he
works for someone else and loses his freedom.
4. He is unhappy. The weight of the tin canister
is heavier than the rag picking bag. Because the canister belonged to someone
else but the rag picking bag was of his own.
5. Through the character of Saheb we see how
children are forced to work and exploited.
Different
reasons writer gives for children not wearing sleepers
1. Mother has not given sleepers
2. Following the tradition to walk barefoot
3. Although the real reason is they lack money.
It is their poverty.
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