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Class 12 English (Supplementary Reader)|Chapter 8|Memories of Childhood
Answer the Following Question:
1. Who was Zitkala-Sa?
Ans: Zitkala-Sa was a Native American woman, born in 1876, who wrote against the oppression of Native American culture and women.
2. What does Bama describe in her narrative?
Ans: Bama describes her childhood experiences of caste discrimination as a Dalit girl in Tamil Nadu.
3. Why was Zitkala-Sa unhappy on her first day at school?
Ans: She felt humiliated and terrified by the strange surroundings, harsh discipline, and cultural imposition, especially the cutting of her hair.
4. What cultural significance did long hair have for Zitkala-Sa’s community?
Ans: In her culture, long hair symbolized pride and honor, while short hair was for mourners or cowards.
5. How did Zitkala-Sa resist the haircut?
Ans: She hid under a bed but was eventually caught and forcibly had her hair cut.
6. What made Bama laugh on her way home one day?
Ans: She saw an elder carrying a food packet by its string in a funny manner and found it amusing.
7. Why did Bama feel anger instead of amusement later?
Ans: Her brother explained that the elder carried the parcel that way due to caste-based untouchability.
8. What advice did Bama’s brother give her?
Ans: He advised her to study hard, as education could help fight against caste discrimination and gain dignity.
9. What did Zitkala-Sa feel after her hair was cut?
Ans: She felt deep anguish and humiliation, like an animal being herded.
10. Why did Bama take a long time to return home from school?
Ans: She was fascinated by street performances, shops, and sights that distracted her on the way.
Fill in the Blanks:
1. Zitkala-Sa was born in the year _________.
Ans: 1876
2. Bama belonged to a _________ Dalit community.
Ans: Tamil.
3. Bama’s autobiography is titled _________.
Ans: Karukku.
4. The elders carried food packets by string to avoid _________.
Ans: Touching them.
5. Zitkala-Sa felt like an animal driven by a _________.
Ans: Herder.
True or False:
1. Zitkala-Sa willingly submitted to having her hair cut.
Ans: False.
2. Bama enjoyed the street sights and took time to reach home.
Ans: True.
3. Zitkala-Sa was impressed by the American school system.
Ans: False.
4. Bama’s brother encouraged her to fight casteism through education.
Ans: True.
5. Bama felt proud after seeing the elder hand over the food.
Ans: False.
Long Type Questions and Answers:
1. Describe the first day experience of Zitkala-Sa at school.
Ans: Zitkala-Sa’s first day at the boarding school was traumatic. The loud bell, harsh voices, and unfamiliar customs overwhelmed her. Her moccasins and blanket were taken away, and she felt exposed and uncomfortable. The worst moment came when she learned her long hair would be cut, a sign of disgrace in her culture. She resisted but was forcibly dragged and had her hair shingled, leading her to feel stripped of her identity and dignity.
2. What is the significance of hair cutting in Zitkala-Sa’s narrative?
Ans: In Native American culture, long hair symbolizes pride and spiritual strength. Cutting hair represented mourning or defeat. Zitkala-Sa’s forced haircut symbolized cultural domination and the loss of identity. It was an assault on her heritage and individuality.
3. What does Bama’s experience reveal about caste-based discrimination?
Ans: Bama’s narrative reveals how caste-based untouchability manifests in everyday life. Watching an elder carry food with a string for an upper-caste man exposed the deeply entrenched prejudice. Her realization of this discriminatory act led to emotional pain and a desire for change through education.
4. Why does Zitkala-Sa say she lost her spirit?
Ans: Zitkala-Sa says she lost her spirit after being forcefully held down and having her braids cut. It was a moment of complete helplessness and cultural violation, symbolizing how Native American children were stripped of their identity in boarding schools.
5. How does Bama respond to the injustice she witnesses?
Ans: Initially amused, Bama becomes enraged after learning the reason behind the elder’s behavior. She questions the cruelty of casteism and resolves to resist such indignity. Inspired by her brother, she studies hard to bring about social change through education.
6. What role does Bama’s brother play in shaping her thoughts?
Ans: Bama’s brother plays a crucial role by helping her understand caste discrimination. He motivates her to pursue education as a means of fighting social injustice and regaining dignity, which leaves a lasting impact on her.
7. Compare the struggles of Zitkala-Sa and Bama.
Ans: Both Zitkala-Sa and Bama experience oppression—Zitkala-Sa due to racial and cultural dominance, and Bama due to casteism. Their childhoods are marked by humiliation and identity loss. However, both respond with resistance and a desire to rise through education and expression.
8. How do the two narratives highlight the theme of identity?
Ans: The stories highlight how societal systems attempt to suppress individual and cultural identity—Zitkala-Sa through forced assimilation and Bama through caste-based dehumanization. Both narratives show how resistance and awareness help reclaim dignity and self-worth.
9. Comment on the significance of the title “Memories of Childhood.”
Ans: The title “Memories of Childhood” is significant as it reflects the deeply personal and painful experiences of two women from marginalized communities. Through their childhood memories, the narratives explore themes of cultural oppression, identity loss, discrimination, and the resilience of the human spirit. These childhood memories serve as powerful tools for understanding social injustice and advocating for change.
10. What is the central theme of the chapter “Memories of Childhood”?
Ans: The central theme is discrimination—racial in the case of Zitkala-Sa and caste-based in Bama’s story. Both stories highlight how oppressive systems attempt to suppress marginalized communities and how resistance, awareness, and education become tools for reclaiming dignity and identity.
