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The Lost Child - New Images Next - Class 6 - English
The Lost Child, Class 6, New Images Next, In "The Lost Child" by Mulk Raj Anand, a young boy becomes separated from his parents at a fair and experiences a moment of longing and independence.
About the Author - The Lost Child | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
Mulk Raj Anand (1905-2004) was an Indian writer who is considered one of the pioneers of Indian literature in English. He was born in Punjab, India, and studied at universities in India, England, and Germany. Anand's writing often focused on social issues and the lives of India's poor and oppressed.
His first novel, "Untouchable" (1935), brought him critical acclaim and is still considered a classic in Indian literature. The novel deals with the life of a young Dalit, a member of India's lowest caste, and highlights the pervasive discrimination and oppression faced by Dalits in Indian society.
Anand went on to write several more novels, including "Coolie" (1936), "Two Leaves and a Bud" (1937), and "The Private Life of an Indian Prince" (1953), as well as a number of short stories and essays. He was also a prominent member of India's cultural and political scene, advocating for social and political change through his writing and activism.
Throughout his life, Anand received numerous awards and honours for his contributions to Indian literature and society, including the Padma Bhushan and the Sahitya Akademi Award. His works continue to be studied and celebrated for their insights into Indian society and the human condition.
Summary - The Lost Child | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
Welcome to English Chatterbox! The Lost Child tells us a story of a boy who gets lost in a fair. Initially, he didn't value what his parents had given him but yearns for other things Later, when he loses his parents, he regrets it and desperately wants them back.
Let's start off from the very beginning to see the sequence of events.
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The story begins with the description. A lot of people are heading towards a fair in carts or on foot. Likewise, the child is going with his parents. He is repeatedly tempted by the things he sees on the way but his parents keep calling him to come.
- Firstly, he wanted a toy but his father looked at him angrily and his mother diverted his mind towards the field.
- Secondly, he was tempted by the butterfly and ran after it to catch it though he could not do so.
- Thirdly, he liked to look at the little insects but he was called by his parents.
- Fourthly, he went where his parents were setting under the shade of the trees. When petals fell on him, he forgot about his parents and started catching them. Then, he was distracted by the doves and rushed towards them. From there, he started running around the banyan tree.
In the fair the boy is tempted by many things.
- Firstly, he wanted burfi as it was favourite sweet, but he didn't ask his parents as he knew that his parents would think he was greedy.
- Secondly, he wanted a garland of gulmohar but he didn't say anything as he knew his parents would say that they were cheap and wouldn't let him buy it.
- Thirdly, he wanted to have the balloon which were in all kinds of colours, but was aware that he was too old for such toys so he moved on.
- Fourthly, he was fascinated by the flute of the snake charmer but as he was well aware of the fact that his parents had asked him not to hear such rough/coarse music he moved on. Finally, when he reached the roundabout the motion of it tempted him so much that he expressed his desire for a ride. But when he turned around there was no reply so he turned around to look for his parents.
He couldn't see them anywhere. He panicked and started to cry. He moved towards the shrine where he saw a lot of rush. He might have been crushed in that crowd but a man heard his cries of father, mother, and had lifted him. The man tried to divert his mind so,
- Firstly, he took him to the roundabout and asked him if he wanted to ride but the boy refused and cried out for his parents.
- Secondly, he took him to the snake charmer then also the boy wanted his parents and not the music.
- Thirdly, he took him to the balloon seller but the boy just sobbed for his parents
- Fourthly, he took him to a garland shop, but the boy refused that as well
- Fifthly, he took him to a sweetshop, but the boy just wanted his parents.
Our story ends at this point, but it has a deeper metaphorical meaning. Human beings often get distracted by the materialistic things. In this story, the child represents humans and the parents represent the lord. The lord keeps guiding humans. It is only when human beings lose their lord that they realise his true worth and realise the worthlessness of other materialistic desires.
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Themes - The Lost Child | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
Innocence and Childhood
The story revolves around a young child who is innocent and carefree. The child is easily fascinated by the sights and sounds around him and is drawn towards them. The theme of innocence and childhood is evident in the child's behaviour and the way he interacts with the world around him.
The Bond between a Parent and a Child
The story highlights the strong bond between a parent and a child. The father, although busy with his work, is still aware of his child's presence...
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Symbols - The Lost Child | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
In "The Lost Child," Mulk Raj Anand uses various symbols to convey the story's deeper meanings. Some of the symbols used in the chapter are:
- The balloon: The balloon symbolizes the lost child's desires and dreams. The child's fascination with the balloon reflects his innocent desires, and his loss of the balloon represents the loss of these desires.
- The birds: The birds symbolize freedom and the natural world. The child is fascinated by the birds, and they serve as a reminder of the world ...
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Important Lines - The Lost Child | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
- "It was a flowering mustard-field, pale like melting gold as it swept across miles and miles of even land." - This line describes the beauty of the natural world and suggests that there are other things in life to appreciate besides material possessions.
- "He ran towards his parents gaily and walked abreast of them for a while, being, however, soon left behind, attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath that were teeming out from their hiding places to enjoy the sunshine." - This line suggests...
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The Lost Child - Questions and Answers | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
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What are the things that the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
The child was fascinated by everything that he saw around him. He desired the toys which were lined up along the way when he was going towards the fair. He was mesmerized to look at the flowering mustard field which was spread over a vast expanse of land and looked like melting gold. He looked at the dragon flies and butterflies and wait for them to settle down on a plant so he could catch them. He was even attracted by the little insects and worms along the footpath. In the grove the child wanted to collect the raining petals but was soon distracted by the cooing doves and ran after them. The other moment he was jumping around the banyan tree. All these views fascinated him so much that he had to be repeatedly called by his parents since he was lost in the beauty of all this and often lagged behind.
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In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
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When does he realize that he had lost his way? How has his anxiety and insecurity been described?
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Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
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What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
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How were the things around temple?
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Every little inch of space here was congested with men, but he ran through people’s legs, his little sob lingering: “Mother, Father!” a. What does ‘here’ refer to? b. What did ‘he’ do? Why? c. What happened there?
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How did the man try to help the child and to what effect?
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Thinking to humour his disconsolate charge by a gift of sweets, the man took him to the counter of the sweet shop. a. Who does ‘disconsolate charge’ refers to? b. What was the outcome of a gift of sweet? c. Explain the meaning of ‘disconsolate’.
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How was the child lost in the fair?
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The Lost Child Quiz - The Lost Child | New Images Next | Class 6 Literature | English
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