The Lost Child
The Lost Child
By Mulk Raj Anand
“The Lost Child” is a poignant short story by Mulk Raj Anand that depicts the innocence, desires, and emotional journey of a child. The narrative explores themes of parental love, childlike wonder, and the importance of familial bonds. This comprehensive set of notes will delve into the story’s summary, themes, character analysis, and important questions to help class 9 students understand the text in detail.
Summary of The Lost Child
The story begins with a young child and his parents walking through a fair. The child is excited by the vibrant sights, sounds, and smells. As they make their way through the fair, the child is fascinated by a variety of things, including toy shops, sweet sellers, garland vendors, and a snake charmer.
At every step, the child expresses his desire to buy toys, sweets, and other items. However, his parents, aware of his endless demands, gently refuse, distracting him by pointing to other attractions. The child obediently follows but remains captivated by the allure of the fair.
The turning point in the story comes when the child is drawn towards a roundabout swing. He eagerly runs towards it and, in his excitement, loses track of his parents. Realizing he is lost, the child panics and bursts into tears. The previously enchanting fair now feels terrifying as he frantically searches for his parents.
A kind stranger notices the distressed child and tries to comfort him. The man offers him various things the child earlier desired—sweets, toys, garlands, and a ride on the swing. However, the child rejects everything. His only desire is to reunite with his parents, demonstrating the deep bond between a child and their family.
Themes of The Lost Child
- Innocence of Childhood
- The story captures the pure and innocent desires of a child. His fascination with toys, sweets, and colorful garlands reflects the simplicity of a child’s world, where small things bring immense joy.
- Parental Love and Bonding
- The child’s shift from material desires to longing for his parents illustrates the unconditional love and security provided by a family.
- Fear and Anxiety
- The story explores the fear of losing one’s loved ones. The child’s panic and distress upon realizing he is lost highlight the emotional vulnerability of children.
- Ephemeral Nature of Material Desires
- The child’s earlier wishes for toys and sweets become insignificant once he is separated from his parents, emphasizing the importance of relationships over material possessions.
Character Analysis of The Lost Child
- The Child
- The protagonist of the story is a young, curious, and playful child. His actions and reactions are driven by his natural curiosity and innocence. His transformation from a cheerful and carefree boy to a panicked and distressed child underscores the deep emotional bond he shares with his parents.
- The Parents
- The parents are depicted as loving but practical. They gently refuse the child’s demands, guiding him through the fair and ensuring he is not overwhelmed. Their presence represents safety and comfort for the child.
- The Stranger
- The stranger is a compassionate and empathetic figure who tries to console the lost child. His kind gestures, though unable to comfort the child, showcase the innate goodness in people.
Setting
The story is set in a vibrant and bustling fair, filled with colorful stalls, music, and crowds. The fair is symbolic of the material attractions of the world, which lose their charm in the absence of loved ones.
Significant Symbolism of The Lost Child
- The Fair
- Represents the world and its material attractions.
- Toys, Sweets, and Garlands
- Symbolize the transient nature of desires and the innocence of childhood.
- The Roundabout Swing
- Highlights the turning point in the child’s journey from joy to despair.
Key Moments in the Story
- The Child’s Fascination with the Fair
- This section introduces the child’s innocent desires and excitement about the fair.
- The Child’s Separation from His Parents
- The pivotal moment that changes the tone of the story from joy to fear and anxiety.
- The Stranger’s Intervention
- Demonstrates the kindness of strangers and the ultimate realization that no material possession can replace parental love.
Important Questions
Short Answer Questions
- What did the child want to buy at the fair?
- The child wanted to buy toys, sweets, garlands, and balloons.
- How did the child react when he realized he was lost?
- The child panicked, cried loudly, and desperately searched for his parents.
- What did the stranger offer to the child?
- The stranger offered toys, sweets, garlands, balloons, and a ride on the roundabout swing.
- Why did the child refuse the stranger’s offers?
- The child was overwhelmed with fear and only wanted to find his parents, showing the depth of his emotional attachment.
Long Answer Questions
- How does the story reflect the emotional bond between parents and children?
- The story showcases that a child’s sense of security and happiness lies with their parents. Despite his fascination with the fair, the child’s ultimate longing is to reunite with his parents when he feels unsafe.
- What is the significance of the fair in the story?
- The fair serves as a microcosm of the world’s material attractions. It highlights how these attractions are secondary to the love and security provided by family.
- Describe the emotional journey of the child in “The Lost Child.”
- The child’s journey begins with excitement and wonder, transitions into panic and fear when he is lost, and ends with an emotional realization of the importance of his parents over material desires.
Critical Analysis
- Narrative Style
- The story is written in the third person, allowing readers to empathize with the child while observing the events objectively.
- Emotional Depth
- Anand masterfully portrays the emotional depth of the child’s experience, making it relatable for readers of all ages.
- Universal Themes
- The story addresses universal themes like familial love, the innocence of childhood, and the transient nature of materialism, making it timeless.
Conclusion
“The Lost Child” by Mulk Raj Anand is a touching tale that emphasizes the value of familial bonds over material desires. Through the journey of a young child, the story delivers a powerful message about love, security, and the transient nature of worldly attractions. This heartwarming narrative reminds readers of the importance of cherishing relationships and the unconditional love between parents and children.
Importent Q/A of The Lost Child
Question 1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?
Answer: On his way to the fair the child sees toys, balloons of different colours, garland of gulmohur, a swing and a snake-charmer playing a flute. He gets attracted towards all these things. So, he lags behind.
Question 2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?
Answer: The child wants many things in the fair. He wants to have toys, different sweets, garland, balloons of different colours and has a keen desire to enjoy the roundabout. He moves on without waiting for an answer because whenever he stops to see things, his parents gave him a cautionary call, “come, child, come!”
Question 3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?
Answer: The child sees a roundabout in the fair and gets attracted to it. He wants to have a ride on it. He asks his parents for permission to enjoy it. Having no response on the part of his parents he realises that he has lost his way. He starts crying bitterly at once and runs here and there in search of them.
Question 4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?
Answer: The child lost interest in the things that he had wanted earlier because was lost in the fair. He was panic-stricken on being separated from his parents. He only wanted to see his parents. All the things that attracted him in the fair no longer appealed to him because he wanted only one thing that was to be with his parents.
Question 5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?
Answer: Yes, I feel that the child finds his parents at last. The kind-hearted person must have tried his best to find his parents. On the other hand the parents of the child must have left no stone unturned to find their child.
Talk about it
Question 1. How to ensure not to get lost?
Answer: I think the child would have found his parents in the end. While he was lost, his parents would also have searched for him when they would have realized that he is not with them. The gentleman who was trying to console the child would have also asked for the description of his parents and would have looked around for them. Finally, the child would have been united with his parents with everyone’s collective effort.
