LUCKNOW INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL (2023-24)

CLASS-XII
ENGLISH LITERATURE (VISTAS)
CH 8- MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD
BY- ZITKALA-SA & BAMA
Introduction:

The Memories of Childhood summary deals with two extracts which belong to two different
autobiographical episodes. Furthermore, these two episodes deal with the lives of two women
whose names are Zitkala Sa and Bama. Both of them had to face hardship and are victims of social
discrimination. Zitkala Sa had to deal with racial discrimination while Bama had to suffer caste
discrimination. In both the extracts, the writers explore their childhood and there is a reflection on
their relationship with the prevalent culture. The culture was harsh towards these women and
treated them in a harsh manner in their childhood. Both these accounts how these women went
through their oppression. Also, there was resistance by both the narrators in their own ways.
Zitkala-Sa and Bama were young but not so young that they were naïve about the mainstream
culture’s evil scheme. They became rebellious due to their bitter childhood experience.

READING WITH INSIGHT

Q1- The two accounts that you read above are based in two distant cultures. What is the
commonality of theme found in both of them?

Ans- The autobiographical accounts covered under ‘Memories of Childhood’ are by two women
from socially marginalized sections in two different cultures of the world. In the first story, the
author describes how she became a victim of social discrimination when she was badly treated by
the European staff of the school because she was a Native American. She feels so humiliated when
her blanket is removed from her shoulders and her hair is shingled. In her culture, shingled hair
was a symbol of being a coward. In the second story, Bama describes the social discrimination
faced by the low castes in India. She being a student of third standard was forced to face the harsh
reality of untouchability when she saw an old Dalit man carrying a food packet by strings as it was
meant for an upper caste man. Although both stories are set in different parts of the world they still
have a similar theme. They show the hardships and sufferings of the marginal communities in
different parts of the world.

Q2- It may take a long time for oppression to be resisted, but the seeds of rebellion are sowed
early in life. Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot escape being noticed even by
children?
Ans- Yes, it is true that injustice in any form cannot escape being noticed even by children. This
we have seen in both the stories we have read. In the first story when Judewin tells Zitkala that the
authorities have planned to shingle their hair, Zitkala decides to rebel. Judewin says that the
authorities are strong we have to agree with them. But Zitkala hides herself, and when she is found
out she kicks and scratches them wildly. Finally she is tied up in the chair and her hair is cut
down.
In the second story, Bama as a child finds it very funny to see an old man carrying a snack pack by
strings. Her brother tells her that they being Dalits cannot touch food meant for the upper caste as
this will pollute them. Bama gets infuriated on hearing this, and she at once makes a decision to
snatch the vadais from the upper caste man who according to her did nothing and still treats Dalits
badly. Her brother diverts her anger towards her studies which makes her the topper of her class.
All this proves the above said that children not only notice the injustice but also show their anger.
Q3- Bama’s experience is that of a victim of the caste system. What kind of discrimination
does Zitkala-Sa’s experience depict? What are their responses to their respective situations?
Ans-Zitkala Sa was ill-treated by the European school authorities as she was a Native American.
As shown in the story her moccasins were taken away, they removed her blanket from her
shoulders which made her feel so insulted, and her hair were shingled. In Zitkala’s culture, only a
coward’s hair was cut down and girls did not wear tight-fitting clothes as they were considered
immodest. She was even pointed out for not following the table manners. All this took away her
confidence and she was left in tears. But when she grew up, she with the power of her education
wrote articles against the Carlisle Indian School and their discrimination against the Native
Americans. On the other side, Bama also studied hard and became a famous writer and wrote
against caste discrimination. So, here we can say that though both women belonged to different
periods of time and different parts of the world but used education as their tool to fight against
discrimination.

Q4-Compare and contrast the stories of Zitkala-Sa and

Bama? (2020)
or
The two accounts that you read above are based on two distant cultures. What is the
commonality of the theme found in both of them?

Ans: 'Memories of Childhood presents two autobiographical episodes. Both are from the lives of
women. The first account is by an American Indian woman. The second episode is narrated by a
contemporary Tamil Dalit writer. The woman belongs to two different cultures.

Both the women are from 'marginalized communities. The first episode describes the humiliations
suffered by the Native Indians living in America. The white people impose their own culture and
values on other communities. The poor Indian girl is dragged out and tied in a chair. Her long and
heavy hair is shingled. In her community, only the cowards wear shingled hair. Bama's experience
is based on the age-long curse of 'untouchability' in India. The people of low castes have to bow
low and work for their masters. They have to carry even a food packet by its thread without
touching it. Had she done so, the food could have been polluted.

Both the women fight and struggle against exploitation and oppression. The girl in 'The Cutting of
My Hair' doesn't submit but struggles. She cries, kicks, and fights till she is overpowered. The girl
in 'We Too Are Human Beings' works hard and stands first in the class. People now come to her of
their own accord.