MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD PYQS

Short Qs 2 marks

1. What is common between Zitkala-Sa and Bama? [CBSE 2014]

ANS. Zitkala-Sa and Bama had both been the targets of discrimination as children. Zitkala-
Sa had endured mistreatment at the hands of white people during her time at boarding
school, and Bama had experienced untouchability early in life.

2. How can we say that the vadai packet incident reveals that the writer lacked the cognitive
and emotional maturity required to understand the implications of untouchability? [CBSE
SQP 2023]
ANS. At the time of the incident, the writer was only in the third grade, which means that she
was likely around eight years old. At that age, cognitive and emotional development
continues to develop in children. They frequently don't fully comprehend intricate societal
concerns like untouchability.

3. What did Judewin tell the narrator? What was the effect? [CBSE 2023]
ANS. Judewin informed Zitkala-Sa. that she had heard the pale- faced woman mention that
Zitkala-Sa's long hair would be cut. Zitkala- Sa was taken aback upon hearing it. In her
community, shingled hair is worn by mourners and cowards. So, she decided to fight.

4. Zitkala-Sa mentions the indignities she had to suffer as a child. How do such indignities
break the morale of a child? [CBSE SQP 2022]
ANS. Following her mother's separation, Zitkala- Sa endured several humiliations. She was
being thrown around in the air like a wooden puppet, and everyone was staring at her. Her
long, dark hair was chopped, which was the ultimate insult. She started to miss her
mother's presence at that point. Zitkala was greatly affected by these occurrences. Her
boldness, bravery, and self-esteem had been severely damaged.

5. How did Zitkala-Sa feel when her hair was shingled? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. When her long hair was cut, Zitkala-Sa felt anguished and pained and felt like an
animal driven by a herder. She thought herself to be a wooden puppet tossed about in the
air. She sobbed and felt like an animal driven by a herder. She missed her mother terribly.

6. Why did the landlord's man ask Bama's brother on which street he lived? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. Annan was walking back to his house from the nearby village library when a man
asked him his name. Then, he wanted to know where Annan lived. He asked this to
ascertain Annan's caste, as everyone from the lower castes lived in one section of the town.

7. What objects/activities in the marketplace attracted Bama on her way back from school?
[CBSE 2020]
ANS. Bama took thirty minutes to complete a ten minutes journey as she was captivated by
different sights such as the snake charmer. the hunter gypsy with his wild lemur and a ajdist
who had been pedalling for three days. She was also attracted by the dried fish stall in front
of the Mahatma Gandhi statue, stunt performances, political speeches and various eatables
on sale.

8. 'I felt like sinking to the floor,' says Zitkala-Sa. When did she feel so and why? [CBSE
2020]
ANS. On her first day in the western school, Zitkala- Sa and the other Native American girls
had to wear western clothes and shoes instead of traditional clothes and moccasins. Zitkala-
Sa had to take off their blanket which took away her comfort. Hence, she felt like sinking to
the floor.
9. Describe the scene at the threshing floor observed by Bama on her way back from school.
[CBSE 2020]
ANS. While walking home from school that day, Bama came to the corner of her street
where a threshing floor had been set up. Watching over it was a landlord who was sitting on
a square piece of sacking spread over a stone ledge. The people were hard at work around
him. One of them was driving the muzzled cattle in circles over the grain.

10. What frantic efforts did Zitkala-Sa make to save her hair from being cut? [CBSE 2019]
ANS. Zitkala-Sa tried her best to save her hair when she heard that it was going to be
chopped off. She slipped out of the room, went up the stairs along a long corridor and into a
dark room and hid under a bed. When she was found, she resisted till she felt the cold
scissors on her neck and one of her thick braids was cut off.

11. Why did Zitkala-Sa resist the shingling of her hair? [CBSE 2019]
ANS. Zitkala-Sa did not wish to get her hair cut because her mother's words were deeply
embedded in her mind. Her mother had told her that among all the other people, short hair
was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards.

12. At the dining table, why did Zitkala-Sa begin to cry when others started eating? [CBSE
2016]
OR
Why was Zitkala-Sa in tears on the first day in the land of apples? [CBSE 2014]
ANS. Zitkala-Sa was already feeling uncomfortable in her new dress when she entered the
dining hall. A small bell was tapped. Zitkala took out a chair and sat down, thinking they had
to be seated. But to her amazement, everyone remained upright. When the second bell rung
and everyone was seated, she started getting up. She didn't know how to use the knife and
fork to eat. Her embarrassment pushed her to start crying.

13. According to Zitkala-Sa what does 'eating by formula' mean? [CBSE 2016]
ANS. According to Zitkala-Sa, eating by formula meant following a decorum in the dining
room. The students pulled a chair out from under the table at the first bell. When the second
bell rang, everyone took a seat, and when the third bell rang, everyone began using forks
and knives to eat.

14. How did Zitkala-Sa's first day in the land of apples begin? [CBSE 2016]
ANS. Zitkala-Sa experienced humiliation and indignities on his first day in the land of apples.
The snow covered the ground, and the day was extremely chilly. When the breakfast bell
rang, everyone went into the dining hall. The environment was disturbed by the clattering of
shoes. She was given tight-fitting clothing, which she thought was immodest. Zitkala-Sa felt
humiliated as they removed the blanket that was wrapped around her.

15. Why did Bama reach home late after school? [CBSE 2015]
ANS. On her way back from school, Bama got attracted by the little trivialities on the street.
She was drawn to the lemurs in cages, the snake charmers, the bustling market, etc. As a
result, Bama needed thirty minutes to go home from school.

16. What comic incident did Bama narrate to her brother? Why he was not amused? [CBSE
2014]
ANS. Bama narrated the incident of seeing an elder of her street walking towards a landlord,
carrying a food packed by its strings without touching it to her brother. Bama's brother was
not amused since he understood that the elder's actions were a result of his status as an
untouchable.

17. Which words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama? [Delhi 2014]
ANS. Bama's brother told her that because that being born into this community, they are
never given any honour or dignity; they are stripped of all that. But if she studies and makes
progress, she can throw away these indignities. The words that Annan spoke to her that day
made a very deep impression on her.

Long Qs 5 marks

1. Both Bama and Zitkala-Sa were from marginalised communities. They challenged the
system to bring dignity into their lives. Justify. [CBSE 2023]
OR
Bama and Zitkala-sa, though victims of a system that crushes their aspirations, are
determined to break out. Comment. [CBSE 2023]
OR
Though Zitkala-Sa and Bama come from two vastly different cultures, they are united in a
common bond. What is this bond and how do they overcome their hurdles? [CBSE 2020]
ANS. It is true that despite being the victims of a system that dashes their hopes, Bama and
Zitkala-sa are both committed to escaping the oppression they experience. Zitkala-Sa
experiences oppression at her new school, where she is forced to wear tight-fitted clothes.
She does not want her hair to be shingled like a coward, so she struggles, sobs, and fights
the school administration with all of her power. Conversely, caste prejudice is a type of
oppression for Bama. She uses her education to combat and oppose this oppression. She
fights back by working hard, studying and scoring first rank in her class.

2. Both Bama and Zitkala Sa experienced the harsh reality of discrimination in their
childhood. Instead of letting it pull them down, they both found a way to overcome it.
You wish to include a cameo of both in your upcoming blog post.
As a part of the research, compare and contrast the experiences faced by the two and their
response/s to these experiences, in 120-150 words. [CBSE SQP 2022]
ANS. Discrimination and oppression damage a part of people but one should always
remember that there is always a way to get free of such vices. If we are determined to find a
way out, we will surely succeed. For instance, Bama and Zitkala-Sa both went through
severe discrimination. Bama was a prey of casteism while Zitkala-Sa was discriminated due
to cultural difference.
When Bama saw the elder man holding the packet of Vadai from its string, she felt proved to
touch it teach people a lesson. However, her brother taught her the right approach to end the
oppression and that was 'education. Similarly, Zitkala-Sa rebelled against cutting of her long
hair but later, she too excelled in education and proved herself.
Hence, we all should learn from such characters that any oppression is carried out only until
we figure a way out to end it. The way should be correct and everlasting. It should prove our
status and identity as a human being.

3. In the events described in the "Memories of Childhood", there is a clash between tradition
and modern culture. Comment. [CBSE 2020]
ANS. Since the day, the narrator Zitkala-Sa was taken away from her mother, she had
suffered extreme indignities. People had stared at her. She had been tossed about in the air
like a wooden puppet. She thought the clothes she was wearing were immodest.
She felt like sinking to the floor since she was feeling so depressed and horrified. Her soft
moccasins were also taken away. These were the traditional footwear of the local Indian
American.
She had to get her hair shingled even after she struggled to escape from this torture. She felt
like she was tossed by a wooden up in the air. The destruction of her culture and disrespect
by the hands of the authorities in her school was quite prevalent. Thus, there is a clash
between tradition and modern culture in 'Memories of Childhood".
4. How did Bama and her brother Annan differ in their approach to fight discrimination
against the untouchables? [CBSE 2019]
ANS. When Bama saw the elderly man holding the packet with its string, she felt enraged.
She wanted to touch the packet and teach the man a lesson. However, Annan being a
mature person, advised Bama to work hard and change the thinking of the upper caste
people. Bama and her brother belonged to the community which was considered as low
caste. They were facing the consequences of belonging to a low caste community have
been set by the society. She being immature wanted to touch the packet but her brother was
a sensible person and asked her not to do so, and instead prove her individuality by working
hard.

5. Why did Bama stroll in the market place instead of hurrying back home? Describe the
sights she enjoyed seeing there. [CBSE 2019]
OR
What activities did Bama witness on her way back from school? [CBSE 2014]
ANS. Bama took half an hour to one hour to cover a distance of ten minutes’ walk from her
school to her home. This was because she liked to watch the performing monkey, the snake
which the snake charmer kept in his box and the cyclist who did not get off his bike for three
days and other interesting activities in the marketplace. The pongal offerings being cooked in
front of the Maariyaata temple, the dried fish, sweets and fried snacks stall, the street lights
that demonstrated changing colours - all interested her. The hunter gypsy with his wild
lemurs, people selling needles, clay beads and tools for cleaning out the ears, all
mesmerised and bound her. The street play, puppet shows, political parties with people
giving long speeches, the coffee clubs and the process of cooling the coffee, nothing
escaped her notice. The various seasonal fruits and vegetables that were displayed also
attracted her. Thus, Bama felt awestruck by all these sights which she enjoyed seeing in the
marketplace

6. It may take a long time for an oppression to be resisted, but the seeds of rebellion are
sowed very early in life. Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot escape being noticed
even by children? [CBSE 2018]
ANS. Zitkala-Sa and Bama, both were school-going children when they witnessed rough
treatment being given to them or their community. Both episodes prove that injustice in any
form does not escape notice even by children. Zitkala-Sa rebels and opposes the school
administration with all of her strength because she does not want her hair chopped short like
a mourner. Bama is aware of the injustices her community endures. She fights back by
achieving laurels through her academic accomplishments. She therefore establishes her
superiority over the supposed upper caste. So, it is rightly proved that children know of
injustice and react to them in their own unique ways.

7. In India, the so-called lower castes have been treated cruelly for a long time. Who advised
Bama to fight against this prejudice, when and how? [CBSE 2017]
ANS. When Bama told her brother Annan about the situation where a man was holding a
small packet by its string and carrying it, Annan informed her about this discrimination. While
Bama thought this was hilarious, her brother informed her that the man who was carrying the
package for his landlord by string wasn't humourous at all. Although lower caste people were
expected to perform any task that the upper caste people ask them, the upper class people
felt that lower caste people should not come into contact with them. Bama took Annan's
advice to carefully read and understand everything she could. Then only could she throw
away all those indignities.

8. Untouchability is not only a crime; it is inhuman too. Why and how did Bama decide to
fight against it? [CBSE 2017]
ANS. Bama had a brush against untouchability as a third-grade student. On the way back
from school, she used to watch the mesmerising sights of an Indian street bazaar with its
food stalls and entertainers. One day, she noticed an elder from her street carrying a packet
of fried vadai for the landlord in a careful way so as not to pollute it for the upper caste
landlord. She initially found it funny, but later she was told the entire story by her older
brother Annan. That is when she realised the unfairness and inhumanness of the practice.
This enraged her. Her brother told her to study well and educate herself so that people
would come to her on their own. She followed his advice and stood first in her class which
drew people to her and they became her friends. She fought against the scourge of
untouchability by becoming a contemporary author specialising in social justice issues like
untouchability.

9. What were Zitkala-Sa's experiences on her first day in the land of apples? [CBSE 2015]
ANS. Zitkala-Sa could not find any serenity on his first day in the land of apples due to the
severe cold and the annoying clatter of shoes as the morning bell rang. Her spirit tore as it
struggled to be free, but it was useless. Along with the Indian girls, she was lined up and led
into the dining room. All the girls were rather immodestly dressed in tightly fitting clothes. As
Zitkala-Sa sat down she observed that she was being keenly watched by a strange pale
faced woman.
Afterwards, she received a warning from her friend Judewin that this pale-faced woman was
discussing chopping off their hair. To save her hair from being chopped, Zitkala-Sa ran into a
room, hid under a bed, and curled herself in the shadows. However, girls and women came
into the room and dragged her out. She fiercely scratched and kicked in protest. Despite her
protests, she was dragged downstairs and her long hair was shingled.

10. 'We Too are Human Beings' highlights high caste - low caste discrimination in society.
How do low caste people suffer on account of this? What advice is given to Bama to
overcome this problem? [CBSE 2015]
ANS. In 'We Too are Human Beings', Bama highlights the high caste and low caste
discrimination prevailing in the society. The members of the upper caste enjoy all
advantages and a stable social position. On the other hand, the low caste people have to
endure hardships in all aspects of their lives due to their marginalisation and segregation.
They have to deal with societal shame and prejudice because they were raised in a low
caste. Every member of the underprivileged segments of society, be they a child or an adult,
must endure some form of humiliation.
In her childhood when Bama felt sad after learning about untouchability and discrimination,
her elder brother encouraged her to put in a lot of effort and study as much as she could
since only education could bring her up. It would assist her in forging an identity and,
consequently, a place in the community.

11. How did the scene she see in the market place change Bama's life? [CBSE 2015]
ANS. Bama usually reaches home late from school. She walks along leisurely watching and
enjoying the sights on her way home. One day on her way back, Bama noticed an elder
walking down the street while carrying a parcel held with a string. There were vadais in the
packet for the landlord. Bama initially assumed the older man was being funny. However,
thereafter, her brother informed her that the older man was forbidden from touching the
vadais brought for the landlord since he belonged to a lower caste. Bama was enraged by
this incident and vowed to make a change in her life, which included studying hard, making a
change in her life and rebel against caste inequalities.