LESSON-6

MEMORES OF CHILD
About the author
BEFORE YOU READ
This unit presents
autobiographical episodes from the lives of two women from marginalised
communities who look back on their childhood, and reflect on their relationship with the
mainstream culture. The first account is by an American Indian woman born in the late
nineteenth century; the second is by a contemporary Tamil Dalit writer.
Gertrude Simmnons Bonnin, born in 1876, was an extraordinarily talented and educated
Native American
prevailed woman who struggled and triumphed in a time when severe prejudice
towards Native American culture and women. As a writer, she adopted the pen
name 'Zitkala-Sa' and in 1900 began publishing articles criticising the Carlisle Indian school.
Her works criticised dogma, and her life as a Native American woman was dedicated against
the evils of oppression.
Bama is the pen-name of a Tamil Dalit woman from a Roman Catholic family. She has
published three main works: an autobiography, 'Karukku', 1992; a novel, 'Sangati', 1994;
and acollection of short stories, Kisumbukkaaran', 1996. The following excerpt has been
taken from 'Karukku'. Karukku' means 'Palmyra' leaves, which with their serrated edges on
both sides, are like double-edged swords. By a felicitous pun, the Tamil word 'Karukku',
containing the word 'karu', embryo or seed, also means freshness, newness.
TITLE OF THE LESSON
The title Memories of Childhood' is very appropriate and suggestive. The chapter aims to
showcase the bitter memories of the childhood of two women of different cultures through
their autobiographical extracts of social discrimination and oppression and the resulting
feelings of rebelion in them later in life. Zitkala-Sa and Bama, both look back at their
childhood reflecting upon the indignities and conflict between races and cultures respectively,
which they had to face as children. Though the women were young, they knew well of the
injustice and oppression that prevailed and were determined to face the odds and stand
against it. The atrocities they faced as children, propelled them into becoming rebels against
the marginalisation of the underprivileged section of the society, and they went on with their
fight against injustice.
THEME OF THE LESSON
Memories of Childhood explore a common universal theme of prejudices and humiliation faced
by marginalized communities from mainstream culture and how both brave girls use their
talent, understanding, wit and education to stand up for their own and community rights. Both
use the power of pen to fight oppression.
MESSAGE OF THE LESSON
The lesson 'Memories of Childhood' is a portrayal of two autobiographical accounts. One by
American Indian woman and the second by a Tamil Dalit writer. Both stories highlight the
women's oppression, cdass barriers, racialism, discrimination and exploitation that tend to pull
them down.

CHARACTERS AND PLACES

Gertrude Simmons The narrator of the story
Zudewin A friend of Gertrude Simmons
A pale-faced woman A teacher or a member of staff at the Carlisle Indian Industrial
School in Carlisle.
INTRODUCTION
This account relates an American Indian woman who becomes the victim of racial
discrimination. She is admitted to a school where native Indians do not get respect, honour,
dignity and due weightage in America. She is forced by the whites to follow their traditions and
traits. Simmons is dragged out and tied to a chair to shingle out her long hair. She cries,
struggles, kicks, resists, shows reluctance and she ultimately feels like one of the many
animals driven a herder.

SUB- TITLE "THE CUTTING OF MY LONG HAIR"

She was shocked to know that the school authorities were going to cut her long hair as it was
the system of that school. But in her community shingled hair was worn only by cowards. So,
she hid herself under a bed in a large room. ... The loss of her hair was the worst indignity that
she went through.
 By- Zitkala-Sa and Bama

Main Characters of the Story

Characters

Zitkala-Sa: Zitkala-Sa was a native American who was sent to the Carlisle Indian school at a
young age. She faced indignity, discrimination and exploitation at school. She was forced to get
her hair shingled against which she protested to the best of her capacity but finally had to
surrender. She was treated like a wooden toy. She is symbolic of all the Native American women
who were exploited at the hands of their masters. They used to enslave them, plundered them
and destroyed their culture. She suffered extreme indignities and felt humiliated like a coward.
Her long thick braids were cut off which let her spirit down. She was treated like an animal. But
despite all this barbarism, Zitkala-Sa showed her resistance. She didn't give up meekly and
struggled and protested tillthe end, though she didn't succeed.
Bama: Bama is a small innocent school girl from a Dalit community in south India. She is
unaware of the incrimination on the basis of caste. She is surprised to see distinction based on
class and caste. When she is said by her brother, about reality, she is angry. She protests
against this. She is astonished to realize the fact that the rich and upper caste people have lost
allhumanity. But we too are human beings. She has a revolting Ire and wants to protest against
this evil. When she is told by her brother that it is only education which on brings the change,
she determines to choose a constructive path and studies hard and tops in the class. In this
way, she wins everyone's respect and becomes a role model for all the Dalit women.
Reading with Insight
1. The two accounts that you read above are based in
two distant cultures. What the commonality of
theme found in both of them?
2
It may take a long time for oppression to be resisted.
but the seeds of rebelllon are sowed early in life.
Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot
escape being noticed even by children?
3 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?
Memories Of Childhood Textual Questions and
Answers
Read-and-find-out Questions

Question 1.
The two accounts that you read above are based in two distant cultures. What is the
commonality of theme found in both of them? [HOTS]
Answer:
The two accounts given in the chapter 'Memories of Childhood' showcase the physical and
mental exploitation of the weaker sections. Though both Zitkala-Sa and Bama are far away
from each other in their time and culture, they suffer at the hands of the authorities.

Zitkala-Sa was a victim of cultural invasion while Bama suffered class and caste
discrimination. Both of them were rebellious and refused to submit. Zitkala-Sa, kicked,
screamed and resisted her hair being cut but had to give up. Similarly, Bama is furious to see
her community humiliated but was helpless. They both reacted positively and became
champions in their own ways.
Question 2.
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?
Answer:
Zitkala-Sa realised as soon as she entered the school run by the whites that they meant to
change her into a different person from the one she had hitherto been raised to be. By taking
away her cloak, which was an integral part of her native dress, they stripped her of her
modesty. Her moccasins were taken away and she was given hard shoes to wear. The
discipline that she was subjected to, violated her sense of freedom. She resented the fact
that her hair was cut and shingled much against her wishes and this was the final blow to

her self-respect. Her mother had always told her that short hair was worn as a sign of
mourning, while shingled hair was a sign of cowardice.
Bama, on the other hand, was only in grade three when she was told by her brother that the
humiliation that they often suffered was on account of the fact that they had had the
misfortune of having been born into the caste of untouchables. She had seen an elder of
their street being subjected to humiliation by the landlord and incidents such as these,
seen
early in life, impacted her deeply.
Question 3
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?
Answer:

Both Zitkala-Saand Bama belonged to 'marginalised communities' and faced oppression

and discrimination during their childhood.

Zitkala-Sa came to know that the school authorities were going to cut the long, thick hair of
the native American girls. It was a shocking news for Zitkala-Sa because in her community
shingled hair was worn only by cowards.

She hid herself under a bed in a large room. But finally, she was caught and dragged out. She
resisted by kicking and scratching wildly. She was carried downstairs and tied fast to a chair.
She cried aloud, shaking her head all the while. But the cold blade of scissors gnawed off
one of her thick braids. The poor girl was the victim of racial discrimination. She fought
bravely and struggled till she was overpowered.
Bama was eight years old when she saw an elder of her community carrying a packet
containing some food. The manner in which the man was holding the packet appeared funny
and weird to the girl and she almost shrieked with laughter. Later, she came to know that the
people of upper caste felt that they would be 'polluted' if the people of lower caste touched
them. When she heard this, she didn't laugh anymore, in fact, she felt terribly sad. She found
it disgusting. She felt so agitated and provoked that she wanted to touch those Vadais
herself right then.