Memories of

childhood
 Learning outcomes 01
C
CONTENT
02 About the authors
O
N theme 03
T Justification of the title ‘memories of
E 04 childhood’

N 05
SUMMary
T ● THE CUTTING OF MY
HAIR
S ● WE TOO ARE HUMANS
 LEARNING
OUTCOMES
● Developing comprehensions
● Broader outlook
● Understanding the problem related to casteism
and racial discrimination
About the authors
● ZITKALA-SA
Zitkála-Šá ( February 22, 1876 – January 26, 1938)
meaning ‘Red Bird’ also known by her missionary-
given and later married name Gertrude Simmons
Bonnin, was a Yankton Dakota writer, editor, translator,
musician, educator, and political activist. She wrote
several works chronicling her struggles with cultural
identity and the pull between the majority culture in
which she was educated and the Dakota culture into
which she was born and raised. Her later books were
among the first works to bring traditional Native
American stories to a widespread white English-
speaking readership, and she has been noted as one of
the most influential Native American activists of the
20th century.
About the authors
● BAMA
Bama (born 1958), also known as Bama Faustina
Soosairaj, is a Tamil Dalit feminist, committed
teacher and novelist. She rose to fame with her
autobiographical novel Karukku (1992), which
chronicles the joys and sorrows experienced by Dalit
Christian women in Tamil Nadu. She subsequently
wrote two more novels, Sangati (1994) and Vanmam
(2002)along with two collections of short stories.
She was born into a Roman Catholic family in
Madras. Most of her novels focus on caste and
gender discrimination prevailing in Christians and
Hindus. Her works embody the Dalit feminism and
the inner strength of the subaltern women
 THEME
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
woman’s oppression, class barriers, racialism, discrimination and
exploitation that tend to pull them down. This lesson depicts the
fact that children are extremely sensitive to today's surroundings,
and they react very strongly. Both the descriptions are about the
protest strongly against the discrimination and indignities meted
out to them. Zitkala-Sa, representing the Native American
woman, condemns the dogma and evil of oppression. On the
other hand, Bama criticises the evil of untouchability and caste
discrimination. This has a universal theme which highlights the
reaction to the hatred and cruelty against the downtrodden
discrimination based on caste, creed and social hierarchy.
 JUSTIFICATION OF THE TITLE
‘MEMORIES OF CHILDHOOD’
The title is well suited as the extract presents two
autobiographical episodes of two different children living in
distant places. The chapter aims to showcase the bitter memories
of the childhood of two women of different cultures. Both the
woman belong to the marginalised communities, who look back
on their childhood and reflect on their relationship with the
mainstream culture. Both were victims of prejudice and
oppression . They experienced indignation , sadness and outrage
and were deeply affected by their unpleasant experiences of
childhood. The atrocities they faced as children propelled them
into becoming rebels against the marginalisation of the
underprivileged section of the society. Both were strong woman
who fought against injustice however they both used the power of
the pen to fight oppression.
summary
• THE CUTTING OF MY LONG HAIR
The first part deals with the account of Simmons, an American Indian, who
fought against the prejudices of the society against American Indians . She
vividly describes her experiences on her first day at the Carlisle Indian School.
The customs and rules of the place were new to her. When she came to this
school, she found it as strange place where everything seemed to be
mechanical.
She was forced to wear tight fitting clothes.
A very loud and metallic bell rang for breakfast
and she was unnerved because of so much noise.
At the breakfast she was embarrassed as she did
not know the routine of the place as it was served
and eaten very mechanically.
 summary( continuation)
There was a bell to stand, another to sit, next to pray and after that
another to start their breakfast. All this was totally new for the
narrator. Her friend Judewin warned her that the pale faced woman
who was supervising them was talking about the cutting of her long
hair. The narrator did not want her hair to be shingled because in her
community shingling of hair was considered as inauspicious and
undignified. Only the traitors or the mourners had their hair
shingled. She decided to fight back and got herself hid under the bed
in a dark corner. But finally, she was discovered and ragged out. She
scratched and kicked but was forcibly taken downstairs and was tied
fast to a chair. Her thick braids were cut off. And with this she lost
her spirits. She was tossed here and there like a wooden puppet and
felt humiliated like a coward.
 SUMMARY
• WE TOO ARE HUMANS
The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography Karukku by
Bama- a Tamil Dalit. She was in her third grade when she became
aware of the indignities that the lower caste people face. The
narrator had never heard of untouchability being talked about
openly by anyone but she felt, experienced and was humiliated by
what she saw. It took Bama ten minutes to reach home after school
but she would dawdle along, watching all the entertaining novelties
and oddities in the streets so she would take at least an hour to reach
home. One day, while on the way back to home, she saw an
interesting scene outside the landlord’s house. She saw an elderly
man of her community carrying a packet of vadais by the strings
and walking in a peculiar manner, holding the parcel away from his
body. He gave that packet to the landlord without touching it. Bama
found his manner of carrying the parcel very funny.
SUMMARY(Continuation)
Later, when she narrated this incident to her brother, with all the
comic details her brother was not amused . Her brother explained to
her that the incident was not at all funny as she had initially thought,
but very pathetic. Bama is told that the people from the lower castes
were treated as untouchables. The higher caste people believed that
if the lower caste people touched the parcel it would be polluted.
This made Bama sad and angry and felt outraged at the exploitation.
She condemns it as a curse against humanity. She came to know that
despite being so educated, her brother was also questioned about his
cast. And then, her brother, told the narrator that they are not
respected or given dignity due to their community. He said that
education is the only way to gain respect . Bama was advised to
work hard and learn. She obeyed her brother and studied hard. She
then stood first in her class and many people tried to befriend her.
THANKYOU!