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The Lost Child

MULK RAJ ANAND

Summary


The story "The Lost Child" by Mulk Raj Anand depicts the journey of a young boy and his parents to a fair during the festival of spring. Along the way, the child is captivated by various attractions such as toys, sweets, flowers, and balloons. However, he constantly lags behind his parents as he becomes engrossed in these delights. At the fair, he continues to desire many things but moves on without waiting for his parents' response, anticipating their refusal. Eventually, the child realises he has lost his way and becomes overwhelmed with anxiety and insecurity. Despite initially seeking out the desired attractions, he loses interest as his sole focus becomes finding his parents. The story concludes without explicitly stating whether the child is reunited with his parents, leaving the resolution open-ended. The narrative explores themes of parental care, childhood innocence, and the fear of being lost.

Questions from book exercise

1. What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

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2. In the fair he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

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3. When does he realise that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

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4. Why does the lost child lose interest in the things that he had wanted earlier?

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5. What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Answers

1. The child sees various attractions on his way to the fair, including toys in shops, a sweetmeat seller's offerings, a flower-seller's garlands, colourful balloons, a snake-charmer, and a roundabout in full swing. He lags behind because he is fascinated by these sights and desires the things he sees.

 

2. At the fair, the child wants many things such as burfi (a type of sweet), a garland of gulmohur flowers, colourful balloons, and a ride on the roundabout. He moves on without waiting for an answer because he anticipates that his parents will refuse his requests, either because they consider them greedy, cheap, or inappropriate for his age.

 

3. The child realizes he has lost his way when he turns to look for his parents and cannot find them. His anxiety and insecurity are vividly described through his panicked cries for his mother and father, his tears, his disorientation as he runs to and fro, and his desperation as he tries to navigate through the crowded fair.

 

4. The lost child loses interest in the things he had wanted earlier because his primary concern shifts from satisfying his desires to finding his parents. His fear and desperation override his previous desires for toys, sweets, and other attractions.

 

5. The story does not explicitly state whether the child finds his parents or not. However, there is a suggestion of hope as a kind man lifts the child up and tries to console him. It is possible that with the help of this stranger or through the efforts of others in the fair, the child may eventually be reunited with his parents.

Extra questions

  1. What is the setting of the story "The Lost Child"?

  2. Describe the behaviour of the child as he walks with his parents to the fair.

  3. What are some of the attractions the child encounters on his way to the fair?

  4. How does the child react when his parents refuse his requests for toys and sweets?

  5. What emotions does the child experience when he realizes he has lost his way?

  6. How does the author describe the child's anxiety and insecurity?

  7. Why does the child lose interest in the attractions he desired earlier?

  8. What are some of the attempts made by the man who finds the lost child to console him?

  9. How does the author portray the atmosphere of the fair?

  10. What role do the parents play in the story?

  11. What does the child's reaction to the attractions at the fair reveal about his character?

  12. How does the author create suspense and tension in the story?

  13. What are some of the dangers the child faces as he navigates through the crowded fair?

  14. How does the stranger's kindness contrast with the indifference of the other fairgoers?

  15. What themes does the story explore regarding childhood, innocence, and parental protection?

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  1. What role does the spring festival setting play in shaping the events of "The Lost Child"?

  2. How does the child's behavior change as he becomes increasingly absorbed in the attractions along the way to the fair?

  3. Discuss the significance of the various attractions encountered by the child in the story.

  4. How do the child's parents respond to his requests for toys and sweets, and what does this reveal about their relationship?

  5. Analyze the emotions the child experiences when he realizes he is lost and the implications of this realization.

  6. Explore the author's portrayal of the child's anxiety and insecurity, and how it contributes to the narrative's tension.

  7. What factors contribute to the child losing interest in the attractions he initially desired?

  8. Evaluate the effectiveness of the man's attempts to console the lost child and their impact on the story's outcome.

  9. How does the author use descriptive language to depict the atmosphere of the fair?

  10. Discuss the role and significance of the child's parents in the story, considering their actions and absence.

  11. What do the child's reactions to the various attractions at the fair reveal about his personality and desires?

  12. Examine the techniques the author employs to create suspense and tension throughout the narrative.

  13. Identify and discuss the dangers the child faces as he navigates through the crowded fair.

  14. Compare and contrast the stranger's kindness with the indifference displayed by other fairgoers towards the lost child.

  15. Explore the themes of childhood, innocence, and parental protection as depicted in "The Lost Child."

MCQ’s

  1. What is the title of the story?

    1. The Lost Child

    2. The Found Child

    3. The Wanderer

    4. The Lonely Boy

  2. Who is the author of "The Lost Child"?

    1. Rabindranath Tagore

    2. R.K. Narayan

    3. Mulk Raj Anand

    4. Arundhati Roy

  3. What festival is being celebrated in the story?

    1. Diwali

    2. Holi

    3. Spring Festival

    4. Christmas

  4. Why does the child lag behind his parents?

    1. He is afraid of the crowded fair.

    2. He wants to explore the toys in the shops.

    3. He is tired and wants to rest.

    4. He is looking for his friends.

  5. What does the child desire from the sweetmeat seller?

    1. Jalebi

    2. Rasagulla

    3. Burfi

    4. Gulab-jaman

  6. What attraction at the fair fascinates the child the most?

    1. Roundabout

    2. Snake-charmer

    3. Flower-seller

    4. Sweet shop

  7. How does the child react when his parents refuse his requests?

    1. He throws a tantrum.

    2. He moves on without waiting for an answer.

    3. He cries loudly.

    4. He sulks quietly.

  8. What emotion does the child experience when he realizes he is lost?

    1. Joy

    2. Fear

    3. Excitement

    4. Contentment

  9. What does the child do when he realizes he is lost?

    1. He asks for help from a stranger.

    2. He runs around in a panic.

    3. He sits down and cries.

    4. He tries to find his way back home.

  10. How does the author describe the child's anxiety?

    1. As a calm acceptance

    2. As a wild, panicked state

    3. As a feeling of boredom

    4. As a sense of curiosity

  11. Why does the child lose interest in the attractions he desired earlier?

    1. He becomes tired and hungry.

    2. He realizes they are too expensive.

    3. His focus shifts to finding his parents.

    4. He finds something else that interests him more.

  12. What does the stranger do to try to console the lost child?

    1. Buys him toys

    2. Gives him sweets

    3. Lifts him up and tries to help him find his parents

    4. Ignores him and walks away

  13. What is the atmosphere like at the fair?

    1. Quiet and peaceful

    2. Chaotic and bustling

    3. Sad and gloomy

    4. Colorful and festive

  14. What role do the child's parents play in the story?

    1. They are absent throughout the story.

    2. They are the main characters.

    3. They are mentioned but do not have a significant role.

    4. They appear only at the beginning and end of the story.

  15. What does the child's reaction to the attractions at the fair reveal about his character?

    1. He is easily distracted.

    2. He is spoiled and demanding.

    3. He is curious and adventurous.

    4. He is shy and reserved.

  16. How does the author create suspense and tension in the story?

    1. By using humor and lightheartedness

    2. By describing the fair in vivid detail

    3. By portraying the child's fear and panic

    4. By introducing unexpected plot twists

  17. What are some of the dangers the child faces as he navigates through the crowded fair?

    1. Getting lost in the crowd

    2. Falling into a well

    3. Being trampled by people

    4. All of the above

  18. How does the stranger's kindness contrast with the indifference of the other fairgoers?

    1. The stranger ignores the child, while others offer help.

    2. The stranger offers to buy the child toys, while others ignore him.

    3. The stranger consoles the child and tries to help him find his parents, while others pay no attention to him.

    4. The stranger laughs at the child, while others offer sympathy.

  19. What themes does the story explore regarding childhood, innocence, and parental protection?

    1. Friendship and loyalty

    2. Loneliness and isolation

    3. Innocence and vulnerability

    4. Greed and materialism

  20. How does the story "The Lost Child" end?

    1. The child finds his parents and they leave the fair together.

    2. The child is adopted by the stranger and lives happily ever after.

    3. The child remains lost and the story ends with uncertainty.

    4. The child finds his parents, but they scold him for getting lost.

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