Memories of Childhood

19.
Memories of Childhood
SHORT ANSWERS
Q1. What does Zitkala-Sa remember about her ‘first day in the land of apples’?
Ans. It was a bitter-cold day. The snow still covered the ground. The trees were bare. A large bell rang for
breakfast. Its loud metallic sound crashed through the belfry overhead and penetrated into their sensitive ears.
Q2. “But this eating by formula was not the hardest trial in that first day”, says Zitkala-Sa. What does
she mean by ‘eating by formula’ ?
Ans. The ringing of a large bell summoned the students to the dining room. Then a small bell tapped. Each
pupil drew a chair from under the table. Then a second bell was sounded. All were seated. A man’s voice was
heard at one end of the hall. They hung their heads over the plates. The man ended his mutterings. Then a third
bell tapped. Everyone picked up his/her knife and fork and began eating.
Q3. What did Judewin tell Zitkala-Sa? How did she react to it?
Ans. Judewin knew a few words of English. She had overheard the paleface woman. She was talking about
cutting their long, heavy hair. Judewin said, “We have to submit, because they are strong.” Zitkala-Sa rebelled.
She declared that she would not submit. She would struggle first.
Q4. ‘Why, do you think, was Zitkala-Sa so opposed to cutting of her hair?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa had heard from her mother that only unskilled warriors, who were captured, had their hair
shingled by the enemy. Among their people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards.
Since she was neither, she was dead against cutting of her long hair.
Q5. How was Zitkala-Sa treated on being traced from her hiding place ?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was dragged out. She tried to resist by kicking and scratching wildly. But she was
overpowered. She was carried downstairs and tied fast in a chair. She cried aloud and kept shaking her head.
Q6. What did Zitkala-Sa feel when her long hair was cut? ‘
Ans. When she heard them remove one of her thick braids, she lost her spirit. She had suffered utmost
indignities there. People had stared at her. She had been tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet and now
her long hair was shingled like a coward’s. In her anguish, she moaned for her mother. She felt herself as one of
the many little animals driven by a herder.
Q7. Name some of the novelties and oddities in the streets that attracted Bama?
Ans. These included the performing monkey, the snakecharmer’s snake, the cyclist who had kept on biking for
three days, the spinning wheels, the Maariyaata temple and the huge bell hanging there. She also noticed the
pongal offerings being cooked in front of the temple.
Q8. What advice did Annan offer Bama? What was the result?
Ans. Annan advised Bama to study with care and learn all that she could. If she was always ahead in her
lessons, people would come to her of their own accord and attach themselves to her. Bama followed her
brother’s advice and studied hard. She stood first in her class, and because of that, many people became her
friends.
LONG ANSWER :
Q1. Why did Zitkala-Sa feel oppressed in new establishment?

Ans. Since the day, the author 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. Her blanket had been removed
from her shoulders. She felt that she was immodestly dressed. She was so shocked and oppressed that she felt
like sinking to the floor. Later, her soft moccasins were taken away. These were the traditional footwear of the
local Indian American. They were replaced by squeaking shoes. She saw other Indian girls in stiff shoes and
tightly sticking dresses. The small girls wore sleeved aprons and shingled hair. The worst indignity she suffered
was the cutting of her long hair. The coward’s shingled hair made her moan with anguish. She felt she was not a
human being but one of the little animals driven by a herder. The systematic erosion of their culture and
disrespect to women was quite oppressive.
Q2. What indignities did the caste system heap on the lower castes? How could they end the
discrimination? How did Bama react to her brother’s advice?
Ans. According to Annan, the caste system was highly discriminatory. It put the lower castes in a very
disadvantageous position. They were never given any honour, dignity or respect. They were deprived of all that.
The only way to end this social discrimination was self¬improvement. They should study hard and make
progress. Then they could throw away all those indignities.
He advised Bama to study with care and learn all that she could. If she was always ahead in her lessons, people
would come to her of their own accord and attach themselves to her. The words “work hard and learn” became
the guiding principles of Bama’s life. She studied hard with all her breath and being. She was almost in a
frenzy. She stood first in her class and, because of that, many people became her friends. This was the
beginning of her illustrious career.
Q3. What oppression and discrimination did Zitkala-Sa and Bama experience during their childhood?
How did they respond to their respective situations?
Ans. Zitkala-Sa was a victim of social and cultural oppression by the victors who had overpowered them by
their sheer strength. They were prejudiced towards Native American culture and women.
They adopted force and oppression to compel the natives to shed their age-old traditions and customs. The
cutting of the long hair of Zitkala-Sa is a symbol of their oppression. She opposed this prejudice and oppression
by rebelling against it. She protested with all her strength.
Bama was a victim of caste system. She had seen, felt and experienced the evils of untouchability when she was
studying in the third standard. She felt humiliated by what it was. She struggled hard against this social
discrimination. She studied hard and topped in her class. Many students became her friends.
Thus, both Zitkala-Sa and Bama fought the existing circumstances with courage and determination and ended
the prejudice, discrimination and oppression.

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19.

Q1. Why did Zitkala-Sa feel oppressed in new establishment?

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