NCRT Solutions Memories of childhood for class XII

 Give short answer of the following questions

1. What was Zitkala- Sa's idea regarding short shingled hair ?

= According to Zitkala - Sa among their people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards. Her mother taught her that only unskilled warriors who were captured had their hair shingled by the enemy.

2. How did Zitkala-Sa try to hide herself from others in the school ? Did she succeeded ?

= When Zitkala - Sa heard that her hair was going to be chopped, she crept up the stairs when no one was noticing her. She quietly went into a room where the windows were covered with dark colour curtains . Then she crawled under a bed and huddled herself in the dark corner to hide herself from others.

               No she did not succeeded . She was caught by other girls.

3. What was Zitkala- Sa immediate reaction to the cutting of her hair ?

= For Zitkala-Sa cutting of hair was symbol of torture, oppression and humilitation. When her long hair was cut, she felt anguish and pained. She thought that she was a wooden puppet who had been tossed about in the air. She felt like one of many little animals driven by a herder.

4. What was the advice that Annan gave to Bama ? Did she follow it ?

= Annan told Bama that they belonged to a lower caste and that is why they were stripped of all their honour, dignity and respect. He told her that the only way to get all this back was to study hard and make progress. He made out her that education is the key to succeed in life.

               Yes, she followed it. She took his advice very seriously and excelled in academics to stand first in her class.

5. When did Bama experienced untouchability ?

= When Bama was in the third class, one day on her way back home she saw an elder man was carrying a small pocket of Vadai or green banana bhaji. He was holding the packet by its string without touching it. At first she found it very funny but was shocked to know from her elder brother why the pocket was carried in such a manner. On that day Bama experienced untouchability.

6. What did Annan say about his community to the narrator ?

= Annan was the elder brother of the narrator. He told the narrator that they belong to low caste and that is why people didn't respect them. People did not give them any honour or dignity. They were stripped of all that. But if they study and prosper and become learned, people would come to them of their own accord and they could throw away these indignities.

7. What is common between Zitkala-Sa and Bama ?

= Both Zitkala-Sa and Bama had experienced discrimination in their childhood. Zitkala-Sa had been sufferer of oppression at the hand of the white in her hostel. On the other hand Bama felt and experienced untouchability when she was a student of class three.

8. Which words of her brother made a deep Impression on Bama ?

= Bama's brother Annan was a university student. He told her that they belonged to a low caste for which they were stripped off all honour and dignity. For them, the only way to get their due respect was to make progress by studying hard. These words of her brother made a deep impression on Bama. She took his words very seriously and excelled  in academics and stood first in her class.

9. What comic incident did Bama narrate to her brother ? Why was he not amused ?

= One day when Bama was returning home from her school, she saw an elder on her street carrying a small packet of Vadai or green banana bhaji by holding its string without touching it. This was the comic incident that Bama narrated to her brother.

              When she narrated the incident to him, he was not amused and told her that people of their caste were considered untouchable.

 

10. Why Zitkala-Sa was in tears on the first day in the land of apples ?

= On the first day in the land of apples Zitkala-Sa was in tears because she was forced to part with her beautiful long hair. She tried her best to save her hair. She hid herself under a bed but she was soon found out and tied fast to her chair. She cried in protest but it all went in vain and she had lost her hair.

11. How did zitkala sa react to the various sounds that come when the large bell rang for breakfast? 

= In the school the first day in the land of apples the author felt very nervous. Everything in the school was unfamiliar to her. Even, she did not know the eating by formula . On the first day in the dining table the author got puzzled. When the first bell rang, each pupil drew a chair from under the table; but she pulled out her one and sat down at once supposing they were to be seated. When she turned her head, she saw all other were  standing but her. Just as she began to rise, looking shyly around to see how chairs were to be used, a second bell was sounded. All other were seated at last, and she had to crawl back into her chair again.