Memories of Childhood
1. What gave no peace to Zitkala Sa?
2. What does the writer mean by “my spirit tore itself in struggling for its freedom”?
3. How were the Indian girls dressed?
4. Why did the author feel embarrassed in the dining room?
5. Why did the author start to cry when the others were busy eating in the dining room?
6. What was the warning given to the author by her friend?
7. Why did the author object to get her hair cropped?
8. What did Zikala do to avoid cutting her hair short?
9. How did the author feel when her hair was cut short?
Long Question
1. “No, I will not submit! I will struggle first! I answered” what does the author want to say through these words?
2. Zitkala Sa indeed fought before falling a prey to exploitation. How did she put up a brave fight?
3. “For now I was only one of many little animals driven by a herder” when did Zitkala Sa say this and why?
Short / Long Answer Type Questions
Question. Untouchability is not only a crime, it is inhuman too. Why and how did Bama decide to fight against it?
Answer : Bama saw one of the elders from her village coming down the street holding a small packet of vadai meant to be given to the landlord. The aged man was being careful not to touch it; he held the packet by its string. An amused Bama, narrated the incident to her older brother. He told her that the old man, being a dalit, was not allowed to touch the vadai brought for the landlord. Bama learnt from her brother that day, about the atrocities and discrimination meted out to the members of her community in the name of caste. He told her to study hard and learn as much as possible; people would come to her on their own. Bama did exactly what her Annan had urged her to do. She studied well and became a famous contemporary writer who raised her voice against the caste inequalities.
Question. Why was Zitkala-Sa in tears on the first day in the land of apples?
Answer : The narrator felt quite uncomfortable at the dining table. She was not used to eating by formula i.e., wait for the sound of the bell to commence eating. Moreover, the noise and the bedlam of languages and the Matron continuously staring at her, all of it disturbed her. Zitkala-Sa felt embarrassed and out of place. This is why she began to cry at the dining table when others started eating.
Question. How did Zitkala-Sa try to prevent the shingling of her hair?
Answer : Zitkala went upstairs in a large room, crawled under a bed to hide herself. But she was caught and dragged downstairs and tied to a chair. She resisted with all her might but it was all in vain. She cried and shook her head all the while, but could not avoid her hair from getting shingled.
Question. Describe how Zitkala-Sa tried in vain to save her hair from being cut. Why did she want to save her hair?
Answer : Zitkala-Sa tried all that she could do to save her hair from being cut. When she heard that her hair were going to be chopped off she ran upstairs into a room where the windows were covered with dark coloured curtains. She hid herself under a bed, but was caught. She cried and resisted with all her might and kept shaking her head all the while her hair was being cut. She lost spirit when she heard the scissors grow off one of her thick braids. Zitkala-sa wanted to save her hair because cutting hair short was an indignity and against her custom. Short hair was a sign of mourning, cowardice and defeat. Long hair on the other hand was a symbol of bravery in her custom.
Question. Interpret Judewin’s personality on the basis of her comment “We have to submit,because they are strong “.
Answer : Judewin’s character – submissive , cowardly .
Question. Why does the author feel that she has been deprived of freedom in the hostel?
Answer : Moccasins not allowed in the hostel,different uniform from white students,long hair- cut,loss of freedam
Question. Describe Zitkala-Sa’s ordeal in school on her first day.
Answer : Explanation of two incidents , first in the dining room and second the hair cutting episode.
Question. “ The cold weather outside was in rhyme with the cold attitude of the authorities inside the hostel”. Explain
Answer : Cold weather to be linked with the lack of love ,compassion , understanding on the part of the authorities.
