Lost spring-tb Flashcards
What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps? Where is he and where has he come
from?
Saheb is looking for some silver coins or currency note. It is as valuable as gold for him. He is in Seemapuri (Delhi) and had come from Bangladesh.
What explanation does the author offer for the children not wearing footwear?
The author argues that the children are poor, so they could not afford to have any
shoes.
Is Saheb happy working at the tea stall? How do you know?
Saheb is not happy working at the tea stall. He is no longer his master and that relaxed look on his face is also lost. The steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag that he would carry so lightly over his shoulder. It was because the bag was his and the canister belonged to the man who owned the tea stall. He had lost his independence and he was bound by time to lead a life of servility.
What makes the city of Firozabad famous?
Firozabad is the centre of India’s glass-blowing industry.
Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangle industry.
There are a lot of hazards of working in a glass bangle industry. They are badly lit and have bad ventilation. It requires continuous bending over the furnace. All these lead to a lot of health issues. Men have to work in dingy cells without air and light. As a result, they lose the brightness of their eyes and go blind with the dust from polishing the glass
bangles.
How is Mukesh’s attitude to his situation different from that of his family?
Mukesh tries to break away from the family tradition of making bangles. This was more like a rebellion since no one had ever tried to move away from this trade. Mukesh wanted to carve a niche for himself. He wanted to be different. He wanted to become a
car mechanic.
What could be some of the reasons for the migration of people from villages to cities?
Their fields and homes could have been swept away by frequent floods because of which they had nothing to eat. Thus, they had to leave their homes and come to the cities.
Would you agree that promises made to poor children are rarely kept? Why do think this happens in the incidents narrated in the text?
Promises made to the poor are rarely kept. In the text, when the author meets Saheb, han she encourages him to study and offers to open a school. Her unfulfilled promise disappoints Saheb.
What forces conspire to keep the workers in the bangle industry of Firozabad in poverty?
They include sahukars, middlemen, policemen, bureaucrats and politicians who exploit
them.
How, in your opinion, can Mukesh realise his dream?
Mukesh’s aim in life was to become a motor mechanic. Yes, it indeed was possible to realise his dreams through his hard work and determination. He walked all the way to a garage, far away from his house, to learn the nuances of being a motor mechanic. He can realise his dream by working at some garage and learning the job of a motor mechanic.
Mention the hazards of working in the glass bangle industry.
The glass bangle industry has many health hazards. It usually employs small children. It is illegal to employ very young children. They work in the glass furnaces with high temperatures. The dingy cells, where they work are without air and light. They weld pieces of coloured glass into circles of bangles. Their eyes are more adjusted to the dark. Therefore, they often end up losing their eyesight before they become adults.
Why should child labour be eliminated and how?
Child labour is an inhuman practice. It should be eliminated by educating the children and banning it too. The parents who send their children for cheap labour, must be made aware of the fact that it is a crime to make little children work.
What vicious circle are the bangle-makers trapped in?
. The bangle-makers are caught in a vicious web which starts from poverty to indifferences then to greed and finally injustice. This is because the police, the middlemen, the keepers of law, the bureaucrats and the politicians collectively impose perennial poverty
on them.
Why could the bangle-makers not organise themselves into a co-operative?
Most of the young bangle-makers have fallen into the trap of the middlemen. They are also afraid of the police. They know that the police will haul them up, beat them and drag to jail for doing something illegal. There is no leader among them to help them
see things differently.
What does the title ‘Lost Spring’ convey?
Spring is associated with childhood. Like spring, a child blooms in childhood. However, abject poverty and thoughtless traditions result in the loss of child-like innocence and much needed education. Millions of children like Saheb and Mukesh lose the spring in their lives because they are compelled to do hazardous work to provide a living for their family and themselves. Thus, the title brings out the dejected life of the child labourers
and their deprivation of the blessings of childhood.
