Class 12 English - The Lost Spring - Introduction and Chapter Summary #class12English #eduvictors

Class 12 English - The Lost Spring - Introduction and Chapter Summary 

About the Author:

Anees Jung is an Indian author, journalist and columnist for newspapers in India and abroad, whose most known work, 'Unveiling India' (1987) was a chronicle of the lives of women in India.

Books written by Anees Jung:

1. Unveiling India (Buy It)

2. Night of the New Moon: Encounters with Muslim women in India (Buy)

3. Seven Sisters

4. Breaking the Silence (Buy)

5. Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood (Buy)

6. Beyond the Courtyard (Buy)

About the Chapter

"Lost Spring" examines the suffering (conditions) of street children who are denied the chance to go to school and are pushed into labour at a young age. Thus, it primarily discusses the extreme poverty and customs that doom young kids to a life of servitude.

Introduction:

The heartbreaking situation of poor children who are deprived of the delights of childhood because of the socioeconomic conditions that predominate in this man-made world is described in the short story "Lost Spring." 

These kids are deprived of the chance to go to school and are pushed into labour at a young age. Anees Jung advocates for the government to strictly enforce the laws prohibiting child labour and for the elimination of child labour through the education of children. The appeal is for a stop to child exploitation so that kids can enjoy the springtime (childhood) days that feel good under their feet.

Summary:

Part I – Sometimes I find a rupee in the garbage. 

The writer's impressions of the poor rag pickers' lives are described in the first section. The rag pickers left Dhaka and established a community near Seemapuri. Storms had destroyed their homes and farms. They had travelled to the major city in search of work. They're indigent. Every morning, the author observes Saheb scouring her neighbourhood for "gold." For the elderly, garbage is a means of survival; for children, it is a source of fascination. The kids find one or two coins from it. These folks have goals and aspirations, but they are unsure of how to get there. They are unable to access several things, like tennis, shoes, and other items of the sort. Later, Saheb enters a tea shop where he may get all the meals and 800 Rupees. His freedom has been restricted by his employment.

Part II - I want to drive a car.

The second section focuses on Mukesh life, who comes from a family of bangle producers.

The glass-blowing sector is Firozabad's most well-known industry. The rule that outlaws child labour is unknown in this area, where around 20,000 minors work in this industry. The living situation and working environment are both appalling. These kids become blind as adults from living in filthy quarters and working next to hot furnaces.

They are so burdened by debt that they are unable to think clearly or identify a solution to escape this situation. Their path to progress is blocked by bureaucrats, middlemen, cops, and politicians. The ladies in the home accept it as their destiny and simply adhere to custom. Mukesh stands out among the other people present. He aspires to work as a mechanic. Although the garage is far from his home, he will walk there to fulfil his desire.

👉See Also:

The Last Lesson (Q & A)

My Mother at Sixty Six (Q & A) 
My Mother at Sixty Six (Comprehension Based Q & A)
My Mother at Sixty Six (Competency-Based Questions)
Aunt's Jennifer Tiger (Q & A)  Aunt's Jennifer Tiger (Q & A -2)
Indigo (Q & A-1)   Indigo (Q & A - Part-2)
An elementary classroom in a school (Q & A)

English Literature (Flamingo) - The Last Lesson (Question Bank)
The Last Lesson (MCQs)
Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood (MCQs)