Memories of Childhood- Memories of Childhood

By- Zitkala-Sa and Bama

About the Author
Name – A Short Biography
Author
Zitkala-Sa and Bama
Zitkala Sa (1876-1938) pronounced zitkala-sa, which translates to “Red Bird” also known by the
missionary-given name Gertrude Dakota) writer, editor, musician, teacher and political Simmons
Bonnin, was a Sioux(Yankton r political activist. She wrote several works chronicling her youthful
struggles with identity and conflict between the majority culture and her Native American heritage.
Zitkala-Sa’s articles in the Atlantic Monthly included “Impressions of an Indian Childhood” and
“School Days of an Indian Girl”. All these works were autobiographical in nature, describing in great
detail her early experiences with the dominant American culture. In her well-known American
Indian Stories, she expresses a literary account of her tension between wanting to follow the
traditions of theYank ton Dakota while being excited about learning to read and write and being
tempted by assimilation.
Bama was born in 1958 as Faustina Mary Fatima Rani in a Roman Catholic family from Puthupatti
in the then Madras State. Bama’s grandfather had converted from Hinduism to Christianity. Bama’s
ancestors were from the Dalit community and worked as agricultural labourers. Bama had her early
education in her village. She wrote on her childhood experiences which formed the basis for her
first novel, Karukku published in 1992. When the novel was published; Bama was ostracised from
her village for portraying it in poor light and was not allowed to enter it for the next seven months.
Bama’s novels focus on caste and gender discrimination. They portray caste-discrimination
practised in Christianity and Hinduism. Bama’s works are seen as embodying Dalit feminism and
are famed for celebrating the inner strength of a woman.
About the Authors
Born Gertrude Simmons Bonnin, (Zitkala-Sa) (1876-1938) was a Sioux writer, editor, musician,
teacher and political activist. She was the co-founder of the National Council of American Indians
in 1926. Her articles were published in the Atlantic Monthly from 1900 to 1902 and in ‘Harper’s
Monthly’. Most of her work is focused on salons between tradition and assimilation and literature
and politics. She was also an active member of the Society of American Indians which published
the American Indian’ Magazine. She worked for the recognition of olive American culture and
traditions but at the same time also advocated US citizenship rights for American Indians to bring
them into the mainstream.
Bama (Born: 1958) is a Tamil novelist. Her autobiographical novel ‘Karukku’ (1992) brought her
fame. After this, she wrote two novels Sangati and Vanaman along with two collections of short
stories. Kusumbukkaran and Oru Tattvum Erumaiyum. She was born into a Roman Catholic family
in Madras.
Most of her novels focus on caste and gender discrimination and that prevailing in Christians and
Hindus. Her works embody the Dalit feminism and celebrate the inner strength of the subaltern
woman.
Theme / Central Idea of the Lesson. Analysis of Memories of Childhood
Theme
The lesson ‘Memories of Childhood’ is a portrayal of two autobiographical accounts. One by
American Indian woman and the second by a Tamil Dalit writer. Both stories highlight the women’s
oppression, class barriers, racialism, discrimination and exploitation that tend to pull them down.
Both the stories advocate the statement that seeds of rebellion are sown early in life.
Children may be young and innocent but they cannot tolerate injustice if they are determined.
Theme
‘Memories of Childhood’ depicts the fact that children are extremely sensitive to their surroundings
and they react very strongly. Both the descriptions are about the protest strongly against the
discrimination and indignities meted out to them. Zitkala-Sa, representing the Native American
woman, condemns the dogma and evil of oppression. On the other hand, Bama criticises the evil
of untouchability and caste discrimination.
This has a universal theme which highlights the reaction to the hatred and cruelty against the
downtrodden discrimination on the basis of caste, creed and social hierarchy.
Justify the title of (Memories of Childhood)
Appropriateness of the Main Title ‘Memories of Childhood’
The title is well suited as the extract presents autobiographical episodes of two different girls living
in distant places. Both the women belong to the marginalized communities, who look back on their
childhood and reflect on their relationship with the mainstream culture. Both were victims of
prejudice and oppression. They experienced indignation, sadness and outrage and were deeply
affected by their unpleasant experiences of childhood. Both were strong women who fought
against injustice. However, they both used the power of the pen to fight oppression.
Appropriateness of the Sub-Titles ‘The Cutting of My Long Hair’
Zitkala-Sa was a Native American. She was taken away from her mother forcibly because the
white people wanted the native Indians to adopt their culture. Zitkala revolted the way the Indian
girls were forced to wear dresses in an immodest way. She was shocked to know that the school
authorities were going to cut her long hair because in her community shingled hair was worn only
by cowards. She hid under a bed in a large room. But when she was caught, she resisted by
kicking and scratching. But she could do nothing when they pinned her to a chair and cut off her
hair. But her spirit could not be suppressed. The women in her community were very particular
about their hair. The loss of her hair was the worst indignity that she went through. The title is thus
apt.
`We Too Are Humans’
On the other hand, Bama was a low-caste girl. She saw the upper caste people showing
discrimination against lower caste people. They could not touch food and other items of the upper
caste people. They had to work for them and bow their heads. Her spirit too revolted against this
injustice. She felt terribly sad and agitated. She could not understand this inhuman treatment since
she strongly believed that all are human beings. She wanted honour for all. Her brother Annan told
her that she could do away with these indignities if she worked hard. Bama studied hard and stood
first in herclass. Many people became her friends. The title aptly illustrates her journey compelling
people to respect her.
CHAPTER NUTSHELL
▪ Two women—marginalized communities, caste and racial discrimination — made to feel
lesser than mainstream culture — a deep sense of alienation — seed to rebellion sowed in
early life — the injustice of any form does not escape the notice of children/compulsory
physical and social conformation breaks the spirit.
▪ Who was `Zitkala Sa’? Pen-name of Gertrude Simmons Bonnin—American Indian in a late
19th century—suffered racial discrimination.
▪ Who was Bama? Pen-name of Tamil Dalit woman—Faustima Mary Fatima Rani—suffered
neglect, pain, poverty, oppression by higher castes in India.
▪ The cutting of my long hair.
Zitkala-Sa’s first day in school, cold, snowfall, students wore stiff shoes and tightly fitting clothes,
small girls wore sleeved aprons and shingled hair — meals eaten by procedure/ formula, (a) 1st
bell — chairs drawn from under table, (b) 2nd bell — all sat, (c) 3rd bell —began eating — a
warning, friend had heard of cutting their long hair, had heard unskilled warriors — shingled their
enemy’s hair, in her community, shingled hair was worn by cowards and short hair by mourners.
Struggle In Vain
Crept upstairs in the 3-bedded large curtained room, crawled under the bed, dragged out and hair
shingled, felt helpless and miserable, like an animal driven by a herder.
We too are human beings — in 3rd class not heard about untouchability openly but felt,
experienced and humiliated.
Bama’s usual routine while returning from School
Took ten minutes to reach home, watched fanners threshing, entertaining novelties —oddities in
streets, performing monkeys; snake charmer, cyclist, Maarymata temple and bell ringing, wild
lemur in cages, selling needles, clay beads and instruments for cleaning ears mundane tasks like
waiters cooling coffee, people cutting onion, one day saw elderly main carrying vadai/green
banana bhajji, holding by string, not touching it, bowed low and extended packet to landlord which
amused Bama and narrated to brother who revealed painful fact about their community being
discriminated against — once brother on his way from library, followed by landlord’s man who
asked where he stayed to show his caste.
Bama is angry:
Rebellious attitude exhibited — brother urged her to study, make progress and overcome
discrimination, Bama did well and became popular and earned honour and respect.
Short and Simple Summary of the lesson in English– (Memories of Childhood)/ Summary
in simple Words/ Critical appreciation of the lesson – (Memories of Childhood)

Summary
PART-I: The Cutting of My Long Hair’
The first part deals with the account of Gertrude Simmons, an American Indian, who fought against
the prejudices of the society against American Indians. She vividly describes her experiences on
her first day at the Carlisle Indian School. The customs and rules of the place were strange and
new to her. She was forced to wear tight-fitting clothes and discard her soft moccasins. All this was
considered undignified in her culture. At breakfast, she was embarrassed as she did not know the
routine of the place. When she came to know from her friend, Judewin, who knew a little English,
that they were planning to cut her hair, she protested by hiding under the bed, even though she
knew it was futile. In her culture, cowards and mourners wore shingled hair. When she was caught,
she resisted by kicking and scratching. She could do nothing when they tied her in a chair and cut
off her hair. But her spirit could not be suppressed. She felt like an animal driven by a herder.

PART-II: ‘We Too Are Humans’

The second part is an excerpt from the autobiography `Karukku’ by Bama – a Tamil Dalit. She was
in her third grade when she becomes aware of the indignities that the lower caste people face. It
took Bama ten minutes to reach home after school but she would dawdle along, watching all the
entertaining novelties and oddities in the streets. She would gaze at the shops and the bazaar
enjoying the street scenes and so she would take at least an hour to reach home. One day, Barra
saw an elderly man of her street carrying a packet of Tadais’ by the strings and walking in a peculiar
manner, holding the parcel away from his body. Bama found his manner of carrying the parcel very
funny. Later, her brother explained to her that the incident was not at all funny as she had initially
thought, but very pathetic. The people from the lower caste were treated as untouchables. The
higher caste people believed that if the lower caste people touched the parcel it would be polluted.
That’s why the elder was carrying it in that manner. This provoked and angered Bama. The lower
caste people had to work for the higher caste and bow their heads. Her spirit revolted against this
injustice. She felt terribly sad and agitated. She could not understand this inhuman treatment. Her
brother Annan told her that she could do away with these indignities if she worked hard. Bama
studied and stood first in her class. Many people became her friends.
Summary (2)
The Cuffing of My Long Hair
The story begins with the introduction of the Carlisle Indian school. The narrator describes her first
day at school. It was very cold and unpleasant as there was a lot of snow around. The entire extract
deals with Zitkala-Sa’s shingling of hair. When she came to this school, she found it a strange
place where everything seemed to be mechanical. A very loud and metallic bell rang for breakfast.
There was an annoying clatter of feet on the entire bare floor. She is unnerved because of so much
noise.
Here she finds that all the girls start marching to the dining room after hearing the bell. They have
supervised II a pale-faced woman. Small girls wore aprons and had shingled hair. The girls were
dressed in clinging clothes. The breakfast was served and eaten very mechanically. There was a
bell to stand, another to sit, next to pray and after that another to start the breakfast. All this was
totally new for the narrator.
Her friend Judewin warned her that the pale-faced woman was talking about the cutting off her
long hair. The narrator did not want her hair to be shingled because, in her community, Shingling
of hair was considered as inauspicious and undignified. Only the traitors or the mourners had their
hair shingled. Though her friend told her that they would have to submit as others were stronger,
the narrator decided to struggle and not to submit. She creeps upstairs unnoticed and hid under
the bed in a dark corner. But finally, she was discovered and dragged out. She scratched and
kicked but was forcibly taken downstairs and was tied fast to a chair. Her thick braids were cut off.
And with this, she lost her spirits. She realised the indignities suffered by her after she was
separated from her mother. She was tossed here and there like a wooden puppet and felt
humiliated like a coward. She was treated like an animal and no one came to comfort her.
We Too Are Human Beings
In this story, Bama narrates the experiences of a young Dalit school girl in a south Indian village.
The narrator had never heard of untouchability being talked about openly by anyone but she felt,
experienced and was humiliated by what she saw. While coming back from school, she used to
spend a lot of time watching all the fun and games, entertaining novelties, oddities, shops in the
bazaar on the way. She used to watch performing monkeys, a man pedalling for days, the activities
at Maariyaata temple, the statue of Gandhiji, the sweets and snacks, hunter gipsy and wild lemurs
in cages. She used to hear the political parties giving speeches, saw the puppet show, street plays,
coffee shops, fruit trees and peddlers selling fruits, snacks, halwa and iced lollies.
While on the way, she saw an interesting scene outside the landlord’s house. Here a threshing
floor was set up with the landlord watching the proceedings. Some people were driving cattle for
threshing the corn. She saw an elder of her community carrying a big packet in a funny manner
which made her laugh. He gave this packet which contained vadais to the landlord without touching
it and the landlord opened the packet and ate the vadais.
Bama narrates this incident to her brother with all the comic details. But to her surprise, her brother
is not amused. The narrator is told that the landlord was of upper caste and their touch would
pollute the food. This made the narrator sad and angry and felt outraged at the exploitation. She
condemns it as a curse against humanity. She strongly believed that their community should
boycott and refuse to do petty errands. She came to know that despite being so educated, her
brother was questioned about his caste. All the Dalits used to live together in a separate place
away from the upper class.
Annan, her brother, told the narrator that they are not respected or given dignity due to their
community.
He said that education is the only way to gain respect. The narrator was advised to work hard and
learn. She obeyed her brother with great determination and studied hard. She stood first in her
class. Many people tried to befriend her.

Characters

Zitkala-Sa: Zitkala-Sa was a native American who was sent to the Carlisle Indian school at a young
age. She faced indignity, discrimination and exploitation at school. She was forced to get her hair
shingled against which she protested to the best of her capacity but finally had to surrender. She
was treated like a wooden toy. She is symbolic of all the Native American women who were
exploited at the hands of their masters. They used to enslave them, plundered them and destroyed
their culture. She suffered extreme indignities and felt humiliated like a coward. Her long thick
braids were cut off which let her spirit down. She was treated like an animal. But despite all this
barbarism, Zitkala-Sa showed her resistance. She didn’t give up meekly and struggled and
protested till the end, though she didn’t succeed.

Bama: Bama is a small innocent school girl from a Dalit community in south India. She is unaware
of the incrimination on the basis of caste. She is surprised to see distinction based on class and
caste. When she is said by her brother, about reality, she is angry. She protests against this. She
is astonished to realize the fact that the rich and upper caste people have lost all humanity. But we
too are human beings. She has a revolting Ire and wants to protest against this evil. When she is
told by her brother that it is only education which on brings the change, she determines to choose
a constructive path and studies hard and tops in the class. In this way, she wins everyone’s respect
and becomes a role model for all the Dalit women.