Question 1.

The two accounts that you read above are based in two
distant cultures. What is the commonality of theme found in both of
them?
Answer Oppression and exploitation of the indigenous people, women and
the weak is the harsh reality of all countries and civilizations throughout the
world. In a similar vein, the struggle of these marginalised people is something
we all can identify with.
There is a thread of commonality running between the accounts of both
Zitkala-Sa and Bama. The only difference between them is the time gap and
MemoriesofChildhood bolongstothe
Amerlcanwho belongingto
the
Zitkala-SaIs a native Dalitwriter
community whichwas
cultures. prominent taken
diferent is a marginalised finally
and casteism
beirvastv where asBama
belonged to a throughout
untouchability,
19th
century, Zitkala-Sa questioned
late
contemporary era. Heridentity hand, isa victim of
was
hilt. culture
oNoloitedtotheBamaon theother language and and
andvehement
wayfrom
her.discrimination.
where an alien
against her wishes
school choppedoff spirit.
taken toa contained her free
forcibly was herselfto given stiff
ZIkala-Sawas her. Herlong hair accustom she was
thrusted upon had to from her and
she
wasregimentallifethat forcibly taken away
the moccasinswere also communityof
belonged to the
Her
shoestO wear. that she caste people and
life
realised veryearly in crouch before the upper
Similary,Bama elders have to
untouchables. Her for them silently. the response of the
pettyerands through both the stories is resists against
carryout Zitkala-Sa
thread running astiff fight. i'he school authorities.
Anothercommon believe in putting upoverpowered by
protagonists. Both ultimately is writings continues fighting
chopping off her hair but on, through her
helpless but later
Thus, she is packet of vadais by its
againstoppression.
sight of her elder carrying a pollute them. She feels
the
Bama is infuriated at just becaüse mere touch would do the people of her
landlord wonders why
string for the vadais herself! She unquestioningly. She is helpless
touching the
like
have to serve the upper caste Even she carried on her fight
community
stop this unjustified practice.
because she can't
writings.
through her revolutionary resisted,
long time for oppression to be
a
Question 2. It may take are sowed very early in life. Do you agree
but the seeds of rebellion cannot escape being noticed even by
that injustice in any form
children?
country is replete with instances of oppression by
Answer The history of any a while for individuals to
the landed classes. It takes
the people in power and results in a revolution. Zitkala-Sa
understand the situation but when they do, it witnessed rough
both were school going children when they
and Bama,
treatment being meted out to themselves or their community.
Zitkala-Sa, a Native American is humiliated and stripped of her long hair by the
is
Colonial masters. Her moccasins are also forcibly taken away and she
of
SUojected to a regimental life that stifles her. Bama, is a Tamil Dalit. An elder
ner community is subjected to insults bya landlord and he carries out his orders
meekly just because he belongs to a low caste. Both these episodes in
"Memories of Childhood" highlight class distinction, suppression and class
struggle.
 Both episodes prove that injustice in any form does not escape notice even by
the school authorities with all
children. Zitkala-Sa revolts and resists against shingled like
that of a her
might because she does not want her hair to be community throuoh coward's.
Bama puts up afight by bringing laurels to hersuperior to the so her
achievements. Thus, she proves that she is called sch001
upper
caste. So, it is rightly proved that children know of injustice and react to thern in
their own unique ways.
Question 3. Bama's experience is that of a victim of the caste
system. What kind of discrimination does Zitkala-Sa's
depict? What are their responses to their respective situations? experience
Answer. Bama is a Tamil Dalit who is a victim of class distinction and
exploitation. On the other hand, Zikala-Sa was an American Indian, that is h
belonged to the community of Native Americans who were unduly victimized
and plundered by their colonial masters. They were stripped of their culture and
their identity was altered with.
Zitkala-Sa was forcibly put in a place which was very cold for her. She did not
like the loud, jarring noise of the belland the incessant
language. 'Eating by formula' detests her completely. Inmurmuring in an alien
her community, long
hair is very much valued. Short hair is worn by
her hair is shingled, she feels devastated mourners and COwards. So when
cOwards have. shingled, hair. She triesbecause according to her mother only
hard. to resist but ultimately is
Overpowered by the authorities. She
and stiff shoes. Lonely in an alien has to fit in into 'closely clinging' dresses
culture she
extreme regret, "Since the day Iwas taken misses her mother and says with
from my mother I had suffered
extreme indignitie_". She feels helpless and that's
tossed about in the air like a wooden puppet. She the reason why she has been
many little animals driven by a rightly says, "lwas onlyone of
herder".
Zitkala-Sa's suffering is a saga of her community's struggle
Their native culture, value systems are
under against all odds.
they need to safegaurd. threat from an alien culture which
Both the writers, Zitkala-Sa and
Bama resist the efforts of their
victimize and oppress them. Zitkala-Sa exploiters to
against an unknown cultural set-up continues her marathon efforts to ignt
freshness and newness in her writingsthrough her writings. Bama brougnt a
in her efforts a timed at
the attitude of the upper trying to cialig
and zeal. castes. She outclassed her foes through her hardo
 Exercises
(Page 24)
Beforeyouread
the World War. An American prisoner
the time of the doorstep
1.
Question It is
dying state andis foound at
washed ashorein a him or hand him
as a doctor
is Should he save
ofwar
Japanese doctor. patriot?
ofa Armyas a to save the man by
tothe individual, his first duty is
over doctor and as an ethical responsibility,
Answer As a help, as it is his
necessary medical and inform the Police or the
giving himtheth
he should be patriotic
risks. Later on,, American prisoner of war at his house,
making it
whatever the
the presence ofthe critical state.
about is in a
Army
them that the American
clear to
(Page 24)
and find out
Read Where was his house?
Dr Sadao?
Question 1. Who was established Japanese doctor whohad
Sadao was a famous and medicine and surgery. Dr
Answer Dr gaining expertise in
America for learning and Japanese coast. It was a low,
gone to beautifully located on the the beach was
Sadao's hOuse was beach and
above a narrow
stone house, set upon rocks
Square
outined with bent pines.
(Page 27)
Read and find out charge of harbouring
Sadao be arrested on the
Question 2. Will Dr
an enemy? shelter to an enemy is always
the national front. giving when seen on
Answer On
anti-national work, but things change
and Dr Sadao can be
Considered to be an America
war with not
a thing will
personal and moral context. Japan is at enemy. But such
knows
arrested and punished for harbouring an and the old General who
him
happen because his servants are loyal to no proofto find Dr Sadao guilty.
the matter is
silent about it. Therefore, there is
 Read and find out
Question 3. Will Hana help the wounded man and
herself? wach (Page 31)
Answer It is very natural on Hana's part to
have initial hesitations
an enemy. She is in
apprehensive of being arrested on
prisoner. Later she overcomes her inhibitions on the giving shelter helping
to a w
obedience towards her husband who compels her to grounds of humanity and
help him save Tom's life
Later she herself washes the
wounded man.
Read and find out
Question 4. What will Dr Sadao and his (Page 35)
wife do with the man?
Answer Dr Sadao and his wife treated the man
back into senses so that he could move on well enough for him to get
and leave the place. Because he
was a war prisoner they had no
intention of keeping him back for long and
therefore made arrangements for him to leave as soon as
possible.
Read and find out
Question 1. Will Dr Sadao be arrested on the
(Page 39)
an enemy? charge of harbouring
Answer It was now unlikely that Dr Sadao Would be
harbouring an enemy because the old General was being arrested on the charge of
If he was arrested, there would be no treated by Dr Sadao.
one to operate upon the General in case
of an emergency. Further, Sadao had
of the
informed the General about the presence
American in his house.

Read and find out

(Page 43)
Question 5. What will Dr Sadao do to get rid of the man?
Answer Because Dr Sadao helped the man to survive he
his house and reach to his destination at the wanted himn to leave
earliest and the safest. Therefore,
he gives him a boat with sufficient food and
clothes to go to the nearby island.
From there the man could take a Korean boat and escape to
freedom at night.

Reading with insight (Page 47)

Question 1, There are moments in life when we have to make hard
choices between our roles as private individuals and as citizens with
a sense of national loyalty. Discuss with reference to the story you
have just read.
TheEnemy An
choices in life.
difficult moral
are faced with motherland and the
There are times
when we
duty towards his
same dilemma that the
Answer between his This is the
torn apart person,
individualis a needy American
responsibility of helpingwith. hand over an a
are
confronted expected to War. But this is
Sadaos they are Second World dismal
citizens of Japan, the time of humanistic angle to this not
As patriotic especially at the bring in the doctor one should
war a Tom
prisoner of
the situation. If we
save a human life. As Sadao leave
of could
myopic view doctor's duty to an ally.
How
then it is a enemy and
reality, an
differentiate between wounded person ashore
bleeding to death?
kindness cannot leave a man she says,
"Is
epitome of a dirty white
Similarly, Hana, an governess decides not to wash man!" Likewise Sadao goes
When Humi, the man? And a wounded helpless decide what to do with Tom.
this anything but a They can't servants see
tortuous mental conflict. says that even the
through a
to act rationally (Hana even other Japanese?") their
Although they try different from
clearly then we do? Why are we
more mind.
heart rules their of war escape
safely.
to let the prisoner
lead Sadao
All the developments doctor to help
compelled by his duty as a
Question 2. Dr Sadao was Hana, his wife, sympathetic to him in
the enemy soldier. What made
defiance from the domestic staff?
the face of open Tom (the
moral responsibility to save
Dr Sadao's of
Answer As a doctor it was Hana was under no such compulsion. Inspitewho
American prisoner of war), but because she is a dutiful
wife
husband's views
this she endorses her even through the most difficult
times.
husband
pledges to support her hearted. She could not see a
woman is tender
Secondly, Hana being a woman she adorns the role of a
a lurch. As a
Wounded person being left in be a destroyer?
preserver. How can she
life-giver and a staff being against Tom she decides
of the domestic
She is educated so inspite cause. She can think logically and hence is not
husband's her stand although she
to support her She does not budge from
affected by their chauvinism. are immense.
stakes involved
knows that the risks and
explain the reluctance of the soldier to
Question 3. How would you doctor's home even when he knew he
leave the shelter of the
without risk to the doctor and himself?
couldn't stay there well that the Sadaos
the American prisoner of war knew fully
Answer Tom, Japanese citizens they could have left hinm to
had saved his life although beingtheir empathetic nature towards him. Moreover,
tend for himself. He is aware of they
Sadaos house is a safe haven for him because
ne understands that the communicate with him in English easily. in an
and can
nad stayed in America around and he can be subjected to torture,
foes all
enemy cOuntry, there are
 gun shots, the rocky sea and
it is
possible, he comes to knowgallows, he feels he is in safe hands.
wield. No doubt he feels secure atabout the influence and power that the
their
Another relevant reason could be that place.
thinks he could escape any time since the house is near the
Sada Sormewhete,
not in his favour. from there just in case the beach Tor
Thus, Tom senses the circumstances are
hearts, he is very sure essential
that they
goodness of Sadao and Hana. In his heart of
will not hand him over to the
who (as his scars on the
neck
Being a human being, his prove) have meted out inhuman Cruel authorities
he is reluctant to instinct of securing himself is treatment to him.
leave the Sadao
household. topmost in his mind. So,
Question 4. What explains the attitude of the
matter of the enemy soldier? Was it General in the
national loyalty, dereliction of duty or human consideration,
simply self-absorption?
lack of
Answer The author's
eccentric fellow much toodescription of with the General potrays
preoccupied his ill health and fearhimof todeath.
seems to be a cruel and callous
be on
He
eliminate anybody who stands in person, whotohas recruited private assassins to
This description does not lead usopposition the state.
human lives. It is therefore, to believe that he could be
Sadao's house. One possiblesurprising that he fails to send theconsiderate to
Sadao of eliminating the American reasSon could be that at the time heassassins to
Dr Sadao's services prisoner of war, he was very ill and asSured Dr
immediately. He wanted Dr Sadao to concentrateneeded
health completely without
his promise because he is bothering about the enemy. Later the General on his
so self forgets
completely forgets his promise. absorbed with his deteriorating health that he
Had the General been
His desperate efforts to loyal
he would have not
prOve that he is truly loyalforgotten
and
his promise conveniently.
the lapse on his part was not
dereliction of duty speaks volumes for his
It is not the seriousness about the issue.
dereliction of duty, lack of patriotism, human
General's stay in the Princeton University and his consideration or the
sentimentality that is responsible for his forgetfulness.positive view of American
In fact, his intense and
selfish absorption with his illness and
surgery make him forget his promise.
Question 5. While hatred against a member of the enemy race is
justifiable, especially during wartime, what makes a human being
rise above narrow prejudices?
Answer | think hatred against a member of the enemy race is
understandable. In any case, it is not justifiable. Hatred is an instant reaction on
any human being's part especially during wartime.
However, in many instances human beings rise above narrow prejudices. In this
case, Dr Sadao does not think twice before stopping the bleeding. He packs the
wound with moss available on the sea shore. It is his moral obligation to save a
human being's life although that human being is his foe. He is not affected by
he Enemy admits, "All
Although he not allow
Japanese citizen. sympathy does nights
chaUvinism of
average
of humanityand three sleepless
sense
the
are my enemy his and man. He spends
Americans man staying
differentiate between in danger. experience of this
him to life he has saved is prejudice and bitter, tO carry forth
the
thinking
himself faced the
American prisoner oft war),
valuable.
precedent of
he of escane
in America, not want Tom (theTom's life, he sets a
executes his plan
there, he didfurther. By saving generosity. He
impression
hospitality, humanityand
Japanese sailor deftly. the manner in which he
for the
American
wounded American POW In abOut his being an
care of the man. He thinks
DrSadao takes any other
wounded suffer.
would have treated does not want his family to
he the
American only because prejudices to become a citizen of
above the narroW
Thus. Sadao rises compassionate and benign towards all.
world, the one who is problem
you think the doctor's final solution to the
Ouestion 6. Do circumstances?
possible one in the
was the best
Sadao fulfilled the moral obligation of saving a human
Answer As a doctor, Sadao of sending the private
General assured Dr
life perfectly. When the American sailor, Dr Sadao felt restless and perhaps
assassins to eliminate the spending
whose life he had saved. After
quilty of betraying the same person a flawless plan to let Tom, the
three sleepless nights, he finally deliberates on escape, Dr Sadao proves that
American prisoner of war escape. By letting him humanity does not alter. Its basic
even if twO cOuntries are at war, the religion of aplomb. In a way
tenet is saving a human life which Dr Sadao does with
war and the hatred
Dr Sadao echoes the author, Pearl S Buck's views against
that it generates between man and man. Through Dramity. Sadao, the author conveys
It was indeed the best
the message of universal brotherhood, peace and
solution to the protblem.

Question 7. Does the story remind you of Birth by AJ Cronin that

you read in Snapshots last year? What are the similarities?
Answer There is much similarity between both the stories. The two stories are
about doctors who use their skill to try and save human beings who are almost
dead. Both stories highlight the issues of a sense of duty, selflessness,
humanitarian feelings, love and affection.
Question 8. Is there any film you have seen or novel you have read
with a similar theme?
Answer This story is based on a strong sense of duty, selflessness,
humanitarian gestures and love for a fellow human being. Amovie with a similar
theme is, My Name is Khan', where the protagonist saves the lives of his friends
Tom ioods, guided by a strong sense of humanity and moral duty, without
fearing for his own life.