Main Themes and Important Questions from Lost Spring
The Lost Spring Class 12
Class 12th is one of the most critical years in a student’s academic career. The marks you obtained in the examination of Class 12th will decide which college you can get admission to. Also, most of the subjects become too intense, and it is hard for students to remember things from them. But in between all the pressure that a student has to go through in Class 12th, there is one subject which gives them relief.
The Class 12 lost spring from the English textbook is one of those chapters which will take you out from the stress of preparing for the Class 12th exam. And, take you on a journey that sheds light on the lives of child labour and what education means to the not so privileged children.
Lost Spring Class 12 Sometimes I Find A Rupee In A Garbage
Annes Jung, the author of this chapter, raises her voice against child labour and helps the children get the required education. She also works tirelessly to support the law, which enforces strict laws against child labour.
This part of the chapter describes a child rag picker's story, whose family migrated from Dhaka in search of a living. Their green fields, which they have in their previous home, have been uprooted by the storm. Saheb is one of the rag pickers, and he said every morning he comes to the pile of garbage to find gold in it. As the gold from the garbage is the only way to earn bread for the family.
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In Class 12, the lost spring word garbage has a different meaning for both parents and children. It’s their way of survival for their parents, and for their children, it’s a surprise that is wrapped in wonders. Sahib, the small kid, tells the author about that time when he found 10 rupees in the garbage. His eyes were lit, and the narrator can feel the fascination in his speech as he tells the story of finding 10 rupees.
Flamingo’s lost spring depicts the story of these children who pick up a rag from the garbage has big dreams and desires, but they can’t find any means to achieve it. They lack basic amenities such as shoes. They even come up with a comeback that says it’s a tradition in their culture to remain barefoot. It’s a thing of pride in their clan. The narrator said these children are caught up in the web of poverty.
The Lost Spring I Want To Drive A Car
This story is about a boy named Mukesh whose family is in the business of making bangles. More than 20,000 children are into bangle making even though there’s a law which forbids them to be working in this line of work.
In the lost spring flamingo chapter, we see how the children who are making bangles live in poor household conditions. Also, their working conditions are quite miserable. They are working in such a harsh environment that some lose their eyesight even before they stepped into adulthood. As they work in darkness most of the time, their eyes are more adjusted to the dark than they are to light.
Mukesh’s grandmother has accepted her husband's fate, as he lost his eyesight due to the dust which comes out by polishing bangles. The author asks his grandmother why they can’t break this miserable work and build a corporation to work in proper conditions. Mukesh’s grandmother replied she couldn’t. No one in their community will stand as their leader and fight the odd deals done by the Sahukaars of that region.
Mukesh has a dream to be a motor mechanic to fix up the vehicles and ride them. There’s a garage which he knows about but is too far from his home, but he is determined to go there and start working as the apprentice and learn about cars and other machines.
FAQs on Lost Spring Summary – Class 12 English
1. What are the two main stories presented in Anees Jung's 'Lost Spring'?
'Lost Spring: Stories of Stolen Childhood' is divided into two distinct parts, each focusing on a different protagonist and setting. The first story, titled 'Sometimes I find a Rupee in the garbage', follows the life of Saheb-e-Alam, a young ragpicker in Seemapuri. The second story, 'I want to drive a car', describes the life of Mukesh, a boy from Firozabad who belongs to a family of bangle-makers.
2. What is the central theme of the chapter 'Lost Spring'?
The primary theme of 'Lost Spring' is the devastating impact of grinding poverty and societal traditions on children, leading to the loss of their childhood. The chapter explores how these children are denied education and opportunities, forcing them into a life of exploitation and labour. It highlights the 'stolen spring' of their lives, representing their lost innocence and unfulfilled dreams.
3. Who are the main characters, Saheb and Mukesh, in the story?
The two main characters represent different facets of child labour in India:
- Saheb-e-Alam: A young boy whose family migrated from Bangladesh. He lives in the slums of Seemapuri and works as a ragpicker. His name, which means 'lord of the universe', is deeply ironic given his impoverished reality.
- Mukesh: A boy from Firozabad, a town famous for its glass-bangle industry. He is born into the caste of bangle-makers but dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic, showing a desire to break free from his family's traditional profession.
4. What is the significance of the title 'Lost Spring'?
The title 'Lost Spring' is a powerful metaphor. 'Spring' symbolizes the best period of life—childhood—which is associated with joy, innocence, and growth. For children like Saheb and Mukesh, this phase is 'lost' to the demands of survival and exploitation. They are forced into labour at a tender age, and their childhood, with all its potential and dreams, is crushed by poverty and tradition.
5. How does the author contrast the settings of Seemapuri and Firozabad to depict poverty?
Anees Jung uses the two settings to showcase different forms of poverty and hopelessness:
- Seemapuri: Located on the periphery of Delhi, it is a settlement of squatters living in mud structures. For its residents, survival means rag-picking. Garbage is their 'gold', providing their daily bread. It represents a life of extreme squalor but with a faint element of freedom.
- Firozabad: This town is the centre of India's glass-blowing industry. The poverty here is linked to a hazardous, ancestral profession. Generations are trapped working in dingy furnaces, losing their eyesight and health, with no hope of escape due to a systemic 'vicious circle'.
6. What is the 'vicious circle' that traps the bangle-makers of Firozabad?
The 'vicious circle' refers to the nexus of powerful figures who exploit the bangle-makers and ensure they remain in poverty. This circle includes:
- The sahukars (moneylenders) who trap them in debt.
- The middlemen who take a large cut of their earnings.
- The policemen who harass and beat them if they try to organise.
- The keepers of law, bureaucrats, and politicians who are indifferent or complicit in their exploitation.
7. Beyond poverty, what are the key social issues highlighted in 'Lost Spring'?
While poverty is the central theme, 'Lost Spring' also sheds light on several other critical social issues prevalent in India. These include the grim reality of child labour, which is illegal yet widespread, the denial of the fundamental right to education, the perpetuation of caste-based professions, and the complete apathy of the system towards the plight of the poor. The chapter serves as a powerful commentary on the broader problem of child labour in India and the societal structures that sustain it.
