The Lost Child

About the Author

Mulk Raj Anand who was born on 12 December, 1905 was an Indian writer and was known for his depiction of the lives of the poor in traditional Indian society. He is considered as one of the pioneers of Anglo-Indian fiction. He was one of the first India-based writers in English to gain an international readership. He is admired for his novels and short stories, which are noted for their perceptive insight into the lives of the oppressed and for their analysis of impoverishment, exploitation, and misfortune. Some of his important works are-'Untouchable', 'Coolie’ and 'Two Leaves and a Bud.' He was honoured with Padma Bhushan. He died on 28 September, 2004.

Central Idea

'The Lost Child' is an interesting story written by Mulk Raj Anand which is about a small boy who goes to the village fair with his parents but somehow gets lost in the fair. The story portrays how the child realises that his parents are most important to him. Through this story, the writer has pictured the unconditional love of a child for his parents.

1.0Curiosity of the Child

The story is set in the spring season. After the winter season, there was still some coldness in the atmosphere thus, the people were sitting outside their houses for the morning sunlight. Just then, a little child along with his parents running excitedly and laughing at times starts moving to see the village fair. In his midway he was fascinated towards a toy in the toyshop. He couldn't control his desire thus, he placed a demand in front of his parents to buy that toy. The father's eyes grew red with anger showing straight denial. The mother lovingly, gave her finger to the child and guided him towards a bright yellow-coloured mustard field. The child got attracted towards a group of dragonflies, which were intersecting the ways of butterflies which were trying to suck the nectar from the flowers. The child tried to catch them but they flew away. Meanwhile, his mother called out to him as they started walking down the footpath. The child joined his parents. He then, stopped to see the insects that were coming out of the soil. Since the child was again left behind, his parents called him while they seated themselves under the shady trees. The child ran to join his parents. But as the child entered the shady forested area, he received a shower of flower petals. He started collecting the petals. Just then he heard the cooing of doves and started chasing them. Again, his parents called him while he was playing around a banyan tree. They walked down a narrow lane through which they crossed the mustard fields and finally they reached the fair.

As they were about to reach the fair, the child saw huge crowds of people eager to enter into the fair from all directions. He was firstly, scared to see the huge crowds but then he got attracted towards the crowd.

2.0Longing of The Child For Various Things

He then entered the fair where he saw a sweetmeat seller selling various sweets like gulab jamun, rasgulla, burfi and jalebi. The child's mouth watered when he saw his favourite burfi. He wanted to eat it but he knew that his request would be refused by his parents saying that he was greedy. Thinking this, he walked further. The next stall was that of a flower seller. He was selling garlands of Gulmohur flowers towards which the child got attracted. The child wanted one of those but he knew that his parents would refuse to buy him the flowers saying that they were cheap. The boy walked further where he found a balloon seller selling balloons of different colours. The boy was attracted to the colourful balloons and wanted to have them but he knew that his parents would not buy the balloons saying that he was too old to play with them. So, the child walked further again suppressing his desire. He then reached a snake charmer's shop who was playing the flute and with the music of the flute, the snake was twisting its neck. The boy wanted to hear that music but he memorises that his parents had warned him to remain away from such unpleasant music thus, he walked further. Finally, he reached near the roundabout swing which was full of men, women, and children who were enjoying the ride. The child watched the people on the roundabout and then gaining a lot of courage he expressed his desire to take a ride on the roundabout.

3.0Panic Stricken State

After expressing his desire when he did not get a reply, he turned towards his parents. To his shock, he realises that they were nowhere around. He looked around everywhere but his parents were nowhere to be seen. The boy cried loudly, twisted his body and ran here and there calling out for his parents. His eyes were full of tears and he had a deep fear in his heart. While running around here and there, his turban opened and his clothes became muddy. After some time, his loud cries turned into mild sobs. He started searching for his parents.

Finding a temple nearby he ran towards that and found that it was crowded with people. Running between the legs of men, he called out aloud for his parents. He was scared of huge strong men who were pushing each other. He was about to be crushed under the feet of the men just when a gentleman saw him and lifted him up. The man took the child out of the crowd, and asked him about his parents. Hearing this, the child started crying. In order to calm down the child, the man took him to the roundabout and offered him a ride but the child cried and answered that he wanted his parents. The man further took him to the shops of snake charmer, balloon seller and flower seller where he offered him to listen to the music, to purchase the rainbow-coloured balloons, and to buy for himself a beautiful garland. The child refused everything. Finally, the man took him to the sweetmeat seller and offered to buy sweets for him. Still not convinced, the child shouted that he did not want his favourite sweet, he just wanted his parents.

Recall

• This story is about a small boy who goes to the village fair with his parents but somehow gets lost in the fair.
• A little boy, filled with liveliness and enthusiasm along with his parents started going to a fair.
• In the midway he got attracted towards a toy in the toy shop and he demands for it. In return he receives a denial after he looks into the red eyes of his father.
• They started walking towards a mustard field where he got attracted towards a group of dragonflies, which were intersecting the ways of butterflies that were trying to suck the nectar from the flowers.
• The child was further attracted towards a number of things including the insects that were coming out of the soil, the flower petals showered upon him when he entered the shade where his parents were sitting, and the cooing doves.
• Finally, they reached the fair where the child saw the shops of sweetmeat seller, flower seller, balloon seller, snake charmer. He suppressed his desires to eat the Burfi, to buy a Gulmohur garland and the colourful balloons, and listening to the music played by the snake charmer.
• Finally, he reached near the roundabout and placed a demand in front of his parents to take a ride on the roundabout when he realised that his parents were nowhere to be seen.
• Crying utterly, he searched for his parents everywhere but couldn't find them. He went to a temple where he was almost crushed under the legs of people just when a gentleman picked him up and asked about his parents. Hearing this the child started crying.
• In order to calm down the child, the man took him to the shops of sweetmeat seller, flower seller, balloon seller, snake charmer and to the roundabout too. Every time, the child denied saying that he needed his parents.