Prose Chapter 2 - Lost Spring

Written by Anees Jung, Lost Spring is a story that shows the struggle of the section of the society that is poor. It shows the pitiable condition of children who are not able to enjoy their childhood because of their poor state. For more information, you may refer to Lost Spring Important Questions and Answers here at UrbanPro.

Summary

The story is divided into two parts. The first one starts with “I found a rupee in the garbage,” while the second part begins with “I want to drive a car.”

I found a rupee in the garbage – This part of the story deals with the poor condition of life of the ragpickers. The family of the ragpicker had migrated from Dhaka because the storms had swept their fields and houses. They have come to the big city of Seemapuri to make a living. The writer watches the activities of Saheb, searching for gold in and around her neighbourhood. For adults, other people’s garbage is their means of survival; however, for children, trash is something wrapped in wonder. From time to time, the children come across a coin or two at times. Forget about education; these children often find it extremely difficult even to have proper meals. Things like shoes and playing tennis are only a distant dream for them. These children also have their dreams and ambitions but are unable to fulfil them because of the poor state. Later in his life, Saheb had joined a tea stall where he earns 800 rupees. Even though he gets a full meal every day, his freedom is not there anymore.

‘I want to drive a car’ – This part of the story talks about the life of a young boy named Mukesh, whose family is a part of the bangle-making industry in Firozabad. Firozabad is a city which is famous for its bangle making industry. More than twenty thousand workers work here, and all the laws that are against child labour fall upon deaf ears. The living and working conditions of the workers are in a pitiable state. Living in small cells and working close to extremely hot furnaces make the children go blind as they enter into adulthood. Even if they want to get out of this mess, they cannot owe to the fact that they have a lot of debt to repay. The corrupt politicians and police officers act as thorns on their road to success. Wives of these workers consider this to their ultimate fate and continue bangle making without raising their voices. However, Mukesh is different from everyone else. When he grows up, he wants to be a motor mechanic. Even though the garage is far, he will walk it.

Characters

• Shaheb-e-Alam

• Mukesh

Theme

The theme of both stories is how poverty affects one’s life. Children lose their childhood. Basic needs are often not met and this vicious cycle continues generation after generation. Not getting even basic education is one of the major problems for this section of society. People who are not educated are easy-exploitable targets.

For more details of this story and to find answers to questions relating to Lost Spring, refer to NCERT Solutions For Class 12 English Flamingo Lost Spring and Lost Spring Extra Question Answers.