The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand summary and analysis

 Mulk Raj Anand’s story,The Lost Child narrates how a little boy was lost in the crowd of a village fair. It tells us how on his way to the fair he was attracted by various things such as toys, sweetmeat, balloons and birds, butterflies and flowers. But what attracted him most was the roundabout. It made him forget his parents and everything else in the world. Thus he lagged far behind his parents and got lost in the crowd of the fair. Here, Anand deals with the child psychology in a sensitive way without shying away from its reality.

It was spring time and the people in colourful attire were going to the fair. A Child along with his parents was  going to the fair and was very excited  & happy. The child was fascinated by the stalls of toys and sweets. Though his  father got angry, but his mother pacified him and diverted his  attention towards other things. The child moved forward but once again lagged behind because his eyes were caught by one thing or the other every now & then. As they moved forward, the child fascinated by the decorative items on the stalls. His mouth watered, seeing sweets decorated with  gold and silver leaves. “I want burfi” but he did not wait for his parents’ reply as he knew very well that his parents will never agree to buy burfi for him. Then he witnessed beautiful garlands but didn’t ask for it. Then he saw balloons, but he knew  very well that his parents will say that  he was too old to play with balloons,  so he walked away. Then he saw a snake charmer, a  roundabout swing. Now he stopped to ask his parents the permission to enjoy the swing but to his utter surprise, there was no reply. Neither his father, nor his  mother was there. Now the child realized that he was lost. He ran here and there but  with no fruitful result. The place was too  overcrowded. He got terrified.

Suddenly a kind hearted man  took him up in his arms and  tried to console him. He asked him if he would  like to have a joy ride. But the child sobbed, “I want my father, I want my mother”. The man offered him sweets, balloons and garland. But the child kept on sobbing, “I want my father, I want my mother”.

A man in the surging crowd heard his cry and, stooping with great difficulty, lifted him up in his arms. “How did you get here, child? Whose baby are you?” the man asked as he steered clear of the mass. The child wept more bitterly than ever now and only cried, “I want my mother, I want my father!”

The man tried to soothe him by taking him to the roundabout. “Will you have a ride on the

horse?” he gently asked as he approached the ring. The child’s throat tore into a thousand

shrill sobs and he only shouted: “I want my mother, I want my father!”.

The man headed towards the place where the snake- charmer still played on the flute to the

swaying cobra. “Listen to that nice music, child!” he pleaded. But the child shut his ears with

his fingers and shouted his double-pitched strain: “I want my mother, I want my father!” The

man took him near the balloons, thinking the bright colours of the balloons would distract the child’s attention and quieten him. “Would you like a rainbow-coloured balloon?” he

persuasively asked. The child turned his eyes from the flying balloons and just sobbed, “I

want my mother, I want my father!”.

The man, still trying to make the child happy, bore him to the gate where the flower-seller sat.

“Look! Can you smell those nice flowers, child! Would you like a garland to put round your

neck?” The child turned his nose away from the basket and reiterated his sob: “I want my

mother, I want my father!”

Thinking to humour his disconsolate charge by a gift of sweets, the man took him to the

counter of the sweet shop. “What sweets would you like, child?” he asked. The child turned

his face from the sweet shop and only sobbed, “I want my mother, I want my father!”

The story follows a simple linear narrative structure. It begins with the description of a crowded fair and ends with the a man trying to console him, possibly a happy ending. This structure effectively captures the child's journey through the fair and his emotional turmoil when he gets separated from his parents.

The fair serves as a metaphor for life itself, with its myriad attractions representing the temptations and distractions that can lead one astray. The child's fascination with the toys and merry-go-rounds symbolizes the allure of worldly pleasures, while his separation from his parents symbolizes the loss of innocence and the inevitable struggles of growing up.

Although the story is brief, Anand effectively portrays the emotions and perspectives of the child, as well as those of the parents. The child's excitement and wonder at the fair, as well as his subsequent fear and desperation when he realizes he is lost, are vividly depicted. Similarly, the parents' panic and frantic search for their lost child evoke empathy from the reader.

While the story focuses primarily on the personal experience of the lost child, it also offers subtle commentary on broader social issues. The crowded and chaotic nature of the fair reflects the hustle and bustle of urban life, while the child's vulnerability highlights the importance of parental guidance and protection in a world full of dangers.

The story concludes on a hopeful note with the child being reunited with his parents. This resolution offers a sense of relief.

 

"The Lost Child" by Mulk Raj Anand offers a portrayal of child psychology, capturing the emotions, thoughts, and behaviors of a young boy who becomes separated from his parents at a fair.

The story vividly depicts the child's attachment to his parents through his initial reluctance to leave their side at the fair. When he becomes separated from them, he experiences intense anxiety and distress, which are characteristic of separation anxiety in young children. His desperate search for his parents and his tearful reaction upon realizing he is lost highlight the profound emotional impact of separation on a child.

 Before becoming separated from his parents, the child exhibits a natural inclination towards exploration and curiosity, eagerly wanting to see all the attractions at the fair. This reflects the typical behavior of children who are eager to explore their environment and satisfy their curiosity about the world around them.

The child's vulnerability is portrayed through his experiences of fear and helplessness after becoming lost. Alone in the crowded fairground, he feels overwhelmed by the unfamiliar surroundings and the absence of his parents, which triggers feelings of fear and insecurity. This highlights the vulnerability of children when faced with unfamiliar or threatening situations.

Throughout the story, the child's reliance on his parents for comfort and security is evident. When he becomes lost, he desperately seeks their presence and protection, underscoring the fundamental role of caregivers in providing emotional support and reassurance to children in times of distress.