“The Lost Child” is a short story which was written by the Indian writer Mulk Raj Anand. This story is a heart-touching example of the unconditional bond between a child and his parents.
The Lost Child – Summary, Theme, Critical analysis
Mulk Raj Anand’s “The Lost Child” conveys the message that children love their parents unconditionally. It’s a heart-touching tale that tells the story of the eternal bond between a child and his parents. It is narrated in the third person by an unnamed author. The child and the parents are not given any name throughout the narration. This story include the theme of desire, materialism, connection, kindness, desperation, acceptance, security, humanity etc.
The story starts with a journey, undertaken by a child and his parents. It was winter and spring time. A huge number of people were heading towards their destination to celebrate the spring festival. Some of them were driving bullock-carts, some riding horses and some others treading on the path where alleys and lanes met. A small boy was travelling with his parents. He was often lagging behind his parents because he was being attracted by the wonderful sights that lay on his way. His parents called him time and again to keep pace with them and the boy obeyed.
Having been drawn by the toys that were exhibited in the shops beside the way, he fell back again. He asked his parents to buy a toy for him. But he was rebuffed by his angry father. The boy continued his walk along the road, while his eyes feasted on the beautiful country scene. The yellow mustard flowers in the mustard field, the dragon-flies hovering overhead, a butterfly vainly trying to taste honey from flowers but it was being prevented by grasshoppers – all these constituted for the little boy a colourful pageantry of Nature itself.
The journey was on, and he craved for the rainbow coloured ballons but his parents did not allow him to have them. A vendor was selling burfi. The boy saw and wanted to taste the burfi. He longed for the flower garlands which were being sold. But he got nothing. At last they reached a fair which was full of crowd. While passing through that huge crowd, suddenly the boy lost his parents. He got panic-stricken. He looked around but his parents were missing. He ran to and fro, and was shouting “mother, father”.
The boy elbowed through the crowd to search for his parents. If he had not been picked up by a gentleman, he would have been smashed. The stranger took the boy in his arms and he tried to pacify the sobbing boy. The man wanted to give him all the things which the boy earlier coveted most. But now he would not even look at them. He was crying. He wept bitterly, blurting out “mother, father”. The whole world seemed motionless to the boy. The story ends on a sad note with the child still crying, “I want my mother, I want my father!”.
Thus, Mulk Raj Anand reveals in this story the universal truth that nothing is more precious to a little child than his parents. The bond between them is inseparable, forged by blood and love. The child is the representative of universal childhood and the parents are the true advocates of universal paternity disciplining the child under tight vigilance. The bond between a child and his parents is inseparable and it can not be snapped under any circumstances. The ending of “The Lost Child” shows the psychological breakdown of the child. The story depicts the psychology of a child with great sensitivity.
FAQs
Who wrote “The Lost Child”?
Mulk Raj Anand wrote “The Lost Child”.
What is the main message of the story “The Lost Child” ?
Mulk Raj Anand’s “The Lost Child” conveys the message that children love their parents unconditionally. It’s a heart-touching tale that tells the story of the eternal bond between a child and his parents. The main message of the story “The Lost Child” is that nothing is more precious to a little child than his parents.
Who rescued the child ?
A man in the surging crowd heard his cry and, stooping with great difficulty, lifted him up in his arms.
What is the ending of The Lost Child?
The ending of “The Lost Child” reveals that nothing is more precious to a little child than his parents. The story ends on a sad note with the child still crying,” I want my mother, I want my father!”
At what point the child was lost?
The child lost near the roundabout.
Does The Lost Child find his parents?
As the writer didn’t mention in the short story “The Lost Child” about the finding of his parents, we are not sure about that. But we can guess that the child finds his parents with the help of that generous person who rescued the child from the crowd.
What are the characteristics of the father in The Lost Child?
The child’s father was careful, angry, economical, disciplined, etc. When the boy was lagging behind his parents, his parents were calling him again and again. It’s clear to us that his parents were very careful to him. When the boy was wanting many things from his parents, he was rebuffed by his father.
Why is the father angry in “The Lost Child” ?
The father is angry in “The Lost Child” because the child is longing for many things again and again. The child is rebuffed by his father.
Why was The Lost Child crying?
The lost child was crying because he was separated from his parents in the fair.