The Lost Child

By Mulk Raj Anand

Mulk Raj Anand (1905-2004) was a prominent Indian author, known for his works highlighting social injustices, poverty, and the lives of marginalized people in colonial India. He pioneered Indo-Anglian literature, blending the English language with Indian themes. His notable works include “Untouchable” and “Coolie.” “The Lost Child” is one of his famous short stories, depicting childhood innocence and the bond between parents and children. The story revolves around a young boy who gets separated from his parents at a fair. Initially, enchanted by the fair’s attractions, he quickly becomes distressed when he realizes he is lost, showing how nothing compares to the comfort of his parents’ presence. Through this simple narrative, Anand touches on universal emotions of love, fear, and safety.

Q: What are the things the child sees on his way to the fair? Why does he lag behind?

Ans. The child sees several things that fascinate him on his way to the fair. He observes toy shops, a flowering mustard field, dragonflies, little insects and worms, and doves that flutter about. He is captivated by the natural beauty and the vibrant surroundings, which make him constantly stop and lag behind. His curiosity and amazement about everything he sees cause him to fall behind his parents.

Q: In the fair, he wants many things. What are they? Why does he move on without waiting for an answer?

Ans. The child is attracted to many things in the fair. He wants toys, burfi, garlands of Gul mohar, rainbow-colored balloons, and to ride on a roundabout. However, each time he asks for something, he moves on without waiting for an answer because he knows that his parents would either refuse by saying he is too old to play with such things or that he should not be greedy. His experience and previous refusals condition him to not wait for their response.

Q: When does he realize that he has lost his way? How have his anxiety and insecurity been described?

Ans. The child realizes that he has lost his way when he turns to seek his parents’ approval to ride the roundabout and finds them nowhere in sight. His anxiety and insecurity are vividly described through his frantic search for them. He cries out for his mother and father, his throat becoming choked with sobs, and he runs about in all directions, filled with a deep sense of fear and helplessness. The vibrant fair that once seemed so alluring now feels overwhelming and hostile to him.

The child loses interest in the things he had wanted earlier because his primary concern becomes finding his parents. The toys, sweets, garlands, and other attractions that once fascinated him no longer hold any appeal. His longing for his parents and the security they provide overshadows all other desires. His heart is consumed with the fear of being alone and lost, making the attractions of the fair meaningless.

Q: What do you think happens in the end? Does the child find his parents?

Ans. The story ends ambiguously, leaving it open to interpretation. However, it suggests that the child does not immediately find his parents. A kind-hearted man finds him and tries to comfort him by offering him the same things he desired earlier at the fair, but the child continues to cry for his parents. The narrative focuses on the child’s emotional state rather than providing a concrete resolution. This ending emphasizes the child’s profound sense of loss and his deep emotional connection with his parents. The lack of a definite conclusion serves to highlight the theme of childhood innocence and dependence, as well as the overwhelming fear and anxiety that a child experiences when separated from their parents.