Memories of Childhood Summary

Introduction

Memories of Childhood is a compilation of two autobiographical stories by Tamil writer Bama and Native American writer Zitkala Sa. Both of these authors are from marginalized communities and discuss their childhood experiences with discrimination. Zitkala-Sa describes how she was separated from her mother and placed in a school operated by white Americans. She recalls how the administrators at Carlisle Indian School forced her to have a haircut on her very first day there. She is disturbed and helpless since she is vehemently opposed to the behavior. In her culture, having long hair is a sign of bravery and well-being. The author of the second autobiographical episode is Bama, who describes how untouchability caused social inequality in her town. She experiences a seemingly normal and funny event that ends up being a terrible form of discrimination. Society was cruel to these girls and treated them harshly as children. These two stories describe the oppression that these women experienced. Both narrators expressed opposition in different ways. Despite being children, Zitkala-Sa and Bama weren't so young as to be ignorant of the clever plan of the dominant culture. Because of their traumatic childhood experiences, they grew rebellious.

First Part of Memories of the Childhood Summary

The Cutting of My Hairs

Zitkala-Sa describes her first day of school at the residential school she attends. Her first day at school is during the winter. The bell for breakfast sounded loudly on her very first day, and sounds were constantly going on around her. She found the noise so irritating, and her spirit yearned to be free, yet it was all in vain. She had her clothing removed, including the blanket she was wearing, and was forced to stand in line with other females heading to the dining area. A pale-faced lady followed the line. The girls had to put on tight outfits and hard shoes. The small girls had shingled hair and sleeved aprons. The girls were dressed too modestly, according to the narrator, but they didn't seem to mind at all.

Three boys came through the opposite door and walked into the dining room. According to the narrator, a little bell was knocked, and the three lads retrieved seats from beneath the dining table. After imitating them, the narrator discovered that the others were still standing. A second bell rang, and everyone pulled their seats out from beneath the table. She then started to get up. The narrator looked over at a man speaking as they sat on the table and looked at him. She lowered her eyes as she felt a pale-faced woman's stare on her. Everyone sat at the table with their heads hanging over their plates. After the third bell rang, everyone gathered their forks and knives to begin eating. The narrator wanted to cry but refrained from doing so. The situation was made worse when the narrator's friend Judewin told her they would get their long, thick haircut. According to the narrator's mother, only inexperienced fighters who the enemy caught were exposed to the enemy's hair shingles. In the narrator's culture, mourners had short hair, whereas cowards wore shingled hair. The narrator reacted aggressively when Judewin informed the narrator that they would be forced to have haircuts because the people in charge of the school were influential. When no one was looking, the narrator left the room and walked into a space with three beds. Under a bed, she hid. Every time she heard footsteps close by, she shivered in terror. Everyone was searching for her, even her friend Judewin.

Finally, after being found, the narrator recalls being hauled out despite her protests. She was taken downstairs and safely fastened to a chair. She cried until she noticed the scissors cutting through one of her thick braids. She then lost her spirit. The narrator remembers experiencing a number of humiliations after being separated from her mother. As her hair was cut, she cried for her mother, but no one paid attention to her because she resembled any of the many small animals being herded by a herdsman.

The Second Part of Memories of the Childhood Summary

We Too are Human Beings

Bama describes her experience as a youngster growing up in her own country. She refers to a circumstance that occurred when she was just three years old. At that time, untouchability was a topic that was not openly discussed. Every day, the narrator walked back from school. Even though the narrator could have completed a walk in 10 minutes, she took thirty because she was having so much fun. On her walk home from school, she used to enjoy observing every little establishment and event. Shops, street sellers, political groups, etc., were all there. The narrator became fascinated by these objects.

The narrator was going home from school one day as usual. When she arrived at her street, she discovered a threshing floor set up and the landlord keeping an eye on his men's labor. The narrator's community included the workers on the threshing floor. The narrator was watching these activities with interest when she saw an elderly community member amusingly carrying a tiny bundle. The man handled the packet's threads with care while avoiding touching it. She assumed the package contained vadai and green banana bhaji. She reasoned that if it were carried that way, the package might come open, and food might fall. She thought the whole thing was silly.

When the narrator got home, she told her brother the amusing story. Her brother, who didn't find the story amusing, informed her that the landowner and individuals like him were regarded as belonging to the upper caste. The elderly guy had to carry the package by its strings since the upper-caste people may get polluted by touching members of Bama's community. The narrator became enraged upon hearing this and no longer found the situation amusing. First, a banana leaf was used to wrap the meal, and then wrapping paper. She found it hard to comprehend that food could appear disgusting to someone when it was wrapped in two layers. She was so upset that she wanted to reach out and touch those vadais personally.

The narrator questioned whether the wealth of these upper-caste individuals was what caused them to act in such a manner. She felt that members of her tribe should never perform tasks for upper-caste people. They should just perform their duties, take their pay, and move on.

The elder brother of the narrator, who attended a university, frequently visited the town library when he came home for vacation to borrow books. One day, while walking along the edge of an irrigation tank, one of the landowner's men approached from behind and asked him who he was. In order to ascertain the man's caste, he first inquired about his name, then the address where he resided. The narrator's brother informed her that since they were born into an untouchable group, they were denied respect and dignity. The only defense against it was an education on their part. They would gain respect this way, and others would interact meaningfully.

Her brother's statements profoundly affected the narrator's thinking that day. She put a lot of effort into her studies to get the top grade. As a result, she made a lot of friends.

Conclusion

Both stories highlight Indigenous women's difficulties and challenges in protecting their cultural identities and overcoming discrimination. These stories highlight the value of and need for respect for all cultures and identities, and they urge for a more equal and inclusive society where all are treated with dignity.