class 12 CBSE board, Vistas, Chapter 6 Memories of Childhood part 2 ,We Too Are Human Beings, Summary and Important Question Answers।

Class 12, English, Vistas Chapter : Memories of Childhood, part 2,Summary and Important Question Answers 

By Vikas Sharma

Bama's Journey from School to Home

Bama’s school was very close to her house. It only took 10 minutes to walk from school to home, but Bama used to take much longer to reach home, sometimes half an hour or more. The reason was that she loved to stop and look at all the interesting things along the way.

Things Bama Saw on Her Way

On her way home, Bama saw many fun things:

A monkey performing tricks on the street.

A snake charmer who played his flute to make snakes move.

A man riding his bicycle for many days without stopping.

People cooking Pongal outside a Maratha temple.

Political marches, puppet shows, and people doing stunts on the streets.

The market was full of seasonal fruits and stalls selling different things.

All these things made Bama forget the time, and that’s why she was always late.

The Man with the Packet

One day, Bama saw something different. There was a threshing floor (a place where they separate grains from the plants) set up on her street. The landlord (a rich man) was watching the workers, and people from Bama's caste were working with cattle.

Bama then noticed an older man carrying a small packet carefully. The packet got a little wet, but the man didn’t touch it. He was holding the packet by the string and looked very serious.

Bama thought this looked funny and couldn’t stop laughing. She wondered why the man didn’t just hold the packet normally.

Bama Talks to Her Brother

When Bama reached home, she told her elder brother, Anna, about what she had seen. She was still laughing, but Anna didn’t laugh with her.

Anna explained that the elderly man was from a lower caste, and the landlord was from a higher caste. He told her that people from higher castes thought if someone from a lower caste touched them or anything belonging to them, it would be unclean or polluted.

That’s why the man was carrying the packet carefully without touching it.

Bama’s Feelings and Anna’s Advice

When Bama heard this, she felt very angry and sad. She didn’t understand why the landlord thought so highly of himself and treated people from the lower castes as if they were unimportant. She felt upset that people in her caste were treated so badly.

Anna then gave Bama some good advice. He told her that the only way to change this unfair treatment was through education. If she studied hard, she could become important and respected. Anna told her that education would help her become strong and gain respect.

Bama’s Hard Work and Success

Bama took Anna’s advice seriously. She studied very hard and worked on her studies. As a result, she became first in her class. Many people started to respect her, and she made many new friends.

Objective Type Questions (Multiple Choice Questions - MCQs)

1. What was Bama’s real name?

A) Karuppayi

B) Faustina Mary Fatima Rani

C) Parvati

D) Savitri

Answer: B) Faustina Mary Fatima Rani

2. Why did Bama find the elder’s way of carrying the food packet funny?

A) She thought he was playing a game

B) She did not understand caste discrimination at that time

C) She liked the way he walked

D) She wanted to tease him

Answer: B) She did not understand caste discrimination at that time

3. What did Bama’s brother advise her to do to fight discrimination?

A) Become a social activist

B) Leave her village

C) Study hard and gain knowledge

D) Protest against the upper caste people

Answer: C) Study hard and gain knowledge

4. Which caste did Bama belong to?

A) Brahmin

B) Dalit

C) Kshatriya

D) Vaishya

Answer: B) Dalit

5. What was the main theme of ‘We Too Are Human Beings’?

A) Gender discrimination

B) Caste discrimination

C) Religious discrimination

D) Racial discrimination

Answer: B) Caste discrimination

6. Where did Bama spend her childhood?

A) A town

B) A city

C) A village

D) A metropolitan area

Answer: C) A village

7. What realization did Bama come to after her brother’s advice?

A) She needed to earn money to gain respect

B) She had to take revenge on the upper caste people

C) Education was the key to empowerment

D) She should leave her home and live alone

Answer: C) Education was the key to empowerment

8. Why did the landlord not touch the food packet?

A) He was afraid of getting sick

B) He considered the lower caste man ‘impure’

C) He was following a religious ritual

D) He did not like the food

Answer: B) He considered the lower caste man ‘impure’

9. What does Bama’s story highlight?

A) The role of education in social change

B) The importance of caste system

C) The power of money in society

D) The need for obedience

Answer: A) The role of education in social change

10. How did Bama finally overcome caste discrimination?

A) By protesting against it

B) By moving to a new village

C) By studying hard and succeeding in life

D) By becoming a political leader

Answer: C) By studying hard and succeeding in life

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Short Answer Questions (2-3 Marks Each)

1. What was the major incident that changed Bama’s perspective on caste discrimination?

Answer: Bama saw an elder from her community carrying a food packet by its string to avoid ‘polluting’ it. Initially, she found it amusing, but later, her brother Annan explained that this was a result of caste discrimination. This deeply affected her and made her aware of social injustices.

2. Why did Bama laugh when she saw the elder carrying the food packet?

Answer: Bama, as a child, did not understand the discrimination behind the act. She thought the elder was carrying the food packet in a funny way and laughed at it.

3. What advice did Annan give to Bama regarding caste discrimination?

Answer: Annan told Bama that education was the only way to fight discrimination. He encouraged her to study hard and prove that Dalits were not inferior to anyone.

4. How did Bama feel after understanding the concept of untouchability?

Answer: Bama felt deeply hurt and angry. She could not accept that people were treated as untouchables and wanted to change this by excelling in her studies.

5. What does Bama’s story teach us about social injustice?

Answer: The story highlights how caste discrimination exists in society and how education is a powerful tool to fight against it.

6. How did Bama’s childhood experiences shape her views on society?

Answer: Her early experiences of witnessing discrimination made her determined to fight against injustice. She realized that education was the best way to gain respect and equality.

7. Why was the upper-caste landlord unwilling to touch the food packet?

Answer: The landlord believed in untouchability and thought that if he touched the food that a Dalit person had touched, it would become impure.

8. What role does Annan play in Bama’s life?

Answer: Annan serves as a mentor and guide for Bama. He helps her understand the realities of discrimination and encourages her to pursue education as a means to challenge it.

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Long Answer Questions (6-8 Marks Each)

1. Discuss the theme of caste discrimination in “We Too Are Human Beings.”

Answer: The chapter describes the discrimination faced by Dalits in Indian society. Bama, through her childhood experiences, realizes how the lower castes are treated as untouchables. The incident of the elder carrying food in a demeaning manner showcases the depth of social injustice. The story emphasizes that education is the key to overcoming discrimination.

2. How does Bama’s perspective on caste discrimination change as she grows up?

Answer: Initially, Bama is unaware of caste discrimination and finds certain social behaviors amusing. However, after her brother’s explanation, she becomes aware of the injustice and feels angered. Instead of succumbing to bitterness, she resolves to fight back through education. This shows her growth from ignorance to awareness and action.

3. Compare and contrast Bama’s and Zitkala-Sa’s experiences of discrimination.

Answer: Both Bama and Zitkala-Sa faced discrimination, but in different forms. Bama, a Dalit, suffered caste discrimination in India, while Zitkala-Sa, a Native American, faced racial discrimination in America. Both stories highlight the pain and injustice of social prejudice and the struggle to find dignity and respect.

4. What message does Bama convey through her autobiographical account?

Answer: Bama conveys that discrimination exists in many forms, but it can be fought through knowledge and education. She encourages oppressed individuals to use education as a tool for empowerment rather than accepting social injustice.

5. How does the story "We Too Are Human Beings" inspire the readers?

Answer: The story inspires readers by showing how education can break barriers of discrimination. Bama’s determination to study hard and rise above caste prejudices teaches a valuable lesson in perseverance, self-respect, and equality.