The Lost Child MCQs Quiz | Class 9
This multiple-choice quiz for Class IX English Language and Literature (Code 184) focuses on the chapter ‘The Lost Child’ from the Moments Supplementary reader (Section C: Literature). It covers key aspects of the story, including its plot and theme, making inferences, understanding the child’s feelings, and answering direct questions from the text. Test your knowledge, submit your answers to see your score, and download the answer sheet as a PDF for future reference.
Understanding ‘The Lost Child’
“The Lost Child” by Mulk Raj Anand is a touching story about a young boy who gets lost in a village fair. It beautifully captures a child’s mind, his desires for worldly things, and his ultimate realization that his parents are his most precious possession.
Key Themes and Plot Points
- Theme of Attachment and Security: The child feels safe and happy as long as his parents are with him. The moment he is separated, all the attractions of the fair lose their charm. His only need becomes finding his parents.
- Theme of Materialism vs. Love: The story contrasts the child’s initial desire for toys, sweets, and garlands with his desperate need for his parents’ presence later. It highlights that emotional bonds are far more valuable than material possessions.
- Plot Progression: The story follows the child’s journey through the fair, his fascination with various stalls, his parents’ cautionary calls, the moment of separation at the roundabout, his panic, and his encounter with a kind stranger who tries to console him.
Character Analysis: The Child’s Feelings
The story is a deep dive into the emotional journey of the child:
- Initial State: Happy, excited, and full of wonder. He is fascinated by everything from the toy shop to the mustard fields.
- Conflict: A mix of desire for the things he sees and fear of his parents’ refusal. He knows they might say no, so he often hesitates to ask.
- Panic and Fear: When he realizes he is lost, his world turns upside down. “A deep cry rose within his dry throat,” and he runs in a state of frantic fear, shouting for his parents.
- Desperation: The kind man offers him all the things he had previously wanted (sweets, balloons, a ride on the roundabout), but the child refuses them all. His only want is his parents. This shows a profound shift in his priorities, driven by the feeling of being unsafe and alone.
The Child’s Desires: Before and After Getting Lost
| Item at the Fair | Before Getting Lost | After Getting Lost |
|---|---|---|
| Toys | Wished to possess them | Not interested |
| Burfi (Sweets) | Mouth watered for it | Turned his face away |
| Garland of Gulmohar | Wanted to wear it | No interest |
| Colourful Balloons | Was fascinated by them | Turned his eyes away |
| Roundabout Ride | Wanted to go on it | “I want my mother, I want my father!” |
Quick Revision Points
- The story is set at a village fair during the festival of spring.
- The child is initially attracted to toys, a flowering mustard-field, dragonflies, and various stalls at the fair.
- He lags behind his parents repeatedly due to these distractions.
- He gets lost when he stops to watch the roundabout, engrossed in the motion.
- A kind-hearted man finds him crying and tries to soothe him by offering him the very things he desired earlier.
- The child’s only cry at the end is, “I want my mother, I want my father,” signifying the unparalleled importance of parental security.
Extra Practice Questions
- Why do you think the child didn’t wait for his parents’ answer after expressing his desire for things?
- Describe the scene at the temple. How did it contribute to the child’s panic?
- What does the kind man’s character tell us about humanity?
- The story ends without revealing whether the child finds his parents. What do you think is the author’s purpose in leaving the ending open?
- How does the story illustrate the theme that the true value of something is only realized in its absence?
