2. Lost Spring - Prose - Class 12 -Flamingo

BhashaLab
Jul 15
4 min read

Updated: Jul 16

Author: Anees Jung

Textbook: Flamingo

Genre: Prose / Non-fiction Essay

Summary

"Lost Spring" by Anees Jung explores the hardships faced by poor children in India, focusing on two real-life examples — Saheb from Seemapuri and Mukesh from Firozabad. Saheb is a ragpicker who migrated from Dhaka after natural calamities ruined his family’s land. Though he dreams of education and better life, poverty forces him into labour. His name ironically means “lord of the universe,” but his reality contrasts this meaning. He eventually takes up a job at a tea stall, losing his carefree spirit.The second story is about Mukesh, a child from a family of bangle makers in Firozabad. Trapped in generations of glass-blowing work, his family has accepted poverty as fate. However, Mukesh dares to dream — he wants to be a motor mechanic. The essay shows how poverty, caste, and societal neglect rob children of their childhood. Jung's narrative voice mixes empathy with irony to highlight the human cost of economic survival.

Character Sketches

Saheb:

A bright, curious boy, Saheb represents the dreams of children lost to poverty. Though hopeful and energetic, he gradually loses his spark when forced into exploitative labour. His name suggests royalty, but his life reflects struggle and deprivation.

Mukesh:

Mukesh is a determined boy with a quiet resolve to break free from the generational cycle of bangle-making. Though his family is trapped by poverty and caste, Mukesh dares to dream of becoming a motor mechanic, symbolizing resistance and hope.

Themes

Theme	Description
Child Labour	The essay highlights how poverty forces children to abandon education and work.
Poverty and Exploitation	Families like Saheb’s and Mukesh’s are caught in a cycle of poverty and denial.
Lost Dreams	Children lose their innocence and aspirations due to harsh socio-economic realities.
Caste and Tradition	The bangle makers of Firozabad are entrapped in caste-based occupations.
Hope and Resistance	Mukesh’s dream to become a mechanic reflects individual courage and hope.

✨ Literary Devices / Poetic Devices

Device	Example
Irony	Saheb-e-Alam means 'Lord of the Universe', but he is a ragpicker.
Metaphor	"Garbage to them is gold."
Simile	“As her hands move mechanically like the tongs of a machine…”
Hyperbole	“The bag was his. The canister belongs to the man who owns the tea shop.”
Symbolism	Bangles represent tradition and marriage but also bondage and suffering.
Alliteration	“Steel canister seems heavier than the plastic bag.”

Title Justification

The title Lost Spring is symbolic of the lost childhoods of millions of underprivileged children in India. "Spring" refers to youth, innocence, and hope. However, the children profiled in the chapter—Saheb and Mukesh—are denied this phase due to poverty, exploitation, and societal neglect. Their spring is lost in the harsh realities of survival, making the title deeply apt and moving.

One-Mark Questions

What is Saheb looking for in the garbage dumps?
Saheb searches for valuable items like coins or scrap metal in the garbage. For him, garbage is a treasure trove of hope.
Why did Saheb’s family leave Dhaka?
They left due to repeated floods that destroyed their fields and homes. They came to Delhi in search of livelihood.
What does Mukesh aspire to become?
Mukesh wants to become a motor mechanic. He is determined to break the cycle of bangle-making in his family.
Why are many children in Firozabad forced into bangle-making?
They are born into this caste-based occupation and trapped in poverty. Legal protections are often ignored or ineffective.
What is the irony in Saheb’s name?
His name means ‘Lord of the Universe,’ but in reality, he is a barefoot ragpicker struggling to survive.

Three-Mark Questions

How does the essay show the contrast between dreams and reality?
The essay presents Saheb and Mukesh who both have dreams, but their harsh realities often crush them. Saheb dreams of school but ends up working at a tea stall. Mukesh aspires to become a mechanic, but he is surrounded by generations of bangle makers. The contrast highlights the struggle of the poor to rise above societal and economic barriers. The writer uses imagery and symbolism to show how children’s aspirations are stifled.
What are the conditions in which the ragpickers of Seemapuri live?
The ragpickers of Seemapuri live in makeshift shelters made of mud, tin, and tarpaulin. They lack basic amenities like sanitation and clean water. Most of them have ration cards but no formal identity. Their lives revolve around garbage, which is their only means of survival. Children grow up seeing this as normal, and thus the cycle of poverty continues.
Why is the bangle industry in Firozabad compared to a ‘web’?
The bangle industry traps its workers like a web from which escape is nearly impossible. Generations of families are stuck in this hazardous work, often losing their health and eyesight. They are caught between poverty and exploitation by middlemen and lack of education. The stigma of caste also reinforces this entrapment. The metaphor reflects hopelessness and entanglement in a predetermined fate.

Value-Based Question

Question: What lesson do you learn from the lives of Saheb and Mukesh about dreams and determination?

Answer: The stories of Saheb and Mukesh teach us that dreams can survive even in the harshest conditions. While Saheb’s dream fades as he joins the workforce, Mukesh dares to envision a different future. Their lives highlight the importance of education, empathy, and systemic change. We must recognize the invisible barriers children from poor families face and work to eliminate them. Most importantly, it reminds us never to take our privileges for granted and to support policies that help the underprivileged rise.

End

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