Important Questions For Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 6 Memories of Childhood - 2026-27

Memories of Childhood Class 12 important questions with answers PDF download

Infinity Learn provides a well-structured collection of Important Questions for Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 6: “Memories of Childhood.” These important questions are designed to strengthen your understanding of the chapter and help you prepare effectively as per the latest CBSE Class 12 English syllabus 2026.

This chapter is divided into two impactful parts that explore emotional and social realities from childhood. The first part, “The Cutting of My Long Hair” by Zitkala-Sa, highlights the struggle of cultural identity and the harsh experience of forced assimilation faced by Native American children. The second part, “We Too Are Human Beings” by Bama, sheds light on caste-based discrimination and the challenges faced by Dalit children in India. Together, these stories emphasize themes like identity, dignity, and social justice.

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Memories of Childhood Important Questions Short Answer Type Questions (3 – 4 Marks)

Question 1. When did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the people of her community?

Answer: Bama realized the reality of social discrimination when she was in the third standard. While returning home from school, she noticed an elderly man carrying a food packet by holding only its strings, without touching it. He handed it over to a landlord, who accepted it directly. Initially, Bama found this amusing, but later her brother explained that the man belonged to a lower caste and was not allowed to touch the food due to untouchability practices.

Question 2. How did Zitkala-Sa try to prevent the shingling of her hair? (Delhi 2009)

Answer: Zitkala-Sa tried to escape the cutting of her hair by quietly hiding in a room with three beds. She crawled under one of the beds and stayed in a dark corner, hoping to avoid being found. However, she was soon discovered, dragged out, and despite resisting by kicking and struggling, she was tied to a chair and her hair was forcibly cut.

Question 3. Why did the landlord’s man ask Bama’s brother, on which street he lived? What was the significance? (Delhi 2010)

Answer: The landlord’s man asked Bama’s brother about his street to identify his caste. At that time, different castes lived in separate localities, so knowing someone’s street made it easy to determine their social status. This reflected the deep-rooted caste discrimination in society.

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Question 4. Why was Zitkala-Sa terrified when Judewin told her that her hair would be cut short? (All India 2010)

Answer: Zitkala-Sa was extremely frightened because, in her culture, cutting hair was associated with mourning, punishment, or cowardice. When she learned that her hair would be cut, she felt it would strip her of her identity and dignity, which is why she tried to resist the act.

Question 5. What did Zitkala-Sa feel when her long hair was cut? (Delhi 2011)

Answer: Zitkala-Sa felt deeply hurt, humiliated, and powerless when her hair was cut. She experienced a loss of identity and dignity, as if she had been reduced to something less than human. The act made her feel defeated and emotionally broken.

Question 6. What advice did Annan offer Bama? (All India 2011)

Answer: Annan advised Bama to focus on her education as a way to overcome social discrimination. He told her that people from their community were often denied respect, but by studying well and achieving success, she could earn recognition and challenge societal prejudices.

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Question 7. “I felt like sinking to the floor,” says Zitakala-Sa. When did she feel so and why? (All India 2011)

Answer: Zitkala-Sa felt this way when her blanket was removed, exposing her uncomfortable and unfamiliar clothes. She felt embarrassed and uneasy in the new environment, which made her want to disappear out of shame and discomfort.

Question 8. What did Judewin tell Zitkala-Sa? How did she react to it? (All India 2011)

Answer: Judewin informed Zitkala-Sa that the authorities planned to cut her hair. She suggested that Zitkala-Sa accept it quietly. However, Zitkala-Sa refused to submit and instead chose to resist, showing her strong will and desire to protect her identity.

Question 9. How long would it take Bama to walk home from her school and why? (Comptt. Delhi 2011)

Answer: Although the distance could be covered in about ten minutes, Bama often took around half an hour or more. She was easily distracted by the lively scenes around her—shops, street activities, and small entertaining sights—which made her journey longer but enjoyable.

Question 10. When did Bama first come to know of the social discrimination faced by the people of her community? (Comptt. All India 2011)

Answer: Bama became aware of caste discrimination during her third standard. She observed an old man delivering food in a peculiar way—holding it without touching it directly. Later, her brother explained that this was because the man belonged to a lower caste, and such practices were enforced due to social discrimination.

Memories of Childhood Important Questions Long Answer Type Questions (5-6 Marks)

Question 11. What kind of discrimination did Bama and Zitkala experience? How did they respond to their respective situations? (Delhi 2009)

Answer: Bama and Zitkala-Sa both belonged to marginalized communities and faced different forms of discrimination. Zitkala-Sa, a Native American girl, suffered racial discrimination at the hands of white authorities who forced her to abandon her cultural identity. The most painful experience for her was the cutting of her long hair, which held deep cultural significance. She resisted strongly by hiding, struggling, and protesting, but was ultimately overpowered.

Bama, on the other hand, faced caste-based discrimination as a Dalit girl. She observed how people from her community were treated as inferior and denied dignity. Instead of reacting immediately, she chose to fight back through education. Inspired by her brother, she studied hard and excelled academically, earning respect and challenging social norms.

Question 12. What are the similarities in the lives of Bama and Zitkala though they belong to different cultures? (All India 2009)

Answer: Although Bama and Zitkala-Sa came from different cultural backgrounds, their experiences were similar in many ways. Both belonged to oppressed communities and faced discrimination—Zitkala-Sa due to her race and Bama due to her caste. Both were humiliated and denied dignity at a young age.

Despite these challenges, neither accepted injustice quietly. Zitkala-Sa resisted physically when her identity was threatened, while Bama chose education as her weapon against discrimination. Their lives reflect a common struggle against inequality and a strong determination to assert their identity and dignity.

Question 13. Describe how Zitkala-Sa tried in vain to save her hair from being cut. Why did she want to save her hair? (All India 2009)

Answer: Zitkala-Sa was warned by her friend Judewin that her hair would soon be cut. Shocked and unwilling to accept this, she decided to resist. She quietly slipped away and hid under a bed in a dark corner of a room, hoping to escape notice. However, she was eventually found, dragged out, and despite her fierce resistance—kicking and struggling—she was tied to a chair and her hair was cut.

She wanted to protect her hair because, in her culture, short or cut hair symbolized mourning, weakness, or loss of dignity. Cutting her hair meant losing her cultural identity, which is why she fought so strongly against it.

Question 14. What activities did Bama witness on her way back home from school? (Comptt. All India 2014)

Answer: On her way home from school, Bama often got delayed because she enjoyed observing the lively surroundings. She saw various street activities such as a monkey performing tricks, a snake charmer entertaining people, and a cyclist performing continuous stunts. She also watched Pongal offerings being prepared near the temple and sometimes witnessed political meetings, street plays, puppet shows, or magic performances.

These engaging scenes made her journey longer but filled it with curiosity and enjoyment.

Question 15. How did the scene she saw in the market place change Bama’s life? (Comptt. Delhi 2015)

Answer: One day, Bama saw an elderly man carrying food for a landlord in a peculiar way—holding it by a string without touching it. Initially, she found it amusing, but later her brother explained that the man belonged to a lower caste and was not allowed to touch the food due to social discrimination.

This incident deeply disturbed Bama and made her aware of the harsh realities of caste inequality. It became a turning point in her life, motivating her to study hard, succeed academically, and fight against such injustice through her achievements.

Question 16. What were Zitkala-Sa’s experiences on her first day in the land of apples? (Comptt. All India 2015)

Answer: Zitkala-Sa’s first day in the boarding school, referred to as the “land of apples,” was uncomfortable and distressing. The environment was unfamiliar, and the strict discipline made her uneasy. She was forced to follow rules she did not understand, including standing in line and wearing tight, uncomfortable clothes.

She also felt intimidated by the authority figures, especially a pale-faced woman who closely observed her. The day became even more traumatic when she learned that her hair would be cut, and despite her attempts to resist, she was forcibly restrained and had her hair shingled.

Question 17. Untouchability is not only a crime, it is inhuman too. Why and how did Bama decide to fight against it? (Delhi 2017)

Answer: Bama realized from a young age that untouchability was both unjust and deeply inhuman. As a child, she witnessed and experienced discrimination based on caste, which left a lasting impact on her. This sparked a strong desire within her to challenge such inequality.

Her brother advised her that education was the most powerful way to overcome discrimination. Taking his advice seriously, Bama worked hard in her studies and achieved academic success. Through her achievements, she earned respect and proved that social barriers could be broken.

Question 18. In India, the so-called lower castes have been treated cruelly for a long time. Who advised Bama to fight against this prejudice, when and how? (All India 2017)

Answer: Bama was advised by her elder brother to fight against caste-based discrimination. This guidance came when she was still young and had begun to understand the harsh realities of social inequality.

Her brother encouraged her to focus on education and excel academically as a way to gain respect and challenge prejudice. Bama followed his advice with determination, studied diligently, and performed well in school. Her success became a means of resisting discrimination and changing how people perceived her.

Benefits of Important Questions for Class 12 English Vistas Chapter 6 - Memories of Childhood

• The important questions help students understand key themes of the chapter, such as cultural identity, discrimination, and self-empowerment.
• They also guide learners to analyze the emotional and psychological experiences of characters like Zitkala-Sa and Bama, enabling a deeper understanding of their actions and struggles.
• This approach strengthens critical thinking and helps students connect with the core message of the chapter more effectively.
• By practicing these questions regularly, students become familiar with the exam pattern and the types of questions commonly asked.
• They also learn how to structure both short and long answers clearly, which is essential for scoring well in exams.
• Consistent practice improves writing skills, clarity of expression, and confidence.
• Additionally, these questions act as a quick revision tool, helping students revise important concepts efficiently before exams.