As a Psychological Story:
Introduction:
‘The Lost Child’ is essentially a psychological story because it deals with the working of the mind of a child when he is in the company of his parents and also when he is separated from his parents. It also tells us how happy and curious a child is when he is taken out of home and brought in touch with the outside world teeming with flowers, flies, insects, worms and sunshine.
The child in the story wants to come out of the four walls of his house and experience the outside world. When he hears about the fair, he gets ready to go with his parents because he would be able to see the wide world with his own eyes.
Child's Fascination for Toys and Other Things:
All children have a great fascination for toys, balloons, flowers, snake-charmers, sweets and such other things. When the child in the story hears about the fair in the next village, he gets ready to go with his parents. Though he is a very little child, he is prepared to walk down the entire distance on account of his fascination for the outside world. When he sees toys in a shop, he is drawn to them. When his eyes fall on garlands or sweets, he wants to get them. When he sees people riding the round-about, he, too, wants to enjoy the fun. All this is psychological for a young child.
His Curiosity for the Outside World:
Children are very curious to know about the outside world. When the child in the story enters the path that passed through the mustard-fields, he is charmed with the sunny glory of nature. When he sees the pale mustard flowers melting like gold for miles together, he is wild with excitement. He is drawn to flies flying, fluttering and flapping. He is attracted by the little insects and worms that come out from hiding places to enjoy the sunshine. He runs after flies flying, flapping and flattering. He watches curiously how small insects and worms come out from their hiding places in order to enjoy the sunshine. When the child comes to a grove of trees, he sees a huge banyan tree outstretching its powerful arms over smaller trees. He runs it in wild excitement when he sees flowers raining from trees, he begins to gather them.
Fascination of the Fair:
When he reaches the fair, he sees a sweet-meat shop decorated with the leaves of silver and gold. He is very fond of eating ‘burfi’. His mouth begins to water at the sight of sweets. As he goes ahead, he sees a shop of flowers and garlands. He wants to buy some of them but for fear of his parents. Then he sees balloons of various colours and sizes flying in the air. He moves on without waiting to get some of them. Then he sees a juggler playing a flute to a snake but he does not stop to listen to his music for fear of his parents. Finally he comes to a place where men, women and children were riding a round-about and carried in a motion. They were talking, laughing and crying with joy. The child wanted to go on the round-about.
Disappointment of the Child:
The child wants to possess all that please him. He wants toys to play with, garlands to hang round his neck, sweets to taste, and snake music to please his ears. But he cannot express his heart - felt desires to his parents because he knows that he would receive from his parents the same old, cold refusal. When the child suppresses his desires, he feels disgusted and disappointed. The irony of his fate is that he makes a bold request to go on the round - about, his parents are not there.
His love for Parents:
A child's love for his parents is stronger than his charm for the outward things because he has a sense of security and protection in the company of his parents. When his parents are not seen in the fair, he is fearful. The man who lifts him up in his arms offers him all kinds of things, but he turns his nose at them. There was a moment when he wanted all that he saw in the fair. But now he wants his parents only. There is a sudden change in the psychology of the child.
Thus, the story tells us how a child is curious and sensitive to the outside world and how he is deeply attached with his parents.
