The Lost Child
The Lost Child by Mulk Raj Anand tells how a little boy at a fair forgets all the things he wanted the moment he is separated from his parents. The page gives a clear summary, the theme and exam-style questions.
Learning objectives
- Recall the events at the fair.
- Understand the theme of love over possessions.
- Describe the lost child's feelings.
- Answer comprehension and exam questions.
Key concepts
Summary
A little boy goes with his parents to a spring fair. On the way he is delighted by everything he sees — toys, sweets, a balloon-seller, garlands of flowers, a flowering mustard field, dragonflies and a roundabout. Again and again he asks his parents to buy him something or let him enjoy a ride, but they keep gently refusing or moving on. At the roundabout he insists, but when he turns around his parents have disappeared in the crowd. Terrified, the child runs about crying and searching for them. A kind man lifts him up and, to comfort him, offers him all the very things he had longed for earlier — the roundabout ride, sweets, balloons, flowers, a garland. But the child, now frightened and grieving, refuses every one of them, sobbing only that he wants his mother and father.
Theme
The central theme is that a child's love for its parents is greater than any material attraction. When the boy had his parents, he longed for toys and sweets; but the moment he loses them, all those desires vanish, and he wants nothing but the security of his mother and father. The story shows the deep value of parental love and how worldly things lose their charm in the face of true loss.
Characters
The lost child is an innocent little boy, full of wonder and desire at the fair, whose feelings change completely when he is separated from his parents. His parents are loving but, like many, busy and quick to say no. The kind stranger who tries to console him is generous and caring, though he cannot give the child the one thing he now wants.
About the author
Mulk Raj Anand was a famous Indian writer known for his sensitive portrayal of ordinary people and emotions. In this gentle, moving story he captures a universal truth about childhood and the priceless value of a parent's love.
Key definitions
- Fair
- A gathering with stalls, rides and entertainments, here a spring festival.
- Roundabout
- A merry-go-round ride the child longs to go on.
- Garland
- A string of flowers, one of the things offered to the child.
- Refrain
- A line repeated; here the child repeatedly asks for his parents.
Solved examples
Q1. Where does the boy go with his parents?
Solution: To a spring fair.
Q2. What happens to the boy at the roundabout?
Solution: He is separated from his parents and becomes lost.
Q3. What does the lost child want at the end?
Solution: Only his mother and father — he refuses all the things he had wanted before.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Thinking the child still wants the toys after he is lost (he refuses them all).
- Forgetting that he wanted those very things earlier.
- Confusing the kind stranger with the child's parents.
- Missing the theme of love over material things.
The Lost Child — MCQ Quiz
10 questions with instant feedback. Use number keys 1–4 to answer.
The Lost Child was written by:
Practice questions
Short answer
Where is the boy lost?
At a spring fair, near the roundabout.
What did the boy want before he was lost?
Toys, sweets, balloons, flowers and a roundabout ride.
What does he want after being lost?
Only his mother and father.
Long answer
How do the child's wishes change after he is lost, and what does this reveal?
Before he is lost, the little boy is full of desire at the fair. He longs for toys, sweets, a balloon, garlands of flowers and especially a ride on the roundabout, asking his parents again and again for these things. But the moment he turns and finds his parents gone, his whole world changes. Overcome by fear and grief, he runs about crying for them. When a kind stranger lifts him up and offers him the very things he had wanted earlier — the roundabout ride, sweets, balloons, a garland — the child refuses every single one, sobbing only that he wants his mother and father. This dramatic change reveals a deep truth: a child's love for its parents is far greater than any material attraction. The toys and treats that seemed so important lose all their charm once the security of his parents is lost, showing that love and belonging matter more than anything money can buy.
How does Mulk Raj Anand show the value of parental love in the story?
Mulk Raj Anand shows the value of parental love by contrasting the child's behaviour before and after he is separated from his parents. At first, the boy is so absorbed in the delights of the fair that he repeatedly pesters his parents for toys, sweets and a ride, even feeling a little resentful when they refuse. The author thus presents him as an ordinary child, drawn to worldly pleasures. But when the boy suddenly realises his parents are gone, he is gripped by terror and sorrow, and all his earlier desires vanish in an instant. The kind man who finds him offers him everything he had craved, yet the child rejects it all, weeping only for his mother and father. Through this powerful reversal, Anand makes clear that the love and security of one's parents are priceless — far more valuable than any toy, sweet or amusement — and that this love is what a child truly treasures above all.
HOTS (Higher Order Thinking)
Why does the child refuse the very things he had begged for earlier?
Because once he loses his parents, fear and grief replace his desire for toys; the security of his parents matters far more than any object, so the things no longer appeal to him.
What does the story suggest to parents and children alike?
It suggests that love and togetherness are far more important than material things, reminding us to value family bonds above worldly attractions.
Quick revision
Revision notes
- Author: Mulk Raj Anand; a boy at a spring fair.
- He longs for toys, sweets, balloons, flowers, a roundabout ride; parents keep refusing.
- He is separated from his parents at the roundabout and becomes terrified.
- A kind man offers him those very things, but he refuses all and wants only his parents. Theme: love over material things.
Key takeaways
- A child's love for parents outweighs all material things.
- Worldly desires fade in the face of loss.
- Parental love and security are priceless.
Frequently asked questions
Who wrote The Lost Child?
Mulk Raj Anand.
Where is the boy lost?
At a spring fair.
What is the theme?
A child's love for its parents is greater than any material attraction.