Children at work | Class 8 English | Class 8 English Chapter 2

Summary

The story revolves around an 11-year-old boy, Velu, who runs away from home due to his father's alcoholism and abusive behavior. He boards the Kanyakumari Express without a ticket, arriving at Chennai Central Station, where he meets Jaya, a ragpicker. Jaya offers him food and takes him to her home in a slum, where she explains her job of collecting and selling scrap for money. Velu, initially hesitant, joins her, but vows to find a better job one day. The chapter ends with Velu adjusting to his new life, yet hopeful for change.

Takeaways

• 👦 The story begins with an 11-year-old boy named Velu who runs away from home.
• 🍺 Velu's father was an alcoholic, who used to take away the money Velu earned and even beat him and his sister.
• 🚆 Velu boards the Kanyakumari Express without a ticket, feeling scared as he travels without any money.
• 😨 At Chennai Central Station, Velu is nervous seeing the crowd and feels weak from hunger after a sleepless night.
• 👧 A girl named Jaya approaches Velu; she is a ragpicker and offers him some food, including bananas and vadas.
• 🍌 Jaya shares her food with Velu, even though he hesitates to accept it at first, feeling uncomfortable eating someone else’s leftovers.
• 🏠 Jaya takes Velu to her home, which is a small hut made of scraps like plastic sheets and broken bricks.
• 🗑️ Jaya explains her work as a ragpicker, collecting and selling scrap materials like bottles and paper to earn money.
• 💼 Velu learns about Jaya's life and decides that while he’ll join her work for now, he hopes to find a better job in the future.
• 📚 The chapter ends with Velu becoming a ragpicker for the time being, but determined to leave this job once a better opportunity arises.

Q & A

Who is the main character of the story?

The main character of the story is an 11-year-old boy named Velu.

Why did Velu run away from home?

Velu ran away from home because his father was an alcoholic who would drink excessively, take away Velu’s earnings, abuse him and his sister, and cause them suffering.

How did Velu travel after running away from home?

Velu boarded the Kanyakumari Express train without a ticket, knowing he was traveling illegally and worried about getting caught.

Where did Velu arrive after his journey on the train?

Velu arrived at Chennai Central Station after his journey on the Kanyakumari Express.

Who did Velu meet at the Chennai Central Station?

At the Chennai Central Station, Velu met a girl named Jaya, who was a ragpicker (a person who collects waste).

How did Velu feel upon arriving at the station and meeting Jaya?

Velu felt nervous and confused upon arriving at the station due to the crowd and noise. He was also hesitant when Jaya offered him food, as he felt uncomfortable eating someone else’s leftover food.

What did Jaya offer Velu to eat, and how did he react?

Jaya offered Velu two bananas and a ‘vada’ (a South Indian snack). Though hesitant at first, Velu ate the food because he was very hungry and had no other options.

Where did Jaya take Velu after offering him food?

After offering Velu food, Jaya took him to her home, which was a slum made of scrap materials like plastic sheets and tin.

What kind of work did Jaya do, and how did she explain it to Velu?

Jaya worked as a ragpicker, collecting scrap materials such as bottles and metal, which she would later sell to earn money. She explained this work to Velu, showing him how they made a living from it.

What was Velu's decision after joining Jaya in ragpicking?

Velu decided that he would continue doing the ragpicking work temporarily but planned to leave it as soon as he could find a better job.