Summary: Children at Work | Class 6 English Alive PDF Download

Introduction

The story revolves around a young boy named Velu who runs away from home to escape his uncle's abuse. Lost and hungry in the city, he meets a girl named Jaya who introduces him to the world of ragpicking.

Detailed Summary

Once upon a time, a young boy named Velu left his home because he was very sad and scared. His uncle used to be mean to him, and he didn’t want to stay there anymore. Velu took a train called the Kanyakumari Express and went all the way to a big city called Chennai. When he got off the train, he felt a bit dizzy and sat down on a bench. He was very hungry because he only ate some peanuts and a small piece of jaggery while traveling.

While Velu was sitting, trying to think about what to do next, a girl about his age came up to him. This girl was picking up plastic cups and other things from the ground and putting them into a big sack she carried on her shoulder. Her name was Jaya, and she started talking to Velu. She could tell that Velu was new to the city and guessed that he had run away from home.

Jaya asked Velu if he was hungry and told him that he wouldn't find any food just by sitting around. Velu was unsure what to do, but when Jaya started to walk away, he quickly decided to follow her. They walked through busy streets, and Jaya had to help Velu cross the road because he was hesitant and the cars wouldn’t stop.

As they walked, Jaya pointed to big buildings and told Velu that he had to be careful in the city. She jokingly told him that if he wasn't careful, he might end up in a place with lots of bars — she was pointing at a jail! Velu was a bit scared and confused. He asked Jaya about the things in her sack, and she told him they were items like bottles and paper that she collected to sell.

They walked under the hot sun until they reached a place called Sri Raja Rajeshwari Prasanna Kalyana Mandapam. Velu thought they might find food inside, but Jaya took him to the back where there were garbage bins. She found a banana and a vada (a type of snack) that were still good to eat and gave them to Velu. Velu was very hungry, so he ate them even though he didn’t like the idea of eating leftovers.

Jaya explained that they had to wait for the people inside the hall to finish their lunch to see if there was more food that was untouched. She was getting ready to leave to work again, and Velu was worried about being left alone. He asked Jaya if he could come with her, and she agreed but told him they needed to get another empty sack from her home first.

They walked to a place called Triplicane, where Jaya lived. It was a very different looking place with huts made from all sorts of things like metal sheets and tyres. Jaya swapped her full sack for an empty one and gave Velu some old shoes and a sack with a stick.

Velu was confused about what kind of work they were going to do. He had only worked on farms before. Jaya explained that they were ragpickers, which meant they collected useful things like paper, plastic, and glass from rubbish bins and sold them to a man named Jam Bazaar Jaggu. Jaggu would then sell these items to a factory.

Velu was unsure about this work, but he decided to do it for now, hoping he might find a better job later. Jaya was a bit strict and told him they had to hurry so other people wouldn’t collect the good items first. Velu, still unsure and new to everything, followed Jaya, ready to start his new life in the big city of Chennai.

The End

This story tells us about Velu’s big change from living in the countryside to moving to a big city and learning a new way to live and work. It shows how he meets a new friend, Jaya, who helps him find food and a way to earn money, even though it was very different from what he was used to. Velu learned a lot about the city and how to survive with the help of his new friend.

Theme and Message

The story sheds light on the harsh realities faced by marginalized children who resort to ragpicking for survival. It highlights themes of poverty, resilience, and the importance of finding means to survive in adverse circumstances. Additionally, it emphasizes the need for compassion and support for vulnerable members of society.

Difficult Words and Meanings

Jaggery - a type of unrefined sugar made from the sap of palm trees or sugarcane.

Tiffin - a light meal, especially lunch, typically eaten in South Asia.

Distaste - a feeling of dislike or aversion.

Puddles - small pools of water, especially rainwater on the ground.

Marginalized - treated as insignificant or relegated to a lower social standing.

Resilience - the ability to recover quickly from difficulties or setbacks.

Compassion - sympathetic concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.