Summary: Fight, Manju, Fight! | Class 6 English Alive PDF Download

Introduction:

The story revolves around Manjula Parelkar, a young girl with physical deformities in her hands and feet, who dreams of becoming a painter despite the challenges she faces. Supported by her family, Manjula embarks on a journey to pursue her passion for art, encountering both encouragement and discouragement along the way.

Summary:

Manjula Parelkar is a young girl who has always dreamed of becoming a painter, even though she faces many challenges. Manjula's hands and feet are different from others. She has only two fingers on each hand and her feet are deformed. This makes some things harder for her, but Manjula is determined and wants to paint.

Manjula lives with her family who are supportive but also worried about her. One day, she asks her mom if she can have some extra money to buy paint and art supplies because she wants to learn painting. Her mom is surprised but supports her by giving her money from a special tea box where she keeps savings.

With new paints and brushes, Manjula starts painting. She shows her first painting to her family, and they are amazed by how beautiful it is. Her brother Amol, who loves to tease her, even suggests that she should sell her painting. Her parents are proud, and her mom promises to buy her better paper for painting even though it is expensive.

However, Manjula overhears her dad worrying about the cost of painting supplies and suggesting that she should learn something more practical instead. Manjula feels hurt and decides to stop painting. She starts helping her mom in the kitchen and learns to cook, but she doesn't enjoy it.

On her birthday, her family gives her gifts related to painting, like artist’s quality watercolor brushes and a book on painting. This makes her very happy, but she is still not sure about continuing with her art.

Later, when Manjula asks for more expensive watercolor paper, her parents have a tough conversation about finances. Her dad feels that art might not be practical for Manjula because of her hands, but her mom disagrees and believes in her talent.

Feeling discouraged, Manjula destroys her paintings and hides her art supplies. She tries to forget about painting and focuses on cooking, which makes her unhappy. Her brother and other family members don't understand why she stopped doing something she was good at.

One day, Manjula finds a newspaper clipping about a boy named Rich Belanger who didn't give up on his dream to play football despite having artificial feet. Inspired by his story, Manjula decides to start painting again.

On the day of a big painting competition, Manjula decides to participate. Her brother and her family are surprised but very happy. Manjula feels motivated by Rich Belanger's story and believes that if he could overcome his challenges, so could she.

The story ends with Manjula going to the competition, feeling determined to do her best, supported by her family who now understand how important her dreams are to her.

Through this story, we learn that sometimes things are tough, and people might not always understand our dreams, but with courage and the support of loved ones, we can face our challenges and pursue our passions. Manjula shows us that no matter the difficulties, it's important to keep trying and believing in ourselves.

Theme and Message:

The story highlights the theme of perseverance in the face of adversity. Despite Manjula's physical limitations and lack of support from her father, she persists in pursuing her passion for painting. Her mother's encouragement emphasizes the importance of believing in oneself and not letting obstacles deter one from following their dreams. Additionally, the introduction of Rich Belanger underscores the theme of drawing inspiration from individuals who overcome challenges, showcasing the power of determination and resilience.

Difficult Words and Meanings:

Deformed - (adjective) having a distorted or misshapen appearance

Melancholic - (adjective) characterized by or causing a feeling of sadness or depression

Ornate - (adjective) elaborately decorated

Impish - (adjective) mischievous in a playful way

Pacifying - (adjective) soothing or calming

Pacing - (verb) walking back and forth, typically out of nervousness or agitation

Tenderly - (adverb) in a gentle and caring manner

Determination - (noun) firmness of purpose; resoluteness

Deafening - (adjective) extremely loud or overwhelming

Adversity - (noun) difficulties or misfortune