VANKA

                        SSLC ENGLISH DISCOURSE

CHAPTER: I

VANKA

 

1.     Character sketch of grandfatherin Vanka

Grandfather Konstantin Makarich, is one of the most leading characters in the story ‘Vanka’. Vanka is a short story written by famous Russian writer; Anton Chekhov. He was a small, lean, old man about 65, but remarkably lively and agile with a smiling face and bleary with drink. He worked as a night watchman on the estate of Zhivarev in the village. He was dutiful and serious on duty. In night who walked around the estate with his dogs, Eel and old Kashtanka. He always kept a smiling face and used to enjoy the jolly company with cook and kitchen maids. He kept a snuffbox with him and shared it with woman and even to the dogs. Vanka had spent happy times with him. They had a wonderful time together in village. But after the death of Vanka’s mother Pelageya, Vanka was sent down to back kitchen to his granddad. Granddad was sent him to Moscow to Alyakhin the shoe maker.

2.     Character sketch of Vanka

Vanka was a nine year old boy. He had apprenticed three months ago Alyakhin the shoe maker. Vanka was an orphan he had no father and mother; his mother Pelageya died recently. He has only grandfather named Konstantin Makarich. After the death of his mother; he was sent down to the back kitchen to his granddad. Granddad sent him to Moscow; to Alyakhin the Shoe maker. Olga Ignatyevna was Vanka’s favorite; who loved Vanka and taught him to read and write, to count a hundred, to dance quadrille. His master was very cruel, master’s mistress always treat him cruelly. He didn‘t get good food or other facilities. His senior apprentices make fun of him; they sent him to tavern to buy vodka and made him to steal master’s cucumber. On Christmas Eve Vanka decided he was unable to bear all these punishment, so he started to a write a letter to his granddad. He asked to his grandfather through his letter to take him back to village.

3.     Speech about child labour 

             

Respected teachers and my dear friends;

Today I am standing before you to speak few words about child labour and its victims. Do you know that of every 100 children in the world today, 16 of them are child labourers, 12 of them are in its worst form.They don’t go to school. There are 246 million child labourers in the world today, most are in developing countries. Some of them are doing hazardous work and operating dangerous tools or machineries. They are working on farms, plantations, mines, or even construction sites. Nowadays child labour considered as an international concern because it damages, spoils and destroys the future of the children. The problem of child labour is a serious matter not only in India but also in developing countries. It is a great social problem. Children are the hope and future of a nation. Yet there are millions deprived children in our country who have never known a normal, care free childhood. The law in Indian soil says that any child below aged of 14 can’t be employed either in factory or office or restaurant. In fact India’s international business has been severely affected in many cases because of child labour, violating human right, have been used in some stage or in other manufacturing, packaging of transport of those item. And in a large number of cases of export of ready-made garments, prawn and several other items from India has been rejected on grounds of child labour being used. The main obstacle to achieving universal primary education is only the in ability and or the unwillingness of governments to provide quality educational facilities for poor children in rural areas and in city shantytowns, becauseevidence from around the world has shown that poor families are willing to make sacrifices to send their children to school when it is physically and economically accessible. In conclusion child labour should not happen as our greatest natural resource is the mind of the children. If the child labour continues, the children will not be able to get a good education and our society can’t develop.

                                 So let‘s put our hands together to wipe out the child labour.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                       Thank you

4.     Letter to Vanka (granddad)

                                                                                                    Place:

                                                                                                   Date:

Dear grandson;

I received your letter, and I am very sad to know about your plight condition. I felt your miserable life in Alyakhin’s house. You are a nine year old boy and you can’t afford those hard and worst punishments more. So my dear grandson I will be there as soon as possible. Don’t give up your life before that, you are my hope and sweet. I will take back you very next moment.

                                                                                             Yours Lovingly

                                                                                            Konstantin Makarich

                                                                                              S/d

5.     Letter to Granddad (Vanka)

                                                                                            Place:

                                                                                           Date:

     Dear granddad;

I hope you are fine, may God send his blessing to you. I am writing this letter to tell you the troubles that I am facing here.

I am not getting proper food or other facilities here. The master and mistress ill treat me they never let me sleep whole night, because I have to rock their baby. If I fell in sleep while rocking the baby they beat me with whatever they see. Mrs. Alyakhin also hit me for silly mistake. Senior apprentices also make fun of me. They send me to tavern to buy vodka and to steal master’s cucumber. Please help me granddad. Please save me from this hell. I am ready to take any job in our village. Please take me back to village.

                                                                                                                          With hope

                                                                                                                        Vanka zukhov

                                                                                                                         S/d

6.     Imagine that the Master Alyakhin returned while Vanka was writing the letter. Attempt a likely conversation between them.

Alyakhin:  Hey, What are you doing?

Vanka:      I am writing a letter sir.

Alyakhin: A letter? To whom?

Vanka:     To my grandfather.

Alyakhin: To your grandfather? What is there to convey?

Vanka:      Nothing sir.

Alyakhin: It is to complain about our cruel treatment, isn’t it?

Vanka:      No sir.

Alyakhin: Don’t think that he can save you. I won’t let you go.

Vanka:     Sir please, May I go?

Alyakhin: No, go and do your duty. If you don’t obey me I will punish you.

Vanka:     I will obey you sir.

7.     Before going to bed, Vanka wrote that day's diary. Attempt a possible diary entry.

      10 PM                                                                                                                               date:

Today I am very happy; because I wrote a letter to my granddad. I filled my worries and struggles that I am facing here on that. No one interrupt me from writing this letter. I think he will get this very soon. Will this Christmas be a happy time for me? The cruel master punished me today without any reason. No one loves me, no one care me. All the apprentices make fun of me. Am I not a human being? My life in here is worse than a dog. I didn’t get any consideration even a dog gets. I will be happy and free, if I reach home. I hope my loving granddad will come and rescue me from these cruel people. O God! Please make pity on this poor orphan.

8. Slogans/Placards against Child labour

Child is meant to learn not to earn

For a better Nation, Stop childlabour

  

Say not to child labour and yes to education

                                           

 

9.     Letter to the Editor

FROM                                                                                                             15 June 2016

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-----------------

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TO

The Editor

The Hindu

Trivandrum

               

             Sir,

Through the column of your esteemed daily, I wish to Voice my deep concern about children who are engaged in child labour. Child labour refers to the employment of children in any work that deprives children of their childhood, denies them their right to education and impairs them physically, mentally, emotionally and socially. Our country is the home to many children who are forced to work; in order to survive many small scale industries in our neighbourhood that employee children below the age of 14.Long hour of toil in the hazardous conditions; snatch their childhood. The eyes that should be filled with innocence, now looks up at one with misery writ large upon them. The fingers that should be turning the page of the textbook are numb handling crude machinery. The factory owners find cheap labour in children and the affluent class; find these children as handy domestic help. What could be the reason for this justice? Poverty, ignorance, in security, large families and lure of an additional income for the family are all reasons why these children are forced into labour at such a young age.The government has to made child labour as punishable by law. The introduction of Right to Education Act makes education compulsory and free for children in the age of 6 to 14.In-spite of all these measures taken by the Government, child labour still continues. This is because there is nobody to fight for their cause. Immediate steps must be taken by the government and other non-governmental agencies to create awareness for the need for educations. Stringent action must be taken against industry owners who employ children. I am sure that the readers rise to the occasion and each one will consider it their responsibility to save the future of our country.

                                                                                                                   Yours faithfully

                                                                                                                      Sd/-

10.     Narrate the story Vanka.

Vanka is a nine year old unhappy orphaned boy who is apprenticed under a cruel inhumane master named Alyakhin in Moscowto learn shoemaking. Vanka had no one in this world except an old grandfather who works as a night watchman in the estate of the gentlefolk called Zhivarev.The old man wanted Vanka to stand up his own leg when he grows up.So he decided to send him to Moscow.Vanka works as a child labourerdidn’ttreat well at the Alyakhin’s home.He was exploited relentlessly and assaulted brutally by them.A fed up and exhausted Vanka decides to write a letter to his dear granddad on a Christmas eve while his master and the crew were in the church,to rescue him from the clutches of the devil Alyakhin and his toil. Anyway, the poor lad reminiscences his good old days spend with his dear granddad.A merry man; hanging around the kitchen with his usual pranks, dozing,joking and doing his duty with two of his dogs.Even in the midst of hardships and miseries, his memories sweeten up his little troubled mind. He hopes that his grand dad would stay by him and the time of difficulties. He even promises him that he would take the responsibility of taking care of the old man at his weaker days.

The letter brings tears into our eyes since it is a touching and shocking revelation of how he had been badly treated by Mr.Alyakhin and his wife.He affirms that he was treated below the dignity of a dog there. There are so many instances where Vanka could no longer bear the unnatural ways of punishments they adopted to harass him.Alyakhin would prefer using a stirrup-strap to beat him and drag him by his hair.His mistress would angrily rub his face with herring.He cut the fish from the tail as against her wish.The other senior apprentices always made fun of him and forced him to fetch vodka from the tavern.He was compelled to steal the master’s cucumber and thereby endure all the consequences that would follow. Vanka always had Bread in the morning and gruel for dinner.At night Vanka was allowed to sleep in the passage and was strictly ordered to rock their baby to sleep which makes him wake up throughout the night.Vanka doesn’t wish to linger in Moscow any longer with unimaginative people and children confined to the four walls and denied and deprived of all their due joys and the bliss and freedom of their childhood.He wanted his childhood back.He had sent his hopes on his grandfather who he believes that would run to save him once the letter reaches him to save him from Alyakhin the brute.

Vanka finishes writing the last few lines in tears and hurriedly posted the letter dreaming of his immediate future and the resultant freedom,Vanka dozed off.He saw his grandfather reading his letter to his fellow mates.Story ends at a positive note of Vanka’s dream. People weren’t much reactive to this social evil.Many innocent lives had gone unnoticed; all the while their souls got tampered.The author made it a point to highlight the theme orphaned childhood and child abuse. The story was a mirror held up to show the follies of 21st century and its working class.The author takes a special delight in portraying the unknown,miserable and obscure. Vanka remains in the reader’s conscience as an unattended wailing kid'.

11.     Alyakhin is arrested. Write a newspaper report for the same.

             SHOEMAKER ARRESTED

    Moscow,28.12.17.The Anti-Human Trafficking Unit team rescued Vanka from the hands of the savage shoemaker,Alyakhin. The shoemaker was arrested on monday during a raid conducted by the team,in co -ordination with the labour officer as a part of a drive against child labour.The accused has been booked under Child Labour Act 1986.Vanka is accommodated at the Children’s Shelter Home.He will be handed over to his granddad through State Child Welfare Committee. It is said that the police is seeking court order whether to invoke Juvenile Justice Act against him.

12.     Imagine Vanka's grandfather gets the letter. He is too tensed.He writes his thoughts in his diary. Attempt his diary.

9 PM                                                                                                               Monday                    

                    What a terrible day!I received Vanka's letter today.I couldn't contain my grief.My little son,he needs me there at the earliest possible. The poor child is left with no options.Those brutes might have been torturing him for long. How cruel and inhumane they are! I have made up mind to bring this into the notice of authorities.For the time being,reaching there is my first priority.Oh! God,let my child be brave enough to endure those troubles for a couple days more.Once I reach there, I would break the skull of the master and for that lady I would forget that I had always nursed tender feelings towards women.I don’t think I can sleep well today.I am so disturbed and worried. I feel so guilty of sending Vanka to him. After all he is just nine years.I should have kept him here.I should have taken care of him.I should have sent him to school.I did a great mistake.I should correct it.Once he comes back,I will send him to school.I can’t wait a second more to leave for Moscow. Oh!God help this poor old man.

13.     Vanka’s grandfather reaches Alyakhin'shouse. Prepare a conversation between them.

Alyakhin:  Good morning Mr.Konstantin Makarich.

Grandpa:  Good morning

Alyakhin:  I am so surprised at your sudden visit.Whatyou reached here?

Grandpa:  I came for Vanka.

Alyakhin:  For Vanka? But his apprenticeship is yet to complete.

Grandpa:  I don’t bother.I want to see him right now.

Alyakhin:  Okay. But you look very troubled, aren’t you?

Grandpa:  Of course I am.Butdon’t worry;you would feel the same within a few minutes.

Alyakhin:  What do you mean?

Grandpa:  I have informed the police about your harassment to my child.

Alyakhin:  What?

Grandpa:  Police will be here within few seconds.

14.     Imagine that you are going to participate in a Debate on the topic “Are the rights of children denied everywhere?” Write some points in support of the topic. 

1.The intensity of violence exerted on children is on the rise across the world.

2.One out of six children in developing countries is forced to work.

3.Millions of children are victims of the illegal trade in organs, violence and sexual exploitation.

4.In some countries Nutritious food and Health care are denied to children.

5.Children have the right to give their opinion but adults do not listen to and take it seriously.

15.     Imagine that you are a member of Child rights movement. You happened to know about Vanka. You visit him to know his predicament. Attempt a likely conversation.

Activist:  Hello Vanka, I am a child rights activist.

Vaka:     Hello sir,what do you want?

Activist:  We have received some complaints that you are ill-treated by your master.

Vanka:   Yes, he beats me every day.

Activist:  Why does he beat you every day?

Vanka:   I don't know; I do everything he orders.

Activist:  Why don't you go back to your parents?

Vanka:   They are no more sir. My grand dad is the only relative I have.

Activist:  He can look after you,can't he?

Vanka:   No sir,he is an old man. He is very poor too.

Activist:  Don't worry, we will take you to child care home; there you will get food, accommodation and -      education.                                                                                 

Vanka:   Thank you sir.

Activist: You are welcome

VANKA ADAPTATION 

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