Memories of Childhood

Both accounts share the theme of oppression and the loss of dignity experienced by children from marginalised communities. In both stories, the girls become aware of unfair treatment in different social systems: Zitkala-Sa faces cultural oppression in a boarding school that tries to suppress Native American identity, while Bama faces caste-based discrimination in everyday life. Both narratives also show a growing sense of resistance and a desire to assert one’s self-respect.

Yes, I agree. Children may not understand injustice fully at first, but they can notice humiliation, inequality, and unfair rules very clearly. In the chapter, Zitkala-Sa feels the cruelty of having her hair cut, and Bama feels anger when she learns why the elder must carry food in a humiliating way. These experiences show that children sense oppression early, and such experiences can plant the seeds of rebellion and a wish for dignity.