Bheela’s Blog-010
23 January 2021
Episode 9 Recap
A strong desire to study in a school took Oshin to follow the school going kids. She is mesmerized to see the children learning in a classroom as she watches them standing outside the classroom window.
The Teacher of the school sees her and inquires about Oshin. He has come to the Lumber Mill Owner, Oshin’s employer’s home.
Episode 10
FLASHBACK CONTINUES
As Oshin watches Mr. Matsuda, the Teacher at the local elementary school, going towards the living room, she hides outside near the timber storage area. Naka, the worker, sees her and asks her to move away as the place is not safe with all the timber logs lying around.
Oshin tells him about the visit of the school teacher. She fears that the Teacher will complete about her as she went to his school in the morning.
Naka was curious to know why Oshin had to go and see the school? Oshin tells him that she has requested the Teacher not to complain about her. She has already apologized to him with a promise not to do so again.
The Teacher meets up with the Master and his wife. He informs them that Oshin was peeping into his classroom. The mistress says sorry and tells the Teacher that she will speak to Oshin.
The Teacher then clarifies his reason for meeting them. He tells them that Oshin must attend school as she is 7 now. He requested them to allow Oshin to do so. The mistress is taken aback. Then the Teacher further explains that Primary education is now compulsory as per law.
(Japan was in the Meiji era at that time. A law was declared in the late 1800s regarding child education. The current constitution of Japan includes all provisions of the right to education. More about Japanese laws about educational rights are available on the website https://www.britannica.com/topic/education/Japan. This website also covers the historical progress of Japan’s education system)
The Teacher explains that all guardians must respect the child’s right to education. Mistress is not convinced. Oshin is just an employee; she has the responsibility of babysitting. The Teacher does not give up and insists on Oshin’s entitlement to an education. So, he requests the Master and his wife to consider his suggestion. He tells them that Oshin is not just curious; she actually is very keen. Mistress is now getting worried; she says that Oshin needs to do babysitting, which is her primary duty as an employee. The Teacher says he will not mind if she carries the baby to the school with her. The Teacher is from a village with several siblings. He had taken his little brother to school himself as a child and could receive an education.
Mistress is now confused that if they don’t send Oshin to the school, they might be defaulting on the law of educational rights of a child. The Teacher requests them to encourage the child to learn.
The Master, the father of the baby, was quietly listening all this while. He is now fully convinced of the Teacher’s arguments. He decides that Oshin will go to school as the Teacher is ready to allow Oshin while the baby is with her. The Master assures the Teacher that they will send Oshin to school.
His wife protests, but he has taken his decision. He feels as an employer, they have to see that Oshin gets educated. He tells his wife that anyway, while babysitting, Oshin only plays with the baby, so this time can be well utilized at school. The Teacher thanks the Master profusely.
A worker looks for Oshin and tells her that Master is calling her. Naka also fears for her; he offers to go inside with her. Oshin refuses and says that it is her own fault and she is ready to face the consequence. Naka advises her to keep her head bowed downwards.
(We observe the strength of Oshin’s character; she owns up results of her actions without taking anyone’s help)
Naka feels for her that there was hardly any fault just to see the school. He is upset that how much the owners can mistreat a child.
She enters the living rooms and begins to apologize again for going to school unauthorized. Master, in a cheerful tone, tells her that they did not call her to apologize. The Teacher informs Oshin that Master has permitted Oshin to go to school! The Teacher also introduces himself formally and asks Oshin to join the school from the next day. He promises to provide Oshin with some used textbooks, slates, and chalk for Oshin to use. ‘You need not worry about anything,’ he says with affection.
Master also asks Oshin to obey the Teacher and study hard.
Finally, we see a broad smile on Oshin’s face. She is so happy and runs outside to tell Naka the excellent news. Naka is surprised that they did not yell at Oshin. Oshin is on cloud nine! She is happy to be employed here as the Master is such a nice man to have allowed her schooling.
She also climbs a wall, looks towards the north, towards her village, and shouts at the top of her voice, “Mama, Mama!! I will be going to school!!” She had to share this good news with her mother as she knows that her mother wanted Oshin to be in school so desperately.
Her short break is over. She starts helping in the kitchen as the mistress is feeding the baby. Otsune declares that this is a wrong decision to let Oshin go to school. Oshin is employed for babysitting, and she must focus on that. In a feeble voice, the mistress informs that her husband has already decided to send Oshin to school. This decision cannot be changed. Otsune reminds the mistress that Oshin is not just babysitting; she has other duties too. Oshin is cheerful, and she replies that she will still be helping in the kitchen and will continue to clean the soiled clothes.
Otsune shuts her up. She shouts that Oshin is not here to go to school; instead, she is employed to do the job. The mistress then interrupts her and tells her to stop this discussion. It has been decided by her husband that Oshin will indeed attend school.
Otsune takes this personally. She says Oshin has overstepped her place as an employee. She says, ‘As Oshin will spend less time at work, she will get less to eat.’ She asks Oshin if she understands what it means to go without a meal? Will she still be interested in school? Oshin replies a positive affirmative “yes” without hesitation. Otsune is surprised, and with wounded pride, she tells Oshin that she can do as she pleases! She also curses Oshin calling her ‘unlovable child.’
The mistress talks to Otsune to be considerate towards Oshin. She asks Otsune to help her, now that it has already been decided about her schooling. Otsune reminds the mistress that she is the one who is responsible for all the staff, and she will handle Oshin her way. Otsune thinks that Oshin wants to go to school to avoid the work assigned to her. She also says that Oshin just wants to loaf. She now oversteps herself, saying that the Master is a kind man. Still, he should not be extra considerate with his employees.
She again clarifies that she is mean to Oshin, not because of hate, but because she wants to make sure Oshin understands that the world and work-life are not a bed of roses. The mistress chooses to stop a further argument with such a stubborn woman.
Oshin continues to do household work and thinks that she does not care if she has to go hungry. She decides that no matter what, she will not give up so easily.
The next morning, Oshin is ready to go to school with the baby on her back. The mistress asks her to be careful and sees her off. Oshin says bye-bye to everyone she sees on her way. The supervisor, the lumber mill workers are all surprised to see her so happy.
The Teacher introduces Oshin to the class. He tells the kids that she will attend the class while she babysits. She will bring the baby to the classroom, and all of them should help her learn together.
Oshin thanks all the kids and also introduces the baby. The baby’s name is Take-bo (formal name is Takeshi).
(In the Japanese language, ‘Bo’ is a suffix to young baby boys’ name lovingly. ‘Chan’ is also added to kids’ names, generally for girls. We have heard Naka calling Oshin’ Oshin-chan’. ‘San’ is added while addressing grown-ups, like ‘sir’ in English or ‘Ji’ in Hindi)
The Teacher assigns a desk for Oshin at the back, and he also puts a mat on the floor for changing diapers. The Teacher suggests putting the baby down on the mat. Oshin says that if she puts him down, he starts crying, so it would be better if she continues carrying him.
Oshin has brought some books wrapped in a cloth, and she opens them. The Teacher writes 5+6 = … on the board and asks Oshin to solve using blocks for learning additions.
The Teacher asks her to come up to the blackboard to solve. Oshin replies ‘hei’ and the kids start to laugh at her village accent. The Teacher is kind, and he corrects Oshin that she has to say ‘hai’ and not ‘hei’ at school.
As soon as Oshin starts to solve with blocks, the baby has soiled his clothes. Oshin stops and goes to the end of the class to change the diaper. All the kids close their noses as the baby smells a lot. As the kids start making noise, the Teacher brings some order. Oshin goes towards the classroom’s backside, where the Teacher kept a mat for changing the baby’s diapers. She changes the diaper and plays with the baby while repeating whatever is being taught in the class.
It is lunchtime, all the workers at the lumber mill have lined up for taking their lunch. Otsune has barred Oshin’s lunch, so Oshin does not show up. Otsune waits and looks up for Oshin, this makes her upset, and she concludes that Oshin is so stubborn.
During lunchtime, Oshin goes to the Mogami river to wash the diapers. She then dries the diapers on a wooden bamboo.
(Those days, there were no disposable diapers. Used soft cloths were cut in shape and stitched with a loop to make nappies. In India, too, many families prefer to use homemade diapers instead of the disposable ones)
As she is drying the diaper cloths, Naka comes to talk to her. He wants to know from Oshin if going to school is so important that she is ready to forgo her lunch? He tries to tell her that she will soon fall sick without eating her lunch. Oshin replies that as she is allowed to attend a school that others are not, she does not mind not taking lunch. Naka is puzzled that school is so crucial to Oshin.
Naka wants to talk to Otsune to let Oshin have her lunch, but Oshin asks her not to. This will result in Otsune getting upset with Naka as well Oshin will have to bear the brunt of taking the help of Naka.
(Oshin is already so wise at that young age. The circumstance can easily take away the innocence of a child.)
The Teacher, Mr. Matsuda, teaches Oshin alphabets after the kids go home. He wants Oshin to catch up with the class. As Oshin learns and repeats the string of vowels and consonants in a sing-song tune, the baby falls asleep with the sounds’ rhythm. Oshin, too, begins to learn and practice hard.
By the time she finishes, Oshin is so hungry as she does not take her lunch; she wants to reach home fast. She often feels weak without lunch. She passes a sweet shop and looks at the coin her grandma had given her. She thinks of using the money, but her better sense prevails. She remembers her grandma and keeps the coin back safely in a pouch inside her dress pocket. She decides to go hungry rather than spending grandma’s gift, which was so precious to grandma.
She goes to the river bank and practices the alphabet by chanting them with her face towards the north, thinking her mother will listen to her voice.
Will Oshin be able to continue without lunch? Will the coin which she kept so carefully put her into any trouble?
Episode 11 is coming soon, and we will know…