Children at Work Summary & Notes - CBSE Class 8 English It So Happened

Summary of Children at Work

Chapter 2 of Class 8 English Supplementary Reader – It So Happened, consists of prose – Children At Work, which is about a young boy, Velu, who runs away from his house to lead a better life but ends up becoming a ragpicker. So, does his life change for good later? Read the prose summary of CBSE Class 8 English Prose Notes – Children At Work in CBSE English Notes Class 8 format here to find out what happens next! We hope this summary will help students get a solid understanding of the chapter and prepare for their exam accordingly.

Students can also improve their writing section for the English exam by practising essays on various topics.

CBSE Class 8 English Children at Work Summary

Children At Work is a story that revolves around a young eleven-year-old boy named Velu. He ran away from home as his father was a drunkard who used to snatch away all his money and beat him regularly. Fed up with his father’s abusive behaviour, he left home and roamed around his town until he boarded the Kanyakumari Express. He boarded the train without any ticket as he had no money with him. Luckily, the ticket collector didn’t check on him for travelling on the train without a ticket.

Soon, he reached Chennai Central Station. Velu was surprised to see so many people in the railway station who were in a hurry. When he got down from the train, he was amazed to hear announcements that were made on the loudspeaker. He travelled in an unreserved coach where people were screaming and playing cards. He was unable to sleep and was feeling weak due to hunger. He was also feeling lonely in the midst of strangers, so he sat on a bench. He literally felt lost in the midst of a huge crowd.

Suddenly, a little girl named Jaya approached him and talked to him. She was a ragpicker who was dressed shabbily. He was initially hesitant to talk to her, but when she told him that she could arrange some food for him to eat, he went along with her helplessly. Besides, she helped him cross the busy streets jammed with big vehicles as Velu was afraid to see so many vehicles on the street all at once. Jaya also warned him to never get caught by the police when they passed by the Central Jail.

In search of food, they finally arrived at a marriage hall. Jaya went towards the garbage bin and picked two bananas and a vada thrown in a pile. She offered it to Velu to eat, but he was hesitant to consume food that was thrown in the garbage bin. Nonetheless, he was too hungry and was left with no other option but to eat a banana and a vada. Jaya just ate a banana, and thereafter, she took him to her house. She used to stay in a slum house that was made of waste materials such as plastic sheets, old tires and broken bricks.

Soon, Jaya gave a sack to Velu and asked him to help her in collecting the scrap articles. She told him that after collecting enough scrap, she would then sell it to the scrapper, who would thereafter sell it to the factories. Thus, Velu became a ragpicker too. However, he decided that when he found a better job, he would quit this rag-picking job forever.

Conclusion of Children at Work

The chapter – Children At Work teaches students that we should be careful while behaving with children and should not ill-treat them; otherwise, they may be compelled to undertake extreme steps in unforeseen circumstances. Presenting the CBSE Class 8 English, It So Happened Prose Summary of Children At Work that will help 8th standard students to have an in-depth understanding of the chapter.

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