"We Too are Human Beings" is the ninth and final chapter of the Vistas textbook for Class 12 English. Written by Bama (Faustina Mary Fatima Rani), a celebrated Tamil Dalit feminist writer, the chapter is an autobiographical memoir recounting a formative childhood experience of caste discrimination. It is taken from her acclaimed memoir "Karukku" (1992), a landmark work of Dalit literature that documents the daily humiliations and resilience of Dalit communities in Tamil Nadu.
The chapter opens with a vivid memory from Bama's childhood, when she was about ten or eleven years old. Walking home from school, she saw an elderly man from her community carrying a packet of vadai (a savoury snack). The man was holding the packet by its string, at a distance from his body, in a peculiar way that struck the young Bama as comical. She laughed at the sight, unaware of the tragic meaning behind the old man's gesture.
Bama soon learned the bitter truth from her elder brother. The old man was a Dalit, an "untouchable," who was forced to carry his food this way so that it would not pollute the upper-caste people he might brush against. The revelation shocked and angered Bama. Her brother urged her to study hard so that she could rise above caste discrimination and command respect. That moment of awakening became the foundation of Bama's lifelong commitment to the struggle for Dalit dignity and equality.
Bama, born Faustina Mary Fatima Rani in 1958, is a Tamil Dalit feminist writer and a former nun. She is one of the most important voices in contemporary Indian Dalit literature. Her memoir "Karukku" (1992), meaning a palmyra leaf whose serrated edges cut, is a pioneering work that combines autobiography, social critique, and religious reflection. Bama's writing is marked by its unflinching honesty, its sharp indictment of caste oppression, and its celebration of Dalit culture and resilience. She has written several acclaimed works, including "Sangati" and "Vanmam," and her writings have been widely translated. "We Too are Human Beings" captures the moment of awakening that shaped her lifelong struggle against caste injustice.
The chapter opens with Bama's memory of a day when she was walking home from school, around the age of ten or eleven. As she crossed a street, she saw an elderly man from her community coming towards her, carrying a packet of vadai. The man was holding the packet by its string, keeping it away from his body, in a manner that appeared strange and amusing to the young girl. Bama burst out laughing at the sight, unaware of the painful significance of the old man's gesture.
When Bama reached home, she told her elder brother about the funny sight. Instead of laughing, her brother became serious and explained the truth: the old man was an "untouchable" (a Dalit). He had to carry the food at a distance from his body so that, if his clothing or body accidentally touched an upper-caste person, that person would not be "polluted" by his touch. The packet of vadai had to be held away so that the upper-caste people would not have to take it from his hands directly.
Bama was deeply shocked and pained by this revelation. She felt a burning anger at the injustice her people had to endure every day — the humiliation of being treated as less than human, of having to keep their distance, of being "untouchable." Her brother then gave her a crucial piece of advice: study hard, work diligently, and excel in life. Education, he said, was the way to rise above the caste discrimination and gain the respect of society.
This moment of awakening transformed Bama. She understood that the path to dignity lay not in anger alone but in achievement and self-respect. The chapter ends with Bama's determination to work hard and prove that her people, too, are human beings worthy of respect. The experience shaped her identity and her lifelong struggle for Dalit rights.
The narrator, a young Tamil Dalit girl of about ten or eleven. She is innocent, observant, and full of curiosity. Her laughter at the old man's gesture gives way to shock and anger as she learns the truth about caste discrimination, and finally to a firm resolve to overcome it through education.
The wise and caring elder brother who explains the meaning of the old man's actions. He counsels Bama not to respond with mere anger but to fight caste discrimination through hard work and education. He represents the awakening of Dalit consciousness and the belief in education as a tool of liberation.
An old Dalit man seen carrying the packet of vadai in the traditional "safe" manner. His habitual, silent submission to the caste rules symbolises the daily humiliations suffered by Dalits and the dehumanising weight of the caste system.
Though not individually described, they represent the system of caste that enforces untouchability and treats a whole community as polluting and inferior.
The central theme of the chapter is caste discrimination and untouchability. Bama's memoir exposes the daily humiliations imposed on Dalits by the caste system, where even carrying food becomes an act charged with fear of pollution. A related theme is the awakening of consciousness: a child's innocent laughter turns into a bitter awareness of injustice, a moment that becomes the seed of lifelong resistance.
The chapter also explores the theme of education as liberation: Bama's brother tells her that study and hard work are the means to rise above caste and gain respect. Another theme is the dignity and humanity of Dalits: the title "We Too are Human Beings" is a powerful assertion of the full humanity of a people denied it by society. Finally, the chapter reflects on the theme of resilience and self-respect: Bama's anger is channelled into determination and achievement, showing how consciousness can become the foundation of social change.
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Author | Bama (Faustina Mary Fatima Rani) |
| Source | "Karukku" (1992) |
| Setting | A village in Tamil Nadu |
| Age of the narrator | About ten or eleven |
| Central incident | The old man carrying vadai |
| The awakening | Learning about untouchability |
| Element | Significance |
|---|---|
| The packet of vadai | Symbol of caste humiliation |
| The manner of carrying | Fear of pollution and untouchability |
| The elder brother | Awakening of consciousness and wisdom |
| Education | The weapon against caste discrimination |
| The title | Assertion of Dalit humanity |
"We Too are Human Beings" is a powerful and deeply moving memoir that exposes the daily humiliations of caste discrimination through the eyes of a child. Bama's recollection of the old man carrying his packet of vadai at a distance, and the painful revelation of its meaning, captures the insidious cruelty of untouchability — a system that governs even the smallest acts of everyday life. The young Bama's laughter gives way to shock and anger as she realises the injustice her people endure.
Yet the memoir is ultimately a story of awakening and hope. Bama's brother channels her anger into a constructive path — the path of education and achievement — teaching her that the way to claim dignity is through excellence and self-respect. The title "We Too are Human Beings" is a bold and defiant assertion of the full humanity of Dalits. The chapter is a timeless reminder that discrimination dehumanises both its victims and its society, and that the struggle for dignity, through education and courage, is the path to true justice.