The Story of My Experiments with Truth · Chapter
Childhood explained
Gandhi recounts his early school years in Rajkot, his mediocrity as a student, his shyness, and his strict honesty.
What happens
Gandhi recounts his early school years in Rajkot, his mediocrity as a student, his shyness, and his strict honesty. He describes an incident where he refused to copy a spelling during an inspection, and the profound impact of the plays 'Shravana Pitribhakti Nataka' and 'Harishchandra' on his moral development.
Themes in this chapter
Truth and Self-Experimentation
Gandhi's refusal to copy the spelling during the inspection and his lifelong admiration for the truthful king Harishchandra highlight his early commitment to truth.
Education and Self-Improvement
Gandhi describes his mediocre performance but also his dedication to lessons and the moral education he derived from plays, shaping his character.
Characters to notice
- Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
The narrator, recalling his childhood experiences in Rajkot, his shyness, honesty, and the moral lessons from plays.
- Kaba Gandhi
Gandhi's father, who left Porbandar for Rajkot to join the Rajasthanik Court and purchased the book 'Shravana Pitribhakti Nataka'.
Key passages
“I do not remember having ever told a lie, during this short period, either to my teachers or to my schoolmates.”
Gandhi claims he never lied to his teachers or classmates during his early school years.
Reflects his early adherence to truthfulness.
“The teacher tried to prompt me with the point of his boot, but I would not be prompted.”
The teacher attempted to signal Gandhi to copy from a neighbor's slate, but Gandhi refused to cheat.
Illustrates his integrity despite pressure.
“To follow truth and to go through all the ordeals Harishchandra went through was the one ideal it inspired in me.”
The play 'Harishchandra' inspired Gandhi to pursue truth and endure any hardship for it.
Shows the lasting moral influence of the play on Gandhi.