Back to: Kerala Board Class 7th English Guide and Notes
Table of Contents
Introduction
The Boy and the Balloon is a short script adapted from the movie ‘The Red Balloon.’ It shows the blossoming of an unlikely bond between a boy and a balloon.
The Red Thing with a String
The scene begins with a seven-year-old boy walking down a street and petting a dog. While climbing down a set of steps, a big red balloon on the lamp post catches his eye and he puts down the bag and quickly climbs the post. He walks down the steps with the balloon thread between his teeth and the bag in his right hand. The story then switches to the next scene where he walks along a street with the balloon in one hand and the bag in the other. This amuses an old lady watching him, however contradictory to this when he attempts to board a bus, the conductor blocks the boy from entering by pointing to the balloon in his hand. Disappointed he runs all the way to school.
Once at school, he requests a sweeper to hold his balloon while he attends class. The sweeper, a kind man accepts his request. On the upper floor of the building, a teacher comes at the window. He observes the boy and the sweeper and makes a note in his book. When the school finishes all the children rush out eager to go home. Before the school door, a woman is waiting with an umbrella.
One of the boys takes her hand and they walk away. After a few moments, the boy with the balloon emerges and dashes down the pouring street. To protect his balloon from the rain not wanting it to get wet, the boy walks with an old man sharing his umbrella.
Not Letting it Wet
The umbrella was inadequate to protect the three of them. So, the boy steps out of the umbrella’s shelter and places the balloon beneath it. The boy was drenched, but the balloon was safe. Once the man reaches his destination, the boy begins searching for another stranger with an umbrella.
The boy then approaches a woman who is carrying an umbrella. He walks alongside her, holding the balloon under her umbrella. He then walks with two nuns holding umbrellas. He is allowed to hold the balloon under her cover by one of them. He next walks with a man, holding the balloon beneath his umbrella. A group of mounted soldiers passes by as the child looks on. The group’s last soldier, intrigued, turns to look at the boy.
When the boy reaches home his mother disapproves of him bringing the balloon and throws the balloon out of the window. The balloon floats but never disappears. The boy walks out onto the balcony, opens the window, and grabs the balloon’s string. He then takes it inside and closes the window. The next morning the boy opens the window of his house and releases the balloon into the air.
He trains the balloon to follow his orders. The balloon follows him, ever staying out of reach of the boy. The small boy descends a set of stairs. A black dog at the foot of the stairs starts barking when it sees the balloon in the final scene. The dog tries to catch it by jumping up. The balloon escapes the dog.
Conclusion
The story is a short adaptation and revolves around simple yet thought-provoking scenes. While some characters support the boy’s attachment to the balloon, some oppose it. The story shows how a lonely little boy bonds with a balloon.
