Childhood Summary in simple language Class 11 -

CHILDHOOD SUMMARY

Childhood Summary/Explanation With Expected Question & Answers | Class 11 | CBSE | AHSEC

About the Poem Childhood

In this childhood summary, the poet thinks deeply over the question of his lost childhood. Childhood is a stage of innocence in which the child believes others and loves unconditionally. The poet has tried to identify some stages of his life when his thoughts and perceptions of the world changed. The poem describes the first step to maturity or loss of childhood when one is able to think logically and rationally. Forming one’s own opinion and not getting influenced by others is also a sign of maturity or loss of childhood.

childhood summary – poem also hints at the hypocrisy prevalent in our society, where people pretend to be nice to each other but in reality, they do not like each other.

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Stanza-wise Explanation Of The Poem Childhood Summary

Stanza -I childhood summary

The poet wonders when he lost his childhood. He reflects that perhaps it was the day when he crossed the age of eleven. Maybe it was the stage when he realized that the concepts of Hell and Heaven, about which he had been taught since his childhood, did not exist in reality. The Geography textbook did not give the location of any such places. The poet realizes that he might have lost his childhood when he gained his rational outlook due to getting educated.

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Stanza -II childhood summary

In this stanza, the poet reflects that may be the loss of childhood occurred when he was able to see through the hypocrisy of adults. These people followed double standards, actually following and preaching different standards of behaviour. They told the poet to be loving and caring; however, they themselves were argumentative, violent and discourteous. Their behavior was a far cry from the love they sermonized about and advocated so reverently to the child. Perhaps, says the poet, recognizing broken trust was a major step towards adulthood.

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Stanza -III Explanation childhood summary

The poet asks the same question again and again but with different options. He is trying to guess when he actually lost his childhood. Perhaps, it was the day when he realized that his mind could think independently, forming his own opinions and being able to take his own decisions.

He gained a sense of individuality, which set him free from the preconceived opinions of others. His own individual opinions and experiences shape his thoughts now and he realized that this might have been the time when he lost his childhood innocence completely.

Stanza -IV Explanation childhood summary

In this stanza, the poet changes his question. The poet now wonders where his childhood has gone. He reflects that may be his childhood has gone to an unremembered place.

The poet also says that childhood can be found in the innocent face of a child who does not have any pretensions and rationality and who trusts others unconditionally. In other words, a small child is full of innocence and there one can find one’s own childhood.

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Question-Answers of childhood

1. Why is the age of eleven so important for the poet? 2016

Ans. The age of eleven is a critical age. Below this age, a person is counted as a child and after it, he becomes an adolescent. At the age of eleven, the poet was able to differentiate between fact and fiction, truth and imaginary speculation. He realizes that ‘hell’ and ‘haven’ are merely an imaginary concept.

2. In the poem ‘childhood’ the poet asks two questions – one is about the time and the other about the place. Why does he ask these questions? [2015]

Ans. In the poem “childhood” the poet asks questions about the time and the place. He does so because a child is innocent and simple minded without being aware of time and place. But with the passage of time, the confirmation with the world’s hypocrisy fainted the child’s innocence. He becomes aware of time and place. Even though these questions, he wants to express his inability to trace back his childhood.

3. What according to the poet involved in the process of growing up?[2015] 2017

Ans. The process of growing up involves different stages of realization and exploration of one’s own self. The innocence and childhood are turned to rational thinking. The Belief of childhood disappears and he starts believing only his own thoughts, mind and brain. His belief in god weakens, he refuses to believe in anything devoid of proof. He understands that hell and haven do not exist. He becomes rational and is not influenced by others. But at the same time, he laments of his childhood.

4. What is the poet’s feeling of childhood? 2011 2018

Ans. According to the poet, childhood is a very happy period in everyone’s life. Childhood is free from all complexities and evils of this material world. As one grows up, he loses all his simplicity and learns about wordily matters like haven hell and the adult world. A child is unable to think of his presence as different from others, he is never selfish and hostile to anyone. Therefore, the poet feels nostalgic about his childhood.

5. When did the poet realize he had lost his childhood?

Ans. According to the poet, he lost his childhood at the age of eleven. At this age, he realizes many things and started to think on his own. He was able to differentiate between fact and fiction, truth and imaginary concepts. He realized that hell and heaven are merely an imaginary concept with no geographical existence.

6. What is the poet’s opinion about the hypocrisy of the adults? 2012

Ans. As the poet gre3w up, he realized that the grown-ups are not as good as they appear to be. He realized that all the adults were selfish and hypocrites. They talk and preach of love to their children but do not practice by themselves.

7. How does the poet get an answer to the question “Where did my childhood go”?

Ans. It seems that the poet has got the final answer. The poet here says that his childhood has gone to some forgotten place. The place is said to hidden is an infant’s face and as he grew up he realized that it is lost and forgotten.

8. What idea does the poet want to convey when he says that his childhood is hidden is an infant’s face?

Ans. When the poet says that his childhood is hidden in an infant’s face, he wants to talk about the innocence which is now lost somewhere. As he grew up, he lost his innocence and began to reason and think. He slowly became like other adults who only love and preached for their own gain. He does not mean what he says. He becomes egoistic and thinks only for himself.

9. According to the poet what could not be found in geography textbooks in the poem ‘Childhood’? 2011

What did the poet Markus Natten realize about Hell and Heaven when he was a child?

Ans: At this age, he realizes many things and started to think on his own. He was able to differentiate between fact and fiction, truth and imaginary concepts. He realized that hell and heaven are merely an imaginary concept. It cannot be found in geography textbooks

Santosh Kumar Sah

My name is Santosh Kumar Sah. I am a CA-Finalist as well as a faculty at Dynamic Tutorials and Services. I reside in Tinsukia (ASSAM). I have more than 5 years of experience in teaching. I have written “Alternative English Guide Book for Class 12 -AHSEC” And ” English Guide Book For Class 12-AHSEC”.I love writing that is why i created this blog to help students by providing notes.