81. Childhood(15)(HS1st Yr)
1. Who was Markus Natten?
A:- Markus Natten is a Norwegian poet. This poem describes about childhood which human being goes though. The poet thinks about his passed childhood. It has become like a memory. The poet is surprised to see that it passed away so soon.
2. Give the summary of the poem.
A: The poem Childhood is written by Markus Natten. Natten was born in Norway
The poet thinks about the passed childhood. It has become like a memory. The poet is surprised to see that it passed away so soon. He thinks if his childhood ended at eleven years of age. He is doubtful if childhood got lost from the moment when he started realizing that Hell and Heaven are different from geography. Hell and Heaven are not visible. Where as geography is a visible subject. That was the time when the poet started to gather knowledge about religion and other branches of studies.
The poet is not able to pick out the exact moment of his lost childhood. He tries to see if it was the time when started to realize if adults were different than the children. It is the time when the child started to realize that adults develop different identities. The adults talk of love. But in truth they did not act so. It is hypocrisy.
The poet thinks if he lost the childhood when he found that his mind was really his. Man is the owner of his own mind. It is described as rationality that is, man can think about himself. Man is the owner of his own thoughts.
The poet is continuously thinking about his lost childhood. He thinks that his childhood roams between memories of places known to the infant. This reminds of the Christian concept of the soul knowing its past, spent in the company of the Almighty before taking birth.
The poem talks about a nostalgic theme of childhood. It has themes of memory, religion, time and identity.
It is divided into four stanzas. It is written in simple language.
3. What are the meanings of the following words:-
A:- Infant – baby
Preach – teach or propagate
Cease - stop
4. “They talked by love and preached love/But did not act so loving/Was that the day!”
(a) Who are “they” in these lines?
Ans- “They” refers to the adults
(b) What do we learn about them?
Ans- We learn that the adults do not practice love which they preach to the younger generation as something valuable. They are nearly hypocrites.
5. Describe the poet’s feeling of childhood.
Ans- The poet regrets that his childhood is gone and over. But, he is unable to recall the last moment of his childhood. In the poem “Childhood” he keeps on contemplating
Upon the exact moment, if he lost it when he was just eleven years old. Or, when he developed rational thinking and realized that adults are hypocrites. Or, it was the day when he thought that he has achieved his individualty.
6. According to the poet what could not be found in Geography textbooks.
Ans- To the poet, the map of the Hell or Heaven could not be found in Geography textbooks.
7. What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?
Ans- The poet reflects that in the process of growing up, one gets involved with hypocritical identity. We also develop the ability to have our own thoughts. Again, we also develop the realize what is right and what is wrong.
8. Why is the age of eleven so important for the poet?
Ans- The age of eleven is very important to the poet, because he thinks that this time at eleven could have been the last moment of his bygone childhood. It was the time when he realized that there is a life around him which is more visible than the far-flung Hell or Heaven. He has just come out of the religious descriptions of life.
9. What is the central theme of the poem?
Ans- The central theme of the poem is all about lost childhood. The poet perhaps feels that ever since he is out of childhood, he is not feeling anymore cozy.
10. What does the child observe in the behaviour of adults?
Ans- The child observes that the adults are quite hypocrites. Although, they teach the value of love, but they themselves rarely practice it. The adults live dual-valued lives.
11. What is the poet’s view on the hypocrisy of adults?
Ans- The poet, regrets upon the hypocrisy of adults. There is a sense of sadness seen in the expression of the poet.
12. “When did my childhood go?
Was it when I found my mind was really mine
To use whichever may I choose
Producing thoughts that were not those of other people.”
(a) What did the poet realize about his mind?
Ans- The poet realized that the mind is unique. The thoughts that the mind produces does not match with any second being. The thoughts of each person are creatively new.
(b) How is independent thinking a way towards adulthood?
Ans- Independent thinking is a way towards adulthood. When we think like this, we are no more under the tutored direction of our parents or other acquaintances. We show signs of being adults, the moment we begin independent thoughts.
(c) What is the poet trying to convey through these lines?
Ans- Through the above mentioned lines, the poet is trying to convey that, independent thought productions are quite natural in each human. Also, it is sign of stepping into the world of adults. The poet is now capable to chose his own way of life by himself.
13. “When did my childhood go?
Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven
Could not be found in Geography.”
(i) What is the question that disturbs the poet?
Ans- The question that disturbs the poet is related to the exact moment of his loss of childhood.
(ii) Why does the poet mention the age of eleven?
Ans- The poet guesses that the time and age of eleven could have been the last moment when he lost the simple childhood.
14. What does he realize of Heaven and Hell?
Ans- The poet realizes that Heaven and Hell are not immediately visible to us, as Geography. Geography is also a common subject offered in institutions. Whereas, religion is something more private.
15. Which word in the above stanza means “stopped”?
Ans- The word equivalent to “stopped” is ceased.