Class XI

Poem: Childhood
Childhood Central Idea of the Poem
In this poem 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.

The 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.

Introduction:
Childhood is the golden period of life. A child is close to God or an angel. The reasons are obvious.
He is simple and carefree. He has not been corrupted by the wicked ways of the world. He is
innocent and lovable. It is a fashion to regret the loss of childhood.

In this very simple poem, the poet longs for the revival of childhood. He is fed up with the evil
symptoms of growing up. As the child grows in years, in body and mind, he loses his simplicity. He
starts questioning old ideas and old values. He refuses to be led by the nose, to accept the existence
of hell and heaven. Grown-ups become more and more hypocritical. They talk about the virtues of
love and brotherhood, but they don’t practise it. They think independently chiefly to disagree with
others. The poet’s search for his childhood remains futile. It is the privilege of a small child only.

Childhood Stanza Wise Explanation of the Poem

Explanation: 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 realised that the concepts of
Hell and Heaven, about which he had been taught since “his childhood, did not exist in reality.
Geography textbooks did not give the location of any such places. The poet realises that he might
have lost his childhood when he gained his rational outlook due to getting educated.

Stanza 2
When did my childhood go?
Was it the time I realised that adults were not all they seemed to be,
They talked of love and preached of love,
But did not act so lovingly,
Was that the day!
Explanation in this Stanza, the poet reflects that maybe 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 behaviour was a far
cry from the love they sermonised about and advocated so reverently to the child. Perhaps, says the
poet, recognising broken trust was a major step towards adulthood.

Stanza 3
When did my childhood go?
Was it when I found my mind was really mine,
To use whichever way I choose,
Producing thoughts that were not those of other
people, But my own, and mine alone
Was that the day!

Explanation: 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 realised 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 realised that this might
have been the time when he lost his childhood innocence completely.

Stanza 4
Where did my childhood go?
It went to some forgotten place,
That’s hidden in an infant’s face,
That’s all I know.

Explanation: 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.

Extra Questions – Childhood

Ans. The theme of the poem is the process of growing up, from childhood to adulthood. The
childhood, the heavenly period of innocence, lasts until one becomes a teenager. This transition
brings about a radical change in one’s physique and understanding.

2. What loss does the poet Markus Natten regret? What does he speculate?

Ans. Natten regrets the loss of his childhood, his childlike purity and innocence. He wonders where
he lost it, perhaps when he crossed eleven and developed a questioning attitude. Now he realised
that heaven and hell were imaginary things. He also noticed that grown-ups were blatant liars. They
talked of love but practised hatred. Finally, he started thinking freely and differently from others.
3- Bring out the hypocrisy that the adults exhibit with regard to love.

Ans. As the poet grew up he could make out the double standards of the adults. He realised that
though adults preached of love and talked of love, their behaviour was totally different and full of
manipulation. They were all hypocrites who behaved differently from the way they talked.

4- What did the poet notice about independent thinking? How important was this discovery?

Ans. The poet discovered that he was different from others and could think independently. He could
have his own opinions without getting influenced by anyone else. This discovery was very important
to him as it revealed to him his abilities for independent thinking and decision taking.

5- According to Markus Natten, when does the child become an adult?

Ans. Becoming an adult is a complex process which is associated with physical, mental and social
development. A child becomes an adult when he is able to live his own life and takes care of his
responsibilities individually. He also develops his own thought process, using which he can form his
own beliefs and opinions.

6- The poet has discussed two stages of life — childhood and adulthood. How do we
differentiate one from another ?

Ans. Childhood has been considered by the poet as a blissful period in one’s life, where a child trusts
everyone. Adulthood is marked by rational and creative thoughts, ability to perceive and
differentiate and learn new things. In this stage of life one also learns to be double faced and crafty.

7. The poem ‘Childhood’ exposes man and presents him in his true colours. All adjectives
displaying negative qualities are not enough for such a man. This poem very innocently goads him
to his real self. Explain.

Ans. Childhood symbolises innocence, purity, softness and love. As a child grows, these qualities
start receding. Man becomes impure, cunning, shrewd, and a hypocrite. Grown-ups become blatant
liars. They talk of love but practise hatred. They preach brotherhood and mankind but perpetuate
hatred and killing. Simplicity and honesty evaporate into thin air the moment man crosses the
threshold of innocent childhood.

Every effort should be made to revive that innocence of childhood. Every step should be taken to fill
the vacuum created by the greed and selfishness of man with the warmth of the innocence and
laughter of a child. There would be less hatred and more peace everywhere if a man starts practising
what he preaches. It can happen if a man brings forth his true noble qualities to the fore. Layers of
hatred have covered the purity and innocence of man. If a man removes this facade, the world
would become a better place to live in.

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