Childhood 1 mark What according to the poem, is involved in the process of growing up?

The poet feels that in order to grow up, an individual has to lose his childhood. The gains of growing up are the understanding, ability to gain an identity of ones own and power to rationalize etc. 2 marks Identify the stanza that talks of each of the following: Individuality 3rd stanza !ationalism " 1st stanza #ypocrisy " 2nd stanza What is the poet$s feeling towards childhood? The poet does not appear to feel sad or upset at the loss of his childhood. He only seems to be puzzled at the disappearance of childhood and the arrival of adulthood. He e presses his confusion when he as!s the "uestions #$hen and #$here did my childhood go% Which, do you think are the most poetic lines? Why? The lines that appear to be the most poetic are #&t went to some forgotten place Thats hidden in an infants face, Thats all & !now These lines sum up beautifully the process of growth and the disappearance of a particular stage of life. These lines e press metaphorically that an infants innocent face hides many things behind its smiles. 'erhaps the childhood also lies hidden somewhere in the childs consciousness. What did the speaker learn a%out the e&istence of #eaven and #ell? The spea!er learnt about the e istence of Heaven and Hell when he ceased to be eleven and realised that these places do not e ist in (eography and hence one could not locate them e actly at some place. #ow did the speaker realise the hypocrisy of the adults? The spea!er realised the hypocrisy of the adults when he saw that the adults did not practise what they preached. The tal! of love that they indulged in was only superficial. #ow did the realisation of %eing the master of his own mind helped him? The realisation of being the master of his own mind helped him when he could now choose to use his mind whichever way he wanted. He could produce thoughts that were his own and not governed by other people. #ow does the speaker find the %ehaviour of adults contradictory? The spea!er finds a contradiction in the behaviour of the adults because they preached something else and practised something different. They tal!ed of love

but did not act lovingly. This puzzles the spea!er and he is able to comprehend the hypocrisy in the adults attitude. What did the poet realize on a particular day when he talks a%out his mind? The poet tal!s about his mind on the day he realised that he was the master of his own mind. He could control his own thoughts and not be governed by anyone. 'oes the poet use a consistent rhyme scheme in all the stanzas? )o, the poet uses a varied rhyme scheme which is different in all the stanzas. What is the implication of the line ()hat$s hidden in an infant$s face$? The poet uses the metaphorical e pression to sum up the idea that a particular stage of life disappears when the transition from childhood to adulthood starts. The innocent face of an infant hides a lot of things behind his smiles. 'erhaps the childhood also lies hidden somewhere in the childs consciousness. * marks When did my childhood go? Was it the day I ceased to %e eleven, Was it the time I realized that #ell and #eaven, Could not %e found in +eography ,nd therefore could not %e, Was that the daya. /ame the poem and the poet0 The poem is #*hildhood and the poet is +arcus )atten. %. When did the speaker lose his childhood? The spea!er lost his childhood when he ceased to be eleven. c. What did the speaker realize a%out #ell and #eaven? The spea!er realised that Hell and Heaven are two places that are not seen in any (eography boo!s and hence could not be found to be e isting. When did my childhood go? Was it the time I realized that adults were not ,ll they seemed to %e )hey talked of love and preached of love, 1ut did not act so lovingly, Was that the day? a. What did the speaker realize and when? The spea!er realised that the adults were not actually as they appeared to be on the surface. %. What contradictions did he notice in the %ehaviour of the adults?

He noticed the contradictions in the behaviour of the adults that they preached something else and practise something different. They tal!ed of love but never showed any affection. Hence, they have double standards. c. #ow would you descri%e the adults? The adults have double,standards and they arehypocrites. When did my childhood go? Was it when I found my mind was really mine, )o use whichever way I choose, 2roducing thoughts that were not those of other people 1ut my own, and mine alone Was that the daya. Which day does the poet refer to? The poet refers to the day when he lost his childhood. %. What did he realize on that particular day? -n this day, he realised that he was the master of his own mind. He could use it the way he li!ed. He could control his own thoughts and not be governed by others. c. Which trait of the poet is hinted at in these lines? &t shows the identity or individuality of the poet. Where did my childhood go? It went to some forgotten place )hat$s hidden in an infant$s face, )hat$s all I know a. What shift of thought do you notice in this stanza? The poet is no longer worried about when he lost his childhood. He is more concerned about where it disappeared. %. 3&plain ()hat$s all I know$0 The spea!er says his childhood went away to some forgotten place that is hidden in an infants face. He only understands this much. He thus indicates that childhood is a stage of innocence that comes before adolescence. c. #ow does the poet react towards the loss of childhood? The poet does not seem to worry about having lost his childhood. He has developed his mind, his ability to thin! rationally and has gained his own individuality.