Childhood by Markus Natten [AHSEC Class 11 English Notes for 2025 Exam]

CHILDHOOD

[AHSEC Class 11 English Notes for 2025 Exam]

About 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.

STANZA WISE EXPLANATION OF THE POEM

STANZA 1

When did my childhood go?

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven,

Could not be found in Geography,

And therefore could not be,

Was that the day!

WORD MEANINGS

Go = end.

Ceased to be = stopped being

Realized = understood.

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 realized that the concepts of Hell and Heaven, about which he had been taught since his childhood, did not exist in reality. 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.

STANDA 2

When did may childhood go?

Was it the time I realized 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!

WORD MEANINGS

Seemed = appeared.

Preached = taught.

Act = behave.

Lovingly = with compassion or love for others.

Also Read: AHSEC Class 11 Chapter wise notes  (Prose & Poetry 30 Marks)

Explanation

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 behaviour 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.

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!

WORD MEANINGS

Really mine = when not influenced by others’ opinions.

Whichever = any

Producing = creating.

Thoughts = views, opinions coming from the poet’s mind.

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 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 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.

WORD MEANINGS

Forgotten = unremembered.

Hidden = concealed, kept out of sight.

Infant = small child.

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.

Question-Answers

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 realize that ‘hell’ and ‘haven’ are merely 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 question?         [2015]

Ans. In the poem “childhood” the poet asks question 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 through 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 is turned to rational thinking. 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 felling of childhood?         2011 2018

Ans. According to the poet childhood is a very happy period of 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 adult world. A child is unable to think of his presence as different from others, he is never selfish and hostile to anyone. Therefore 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 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 got 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 grown 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 text books in the poem ‘Childhood’?         2011

OR

What did the poet Markus Natten realize about Hell and Heaven when he was a child?     2012

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 imaginary concept. It cannot be found in geography text books.

10. Why does the poet say that his childhood “went to some forgotten place”?          2019

Ans: In these lines from the poem ‘Childhood’ by Markus Natten, the speaker wonders where his childhood went.He feels that it has gone to some forgotten place as it cannot be retrieved from there. Yet he can find glimpses of it in an infant’s face. Thus he rediscovers his childhood in the face of an infant.

EXTRACTS:

Read the following questions and choose the most appropriate alternative from those that are given below:

1.       When did my childhood go?

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven.

Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven,

Could not be found in Geography,

And therefore could not be,

Was that the day!

Questions and Answer:

1. What is the problem that the grips the mind of the poet?

Ans. The poet’s mind is obsessed with the problem of his childhood. He wants to pinpoint the day he lost his childhood.

2. Why does the poet mention the age of eleven?

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.

3. When did the poet know that ‘hell’ and ‘heaven’ are imaginary concepts?

Ans. The day he realized that ‘hell’ and ‘heaven’ are merely imaginary concepts. They don’t exist even in geography books.

4. Name the poet of the given passage.

Ans. Markus Natten is the poet of the given passage.

5. Find words from the passage which mean:

(i) ended

 (ii) felt

Ans. (i) ceased. (ii) realized.

2.       When did my childhood go?

Was it the time I realized 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 day!

Questions and Answer:

1. Do you think the poet feels so bad at the loss of his childhood?

Ans. Certainly. The poet suffers from a sense of loss at the loss of his childhood.

2. What does the poet experience about the adults?

Ans. The poet thinks that the grown up people are not as good as they appear to be.

3. What is the difference between what they talk of and what they do?

Ans. The gown ups talk and preach of love all the time. When it comes to practice they never act so lovingly.

4. What picture of the people does the poet form and why?

Ans. The poet doesn’t think very high of the grown up people of the world. There is a great difference between what they preach and how they act.

5. Explain: “But did not act so lovingly”.

Ans. It means that their actions are devoid of love. They don’t act as lovingly as they talk of love.

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!

Questions and Answer:

1. Explain: “My mind was really mine”.

Ans. It means that his mind acted independently and was not influenced or directed by others.

2. How could he use his mind?

Ans. He could use his mind the way he liked to use it.

3. What kind of thoughts could be produce?

Ans. He could produce his own thoughts thinking independently of others.

4. Name the poem and the poet of these lines.

Ans. The name of the poem is ‘Childhood’ and it is written by Markus Natten.

5. Use the phrase ‘mine alone’ in your words.

Ans. My life is mine (alone) and others have no business to influence it.

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.

Questions and Answer:

1. What does the poet frequently talk of?

Ans. The poet frequently talks of the loss of his childhood.

2. Where did his childhood go?

Ans. It went to a place that has been forgotten.

3. Where does his childhood lie hidden?

Ans. His childhood is lying hidden in the heart of an innocent infant.

4. Explain: ‘That’s all I know’.

Ans. He knows only this that his childhood seems to be lying hidden in the innocent face of an infant.

5. Find a word in the passage which means: ‘a small baby’.

Ans. Infant.

Exam questions from 2011 to 2024

1.       Describe the poet’s feeling of childhood.         2011 2018

2.       According to the poet what could not be found in geography text books in the poem ‘Childhood’?         2011

3.       What did the poet Markus Natten realize about Hell and Heaven when he was a child? 2012

4.       What is the opinion of the poet about the hypocrisy of the adult?         2012

5.       Give the substance of the poem ‘Childhood’          2012

6.       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

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

8.       What according to the poem, Childhood, is involved in the process of growing up?     201

9.       Why does the poet say that his childhood “went to some forgotten place”?          2019

1.  Read the stanza and answer the following questions:

a)      When did my childhood go?                    2015

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven,

Could not be found in Geography,

And therefore could not be

Was that the day!

                     i.            What is the poet asking for?                    1

Ans: Ans. The poet’s mind is obsessed with the problem of his childhood. He wants to pinpoint the day he lost his childhood

                   ii.            What does ‘Hell and Heaven’ stand for?                  1

Ans: ‘Hell and Heaven’ are just imaginary concept. They exist only in our belief.

                  iii.            What phase of life does the stanza reveal?              1

Ans:  The staza reveals the adolescent period of life.

                 iv.            How does the poet describe the process of being grown up?            2

Ans: See Q.No 3 Page No. 10

b)       When did my childhood go?                                                                          2019

Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,

Was it the time I realized that Hell and Heaven,

Could not be found in Geography,

And therefore could not be,

Was that the day.

1)      Where do these lines occur?                                                  1

2)      When, does the poet think that he lost his childhood?          1

3)      Find the synonym of ‘stopped’ in the stanza.                        1

4)      What does the poet learn about Hell and Heaven?                1

5)      How does the poet describe the process of being grown up?              4