CHILDHOOD (Important Answers)

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

Ans: The poem suggests that as one grows up, there is a loss of childhood. However, this loss is balanced by certain benefits that come with adolescence. These include a greater understanding, improved ability to reason and make distinctions, as well as a growing sense of individuality and self-confidence. 

2. What are the poet’s feelings towards childhood? 

Ans: The poet sees childhood as a crucial phase in the journey of maturing. It is a time of imagination, where children easily believe what their elders tell them. The poet does not experience any sadness or feeling of absence when reflecting on the loss of his own childhood.

3.     What did the speaker learn about the existence of Heaven and Hell?

Ans: As the speaker matured, he gained the ability to think critically. He came to understand that concepts like Hell and Heaven could not be discovered in geography books or atlases. Since these places could not be pinpointed on a world map, he decided they were non-existent. He chose to believe only in what he could observe and verify.

4.     How did the speaker realize the hypocrisy of the adults?

Ans: The speaker observed a significant gap between how adults seemed and how they truly behaved in reality. There was an evident inconsistency between what they said and what they did. Despite talking about love and offering advice on loving others, their actions did not reflect a loving demeanour.

5.     How did the realization of being the master of his own mind helped him?

Ans: He came to the understanding that he had control over his own mind and could utilize it as he pleased, boosting his self-confidence. Now, he could think independently and wasn't constrained to echoing the thoughts of others like a parrot.

6.     “Childhood is an essential state in the process of growing up, but it can’t go on forever.” Discuss. 

      Ans: Childhood is a crucial phase in the maturation process for everyone. Initially, a human infant relies entirely on others for support, but during childhood, there is a gradual development of physical, emotional, and mental strength. As the small baby grows in size, other abilities also emerge. While childhood is a significant milestone in human development, it is not a perpetual state.

      Childhood is a transitional period that gives way to the next stage, which is adolescence or early youth. During this phase, all faculties become fully developed. The individual gains the ability to reason, enabling them to discern between truth and falsehood, as well as distinguish fact from fiction. A refined capacity for analysis and discrimination is acquired, allowing the person to see through people and situations. They start comprehending the hypocrisy exhibited by adults, fostering confidence and transforming them into independent thinkers.

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