Childhood
Think it out
1. Identify the stanza that talks of each of the following.
individuality rationalism hypocrisy
Answer:
Individuality – Third stanza
Rationalism – First stanza
Hypocrisy – Second stanza
2. What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?
Answer:
According to the poem, the poet was attempting to direct the process of maturation from childhood to adolescence. The poet believes that by losing his childhood, he will gain some characteristics that will perfectly define his adolescence. These characteristics include: comprehending rationalism and discrimination, comprehending adult hypocrisy, comprehending the power of individualism and self-confidence.
3. What is the poet’s feeling towards childhood?
Answer:
Childhood, according to the poet, is a stage from which the next stage, adolescence, begins. Childhood was the stage when people tended to believe things earlier; a child easily believed what adults said. The poet was eager to enter his adolescent stage because a poet is eager to understand rationalism, discrimination, hypocrisy, individualism, and self-confidence, and the poet has no regrets about losing his childhood.
4. Which do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?
Answer:
The poem’s final stanza appears to be the most poetic: “It went to some forgotten place That’s hidden in an infant’s face; that’s all I know.” These lines beautifully capture the process of growth and the passing of a particular stage of life. These lines imply, metaphorically, that an infant’s innocent face conceals a great deal behind its smiles. He finds solace in the fact that the virtues of childhood are not forever lost but may be hidden somewhere in the child’s consciousness.