CBSE Class 11 English The Childhood Summary
Childhood class 11 summary explains Marcus Natten’s poem about the loss of innocence. It describes the moment a child starts thinking for themselves and realizes that adults are often hypocrites. The poet wonders when his childhood went away, eventually concluding that it remains hidden in the innocent face of a small, sweet infant.
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Quick Childhood Class 11 Summary
The poem "Childhood" is a thoughtful piece where the poet tries to find the exact moment he grew up. He looks back at his life to see when he stopped being a child. You will see that he focuses on three main things: logic, the way adults act, and his own independent thoughts.
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Logic: He realized that places like Hell and Heaven aren't on maps.
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Hypocrisy: He noticed that adults talk about love but don't always act with love.
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Individuality: He found out that his mind belongs to him and he can make his own choices.
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Feature |
Description |
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Poet |
Marcus Natten |
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Main Theme |
Losing innocence and gaining maturity |
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Key Question |
"When did my childhood go?" |
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Final Answer |
It went to some forgotten place |
Childhood Class 11 Summary Stanza Wise
To understand this poem well, we should look at it bit by bit. The poet asks the same question at the start of the first three parts.
Stanza 1: The Age of Reason
In this part, the poet asks if his childhood left when he was eleven years old. This is the age when kids start to understand science and logic. He realized that Hell and Heaven are not real places you can find in a geography book. Since they aren't on a map, he felt they didn't exist. This was his first step toward growing up.
Stanza 2: Seeing Through Adults
Next, the poet wonders if he lost his childhood when he saw how adults really are. He says adults talk a lot about love and give advice about being kind. However, they do not act in a loving way themselves. They are hypocrites. When the poet saw this double standard, he felt his childhood was gone.
Stanza 3: Finding His Own Mind
In the third part, the poet asks if his childhood went away when he realized his mind was his own. He found out he could produce thoughts that did not come from other people. He didn't have to just follow what others said. Being able to think for himself made him an individual, which is a big sign of being a "grown-up."
Stanza 4: The Forgotten Place
In the last part, the poet changes his question. He stops asking "when" and starts asking "where" his childhood went. He realizes it has gone to a "forgotten place." He believes that childhood innocence can now only be found in the face of an infant. Once you grow up, that pure innocence is lost forever.
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Easy Childhood Class 11 Summary in Hindi
Understanding the poem in your own language helps a lot. Here is a short version of the childhood class 11 summary in Hindi concepts.
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बचपन की तलाश: कवि यह समझने की कोशिश कर रहा है कि उसका बचपन कब और कहाँ चला गया।
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तर्क की समझ: जब उसे समझ आया कि स्वर्ग और नर्क नक्शे पर नहीं होते, तब वह बड़ा हो गया।
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बड़ों का दिखावा: उसने देखा कि बड़े लोग प्यार की बातें तो करते हैं पर वैसा व्यवहार नहीं करते।
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स्वतंत्र सोच: जब उसने अपने खुद के विचारों को पहचानना शुरू किया, तो उसका बचपन खत्म हो गया।
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मासूमियत: अंत में, कवि कहता है कि बचपन अब सिर्फ एक छोटे बच्चे के चेहरे में छिपा है।
Childhood Class 11 Summary Questions and Answers
Here are some common questions you might see in your exams. These will help you remember the main points of the poem quickly.
Q1: What did the poet realize about Hell and Heaven?
The poet realized that Hell and Heaven are not physical places. They are not in geography books and cannot be found on a map. This taught him to think logically.
Q2: Why does the poet call adults hypocrites?
He calls them hypocrites because they preach about love and kindness but do not practice it. Their actions are different from their words.
Q3: What does "my mind was really mine" mean?
It means the poet started having his own unique thoughts. He realized he could make his own decisions without being influenced by what others told him to do.
Q4: Where does the poet think his childhood has gone?
He thinks it has gone to a forgotten place. Specifically, he says it is hidden in the innocent face of an infant.
Download Childhood Class 11 Summary PDF
If you want to study this later, getting a childhood class 11 summary pdf is a great idea. Having a printed copy helps you revise without a screen. When you look at the PDF, make sure you check these points:
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The Poet's Name: Marcus Natten.
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The Refrain: Notice how the poet repeats "When did my childhood go?" and "Was that the day?"
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The Shift: See how the poem moves from "When" to "Where" in the final stanza.
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Poetic Devices: Look for things like Rationalism, Hypocrisy, and Individuality.
We don't need to use hard words to see that growing up is a bit sad. We gain a smart mind, but we lose the simple way we used to see the world. We don't have to be sad. We just have to remember that innocence is still there in every new baby we see.
The Childhood Summary FAQs
1. Who is the poet of the poem Childhood?
The poet is Marcus Natten. He writes about losing innocence as we grow older.
2. At what age did the poet think he lost his childhood?
He mentions the age of eleven. This is when he started using logic to understand the world around him.
3. What is the main theme of the poem?
The main theme is the transition from childhood to adulthood. It focuses on losing innocence and gaining the ability to think independently.
4. What does the "infant’s face" symbolize?
The infant's face symbolizes pure, lost innocence. It is the only place where childhood still lives after we grow up.
5. Why is the poem called "Childhood"?
It is called "Childhood" because it explores the poet's search for his own lost childhood and what it means to be a child.
