NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 4 Childhood

Question:- 1. Identify the stanza that talks of each of the following.

Answer:-

Question:- 2. What according to the poem is involved in the process of growing up?

Answer:- The loss of childhood is involved in the process of growing up. This loss is compensated by some gains which come with adolescence. Increased comprehension, rationalising power, discrimination, as well as a sense of independence and self-confidence are among them.

Question:- 3. What is the poet’s feeling towards childhood?

Answer:- Childhood, according to the poet, is a transitional period between childhood and adolescence. Childhood was a time when individuals were more likely to believe what adults said; a youngster readily accepts what adults said. The poet was looking forward to entering his adolescent period because he wanted to learn about rationalism, discrimination, hypocrisy, individuality, and self-confidence, and he had no regrets about missing out on his childhood.

Question:- 4. Which do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?

Answer:- The poem’s following lines are particularly poetic:

It went to some forgotten place That’s hidden in an infant’s face, That’s all I know.

These phrases perfectly express the process of maturation and the passing of a period of life. These sentences can also be interpreted in figurative or metaphorical terms. The innocent face of the baby reveals a lot beneath its smiles. Perhaps the childhood is buried deep within a child’s consciousness in some forgotten area.