One app for all your study abroad needs
Looking for NCERT Class 11 English Childhood Solutions? This blog provides easy and well-explained answers to the exercise questions from Poem 4: Childhood by Markus Natten, part of the Hornbill textbook. The answers given here will help you understand the poem deeply and prepare well for your exams. Whether you’re revising before a test or trying to understand the poem better for class discussions, this guide makes everything simple and clear. You can also download a free PDF version of the solutions for quick and easy revision anytime.
Table of Contents
Explore Notes of Class 11 English Hornbill
NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 4 Childhood
These NCERT solutions for Class 11 English Poem 4, ‘Childhood,’ will help you prepare well for your exams. You can score well if you read the explanations carefully and revise the key points regularly.
Think it out
- Identify the stanza that talks of each of the following:
a) Individuality
b) Rationalism
c) Hypocrisy - What, according to the poem, is involved in the process of growing up?
- What is the poet’s feeling towards childhood?
- Which do you think are the most poetic lines? Why?
Solutions:
1. Stanza that talks of each of the following:
a) Individuality:
The third stanza talks about individuality. The poet says:
“When I discovered that the mind was mine,
To use whichever way I choose…”
This shows he becomes aware of his own independent thoughts and decision-making, marking the birth of self-identity.
b) Rationalism:
The second stanza reflects rationalism. The poet questions the literal truth of religious concepts:
“When I realised that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography…”
This shift from belief to logic shows his developing critical thinking.
c) Hypocrisy:
The first stanza points out hypocrisy. The poet notices that adults say one thing but do another:
“That they talked of love and preached of love,
But did not act so lovingly…”
This moment of realisation highlights the double standards he observes in the adult world.
2. According to the poem, growing up involves gaining self-awareness, developing independent thinking, and learning to question beliefs and behaviour. The poet describes key moments when he begins to think for himself, questions religious ideas, and sees the contradictions in adults’ actions. These steps show his emotional and intellectual maturity, marking the end of innocence and the beginning of adulthood.
Also Read:
- NCERT Solutions and Notes Class 6 English Honeysuckle Unit 5 Notes (Free PDF)
- 250+ Difficult Words with Meaning in English Vocabulary
3. The poet expresses a sense of loss and nostalgia towards childhood. He remembers it as a time of innocence, faith, and simplicity. As he grows up, he begins to question and doubt what he once believed. The poem ends on a reflective note, suggesting that childhood is something pure that now exists only in an infant’s face. This tone shows his emotional connection to the past and a quiet sadness over its passing.
4. The most poetic lines are:
The most poetic lines are:
“It went to some forgotten place,
That’s hidden in an infant’s face;
That’s all I know.”
These lines are powerful because they are both emotional and symbolic. They suggest that childhood, though lost to the poet, still exists in its purest form in a child’s face. The imagery of a “forgotten place” and the idea of innocence captured in a baby’s expression create a soft, thoughtful ending. It connects the personal experience of growing up with a universal truth.
Download NCERT Solutions Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 4 Childhood
Download NCERT Solutions for Class 11 English Hornbill Poem 4 ‘Childhood’ to get ready for your exams. These solutions explain all the questions and meanings in simple words, which will help you do well in your exams.
Download NCERT Solutions of all Chapters of Class 11 English Hornbill here:
Read more NCERT Class 11 English ‘Hornbill’ Solutions here!
For more topics, follow LeverageEdu NCERT Study Material today!
