K R MANGALAM WORLD SCHOOL, VAISHALI
CLASS XI- ENGLISH
CHILDHOOD
Extract Based Questions:
I. When did my childhood go?
Was it the time I realised that adults were not all they seemed to be,
They talked of love and preached of love,
But did not act so lovingly,
Was that the day!
(i) Which literary device is most strongly evident in the line-
‘They talked of love and preached of love, But did not act so lovingly’?
a. Alliteration b. Paradox c. Simile d. Personification
(ii) What theme is most dominantly conveyed in this extract?
a. Nostalgia for innocence c. Disillusionment with societal norms
b. Conflict between generations d. Acceptance of maturity
(iii) Which tone best describes the poet’s attitude in this stanza?
a. Sarcastic and accusatory c. Joyful and expectant
b. Reflective and disillusioned d. Indifferent and apathetic
(iv) The lines 3-4 reveal poets' confusion explicitly. True/ False.
II. When did my childhood go?
Was it the day I ceased to be eleven,
Was it the time I realised that Hell and Heaven,
Could not be found in Geography,
And therefore could not be,
Was that the day!
(i) What conflict does the speaker discover about adults in these lines?
(ii) What does the repetition of ‘love’ signify?
(iii) Which poetic device is used in ‘talked of love and preached of love’?
(iv) ‘Was that the day!’ expresses _______________.
a. certainty b. curiosity c. irony d. disappointment
Short Answer Questions:
1. Discuss how the poem uses the concept of "geography" metaphorically to represent a simplistic,
childhood understanding of the world.
2. "My mind was truly mine, / To use whichever way I choose." How does this line mark a crucial step in
the journey from childhood to adolescence?
3. The poem ends with a sense of both loss and continuity. Elaborate with reference to the last stanza.
4. What specific realisation about "Hell and Heaven" marks a turning point for the poet?
5. The second stanza reveals a disillusionment with adults. What specific hypocrisy does the poet identify?
Long Answer Questions:
1. The poem implicitly defines childhood not merely as an age but as a state of mind characterized by
certain beliefs and perceptions. Based on your reading, what core characteristics of childhood does the
poem highlight as being shed during the transition to adulthood? How do these characteristics contrast
with the emerging adult consciousness?
2. Summarize the key realisations that mark the speaker's transition out of childhood and discuss what the
poem ultimately conveys about the bittersweet nature of growing up, highlighting both the losses and
the gains inherent in this process.
