Poem- Childhood - Parevartan School

Presentation made by- Ketaki Saxena, Lipi Singh and Urwashi Panchal

1. Childhood
Made by-
Parevartan School
XI Mahavidya
Ketaki Saxena, Lipi Singh, Riya Taneja and Urwashi
Panchal

2. Markus Natten (Poet)
Markus Natten was an Australian writer who was born in Sydney,
Australia. His mother, Lisa was from Germany and father, Helmut was
from Austria. Markus Natten got his education from Engadin High
school and studies English and History from the University of New
South Wales, from where he also got graduated with a bachelor of
arts and diploma of education. Some of his novels are The Underdog
in 1999, Fighting Ruben Wolfe in 2000, When Dogs Cry in 2001, The
Messenger in 2002, The Book Thief in 2005, The Bridge of Clay 2018.
He won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from American Library
Association and The recipient of the Sydney Morning Harland's
Young novelist award.

3. Gist of poem
The poem childhood written by Markus Natten describes
the thoughts of the poet upon losing one’s childhood. The
poet comes across with different ideas and thoughts of
how and when does an individual loses his or her
childhood. On losing his childhood, the poet also realizes,
how the world fools children, the hypocrisy of people
around him and how innocent a child is. The poet realizes
that he has lost his childhood but can relive it in an infants
face.

4. Characters
The character in the poem is the poet who questions that where
and when did his childhood go and in answer comes across to
different ideas and thoughts on losing his childhood.
He thinks that one of the reasons of losing childhood would be
when he realized that heaven and hell do not exist
geographically, or when he realized the hypocrisy of adults
around him, or when he realized that he could make his own
decisions and choices.

5. Theme
The poem ‘Childhood’ written by Markus Natten conveys poets
thoughts on losing childhood.
Childhood is a stage of life when moves on and gives way to
another stage in result to which only memories of the childhood
remains, which could only be remembered and rejoiced by
looking into an infant’s face recalling innocence of a child.

6. Central Idea
The poem talks about the thought of poet of losing ones
childhood.
Poet questions that when did he lost his childhood and comes
across various thoughts and discovers the hypocrisy of people
around him.
Poet also focus upon the innocence of a child as adults say
them things which they themselves do not follow but instruct
children about it.
Poet talk about that how individual on losing his or her
childhood becomes mature and starts thinking logically and
rationally, forming his or her own opinion.

7. Poetic devices
•Personification-‘Childhood’
•Refrain-’When did my childhood go?’, ‘Was that the day!’
•Alliteration-’it the’, ‘the time’, ‘that the’, ‘my mind’
•Antithesis-‘Hell and Heaven’
•Inversion-‘To use whichever way I choose’
•Metaphor-‘Infant’s face’
•Rhyme scheme-‘ABBCCD’

8. Summary
The poem ‘Childhood’, written by Markus Natten describes the
thoughts of the poet on losing one’s childhood.
The poet questions that when he lost his childhood, and in answer
to the question various thoughts come across.
He thinks that was the time when he lost his childhood when he
realized that heaven and hell do not exist geographically.
He thinks that was the day when he lost his childhood when he
came to know the hypocrisy of adults who always preached of
love but did not do so.

9. Poet wonders that were the day when his childhood to an end
when he could think independently and make his own choices,
thoughts, form his own opinion and make decisions for himself.
He finally concludes that his childhood has gone to an
unremembered place and would not come back now. But to
cherish innocence and childhood, he can look into an infants face
recalling his childhood.

10. Important Questions
Q) “Childhood is the essential stage of life which does not stay
forever”. Explain.
A)Childhood is an essential part of the life of an individual as it
symbolizes innocence, purity, and unconditional love. Being a stage,
it passes on with the time of an individual and gives way to another
stage.
On passing childhood, an individual understands the world and the
people around him. He / She realizes the difference in reality and
falsehood. The individual makes his/ her own choices and makes
their own decisions, opinions and becomes an independent thinker.
Moving on from childhood, the simplicity and honesty evaporate of
the innocent childhood.

11. Q) How did the poet realize that the adults were not the same as they
seemed to be?
A)The poet realized that the adults were not the same as they seemed
to be as they always preached of love or unconditional love, but never
did the same themselves. They didn’t act so lovingly always themselves.
Thus, the poet realized the hypocrisy of the adults around him as they
practiced hatred and lying.
Q)Explains the line “Where did my childhood go? It went to some
forgotten place, That’s hidden in an infant’s face, That’s all I know”.
A)As the poet questions that where did his childhood go, he concludes
that it has gone to some forgotten or unmembered place from where it
would never come back, but to relive his childhood or recall his
childhood, the poet could look into an infant’s face and see the love,
simplicity, honesty and innocence in a child.

12. Thank you