Chapter childhood: Childhood | Summary

In the poem 'Childhood', Markus Natten explores the deeply philosophical question of when and where an individual loses their childhood innocence. The poem is structured as a series of stanzas that reflect the poet's growing awareness and transition into adulthood. Initially, the poet wonders if the loss of childhood happened at a specific age, such as eleven, or when he developed a logical mind. This transition is marked by rationalism, as the poet begins to understand that concepts like Heaven and Hell are not physical locations found on a map but are internal constructions. This realization signifies the end of blind faith and the start of a scientific temperament, where the child no longer accepts everything at face value. As we grow, our world expands beyond the simple stories we were told, and this analytical shift is one of the first signs that childhood is slipping away.

Moving further, the poet identifies hypocrisy as a major trait of adulthood. He notices a disturbing gap between what adults preach and how they actually behave. Adults often talk about love and kindness, yet their actions are frequently selfish or unkind. For a child, this realization is a turning point because it shatters the perfect image of the adult world. The poet begins to see that the people he looked up to are not as consistent or virtuous as they seemed. This loss of trust in the adult world is a crucial step toward maturity, as the child learns to navigate a world that is complex and often dishonest. By recognizing this hypocrisy, the individual moves away from the pure, uncomplicated worldview of a child and enters the murky reality of adult social behavior.