Short Questions
1. Who is the poet of the poem “Growing”?
Ans:- The poet of the poem “Growing” is Brook Mueller.
2. Why is the poet leaving, according to the first line of the poem?
Ans:- The poet is leaving to slay (win over) the foe (enemy).
3. What does the poet want to fight?
Ans:- The poet wants to fight the battles, high and low.
4. Who is the poet talking to in the poem?
Ans:- The poet is talking to his/her mother.
5. What does the poet ask his mother to do before leaving?
Ans:- The poet asks his mother to wish him luck today.
6. What has the poet grown, according to the poem?
Ans:- The poet has grown his wings.
7. What does the poet want to seize?
Ans:- The poet wants to seize his victories where they lie.
8. What does the poet request his mother not to do?
Ans:- The poet requests his mother not to cry.
9. What does the poet want to do with his tears?
Ans:- The poet wants to smile his smiles and dry his tears.
10. What does the poet want to find, as mentioned in the poem?
Ans:- The poet wants to find his world and his dreams.
11. What does the poet want to carve and sew?
Ans:- The poet wants to carve his niche and sew his seams.
12. What does the poet ask his mother to remember?
Ans:- The poet asks his mother to remember him as he sails his streams.
13. What does the poet promise his mother at the end of the poem?
Ans:- The poet promises that he will love his mother all the way.
14. Find out the antonym of ‘defeat’ from the poem.
Ans:- The antonym of ‘defeat’ is ‘victory’.
15. What is the synonym of ‘terror’ as given in the glossary?
Ans:- The synonym of ‘terror’ is ‘fear’.
Long Questions
1. What is the young person leaving for, and what does he want to do?
Ans:- The young person is leaving to slay (win over) the foe and fight the battles, high and low. He has grown his wings and wants to fly, and he wants to seize his victories wherever they lie.
2. What does the poet request his mother, and why?
Ans:- The poet requests his mother to wish him luck as he leaves, and asks her not to cry, so that he can find his own way. He also asks her to let him speak his say, meaning to let him express and tell the world what he wants to tell, without stopping him.
3. What does “I’ve grown my wings” mean in the poem?
Ans:- “I’ve grown my wings” means that the poet has now become strong and capable enough to face the world on his own, just like a bird that has grown wings and is now ready to fly on its own.
4. Describe what the poet wants to see, touch, and experience in life.
Ans:- The poet wants to see, touch, and hear the world around him. Even though there are dangers and fears on the way, he is determined to smile through his smiles and dry his own tears, and wishes to be allowed to speak his mind freely.
5. What does the poet mean by “I’m off to find my world, my dreams”?
Ans:- This line means that the poet wants to leave home and go out to discover his own world and fulfil his own dreams. He wants to carve his niche (make his own special place) and sew his seams (shape and mould himself) through his own experiences.
6. What does the poet ask his mother to remember, and what does he promise her?
Ans:- The poet asks his mother to remember him as he sails his streams, meaning as he goes through his journey and experiences in life. He promises her that no matter where he goes, he will love her all the way, throughout his journey.
7. Explain the line “Fight the battles, high and low.”
Ans:- This line means that the poet is determined to fight against every kind of problem in life, whether small (low) or big (high). It shows his courage and readiness to face all difficulties that come his way.
8. Does this poem give a warning or encouragement? How?
Ans:- This poem gives encouragement. It encourages a young person to become independent, be brave, chase their dreams, and go out into the world to discover themselves, while still remembering and loving their mother throughout their journey.
9. How does the poet show love and respect for his mother even while wanting independence?
Ans:- Even though the poet wants to be independent and go out to face the world on his own, he still asks his mother to wish him luck, requests her not to cry, and asks her to remember him. At the end, he promises that he will love her all the way, showing that his desire for independence does not reduce his love and respect for his mother.
10. What message does the poem “Growing” give to young readers?
Ans:- The poem gives the message that growing up means becoming brave and independent enough to face life’s battles, dangers, and fears on one’s own, to find one’s own world and dreams, and to carve one’s own place in life. At the same time, it teaches that one should always remember and love one’s parents throughout this journey of growing up.
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