“The Cry of Children : Question and Answers” is a powerful and moving exploration of the exploitation of child labor in Victorian England. Through the voices of the children themselves, Browning exposes the harsh realities of their lives and challenges us to consider the moral implications of child exploitation. Read More Class 8 English Question and Answers.
The Cry of Children Question and Answers
Answer the following questions.
Question 1.
What kind of places are the children working in?
Answer:
The children are working in the places such as coal factories, iron factories, jinning mills, shops, hotels, tea-stalls, automobile shops, fields, etc.
Question 2.
‘The reddest flower would look as pale as snow.’ What does the phrase ‘reddest flower’ refer to ? Why does it become pale?
Answer:
The phrase ‘reddest flower’ refers to the blood coloured eye of the child. It becomes pale as the child is very tired. (In the other sense, the reddest flower becomes pale before the red eyes of the children. The eyes of the children are very red in colour because of their restlessness and sleeplessness.)
Question 3.
How does the work affect the children?
Answer:
The children become very tired. They can’t run or leap as a normal child can. They want to sleep. They are not playful. They are very unhappy with their life.
Question 4.
Do children enjoy their lives when engaged in work?
Answer:
No, children don’t enjoy their lives when engaged in work. They don’t find any time to enjoy.
Question 5.
If the poem were written from the point of view of a factory owner, what kind of things would he say about children?
Answer:
If the poem were written from the point of view of a factory owner, he would say that the children were not doing their work properly. He would say that the children had to work hard. He would say that they were sitting leisurely.
Question 6.
What is the poet’s attitude towards child labour? Pick out the words/expressions that reveal her attitude.
Answer:
The poet’s sympathies are with the child labourers. She feels that the child labourer’s lives are very miserable. The expressions, “we are weary and we can’t run or leap”, “Our knees upon our faces”, “we drag our burden tiring”, “we drive the wheels of iron”, etc. reveal her attitude.
It is a reminder that we all have a responsibility to speak out against injustice and to work for a more just and equitable world. It is also a reminder that even the smallest voices can make a difference.