My Own True Family by Ted Hughes | Madhyamik English Question and Answer
My Own True Family by Ted Hughes is an important poem for WBBSE Class 10 English. The poem presents a child who enters an oakwood in search of a stag and experiences a strange dream involving an old woman and the oak trees.
The experience changes the child’s attitude towards trees. The oak trees complain that human beings cut them down without concern, and the child is made to promise that he will plant two oak trees whenever he sees an oak being cut down. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
My Own True Family – Madhyamik English Question and Answer
This article presents important MCQs, True or False questions, short questions and descriptive questions based on the poem. The focus is on the oakwood, the old woman, the dream, the oak-tree tribe, the promise and the change in the poet’s attitude towards trees. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
My Own True Family – MCQ Questions and Answers
1. Once the child went inside a/an —
(A) birchwood (B) sandalwood (C) oakwood (D) tropical forest2. The child was looking for —
(A) a squirrel (B) a stag (C) a dove (D) a deer3. The old woman said that she had the child’s secret —
(A) inside her little bag (B) inside the oakwood (C) under a tree (D) inside her house4. If the poet failed to make the promise, the oak bark would —
(A) wrinkle over him (B) fall around him (C) cover the forest (D) disappear completely5. What the poet saw in the oakwood was —
(A) an old woman telling a story (B) a real picture (C) an old woman talking to a magician (D) a dream6. The oak trees complained that human beings —
(A) protected them carefully (B) planted many more trees (C) chopped them down without concern (D) watered them regularlyMy Own True Family – True or False with Supporting Statements
1. The old woman held the poet’s secrets in her little bag.
Answer: True.
2. The tree tribe said that the poet was bothered to see the oak trees being chopped down.
Answer: False.
3. The poet never came out of the oakwood.
Answer: False.
My Own True Family – Short Questions and Answers
1. Why did the poet begin to quake?
Answer: The poet began to quake because the old woman said that she had his secret inside her little bag and started to cackle.
2. What made the poet come twice awake?
Answer: The poet came twice awake when the old woman opened her little bag.
3. What altered the poet?
Answer: The dream about the oak tribe which the poet experienced under the boughs altered him.
4. What did the poet swear to the oak trees?
Answer: The poet swore that whenever he saw an oak tree being cut down, he would plant two oak trees.
5. Why did the child go into the oakwood?
Answer: The child went into the oakwood in search of a stag.
6. What were the complaints of the oak trees?
Answer: The oak trees complained that they were chopped down and torn up, while human beings did not seem to care about their suffering.
7. What change did the poet observe after coming back from the oakwood?
Answer: The poet observed that his heart had changed into that of a tree.
8. What would happen to the poet if he failed to make the promise?
Answer: The poet was threatened with death if he failed to make the required promise.
Important Questions and Answers
1. What did the old woman tell the poet?
Answer: The old woman told the poet that she possessed his secret inside her little bag. Her strange words and behaviour made the poet frightened and uneasy.
2. What strange thing happened when the old woman opened her bag?
Answer: When the old woman opened the bag, the poet experienced a strange awakening connected with the dream-like events in the oakwood. This moment intensified the mysterious atmosphere of the poem. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
3. How did human beings behave towards the oak trees?
Answer: According to the oak trees, human beings chopped them down and tore them up without showing concern. The trees were therefore presented as victims of human destruction.
4. What did the oak trees force the poet to swear?
Answer: The oak trees forced the poet to promise that whenever he saw an oak tree being cut down, he would plant two oak trees in its place.
5. What effect did the dream have on the poet?
Answer: The dream completely altered the poet’s attitude towards trees. After the experience, he developed a much closer feeling towards them and felt that his heart had become like the heart of a tree. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
6. Why did the oak trees describe themselves as the poet’s “true family”?
Answer: The oak trees became emotionally connected with the poet through the dream. The phrase suggests a deeper bond between the poet and nature and represents his changed attitude towards trees.
My Own True Family – Central Idea
The poem focuses on the relationship between human beings and trees. The poet enters an oakwood looking for a stag and then experiences a dream in which the oak trees speak to him. They accuse human beings of destroying them and demand a promise from the poet.
The experience changes the poet. He leaves the oakwood with a new awareness of trees and a stronger emotional connection with nature. His promise to plant two oak trees whenever he sees one being cut down represents his changed attitude and sense of responsibility. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
The most important change in the poem is the transformation of the poet’s attitude towards trees. The dream makes him understand their suffering and creates a sense of responsibility towards them.
My Own True Family – Major Themes
| Theme | How It Appears in the Poem |
|---|---|
| Human–Nature Relationship | The poem explores the bond between the poet and the trees. |
| Destruction of Trees | The oak trees complain about being chopped down and torn up. |
| Change in Attitude | The poet’s dream changes his way of looking at trees. |
| Responsibility | The promise to plant two oak trees reflects responsibility towards nature. |
| Dream and Transformation | The strange dream becomes the turning point in the poet’s understanding. |
My Own True Family – Important Points for Revision
- The poet enters an oakwood in search of a stag.
- He meets an old woman who says that she has his secret in her little bag.
- The strange experience causes the poet to quake.
- The poet experiences a dream involving the oak-tree tribe.
- The oak trees complain that they are chopped down and torn up.
- The trees say that human beings do not blink an eye at their destruction.
- The poet is forced to take an oath.
- He promises to plant two oak trees whenever he sees an oak being cut down.
- The dream changes the poet’s attitude towards trees.
- After returning from the oakwood, the poet feels that his heart has become like that of a tree.
My Own True Family – Quick Revision Table
| Question Point | Quick Answer |
|---|---|
| Poet | Ted Hughes |
| Wood entered by the child | Oakwood |
| Object of the child’s search | A stag |
| Old woman’s bag | She says the poet’s secret is inside it |
| Oak trees’ complaint | They are chopped down and torn up |
| Promise made by the poet | To plant two oak trees for every oak he sees being cut down |
| Effect of the dream | It changes the poet’s attitude towards trees |
| Final transformation | His heart becomes like that of a tree |
How to Prepare My Own True Family for Madhyamik English
Start by reading the poem carefully and understanding the sequence of events. Then revise the role of the old woman, the oak-tree tribe, the complaints of the trees and the promise made by the poet.
Read the poem → understand the oakwood episode → revise the dream → learn the oak trees’ complaints → remember the promise → understand the change in the poet → practise MCQs and written answers.
Focus Areas for Examination
- Why the child entered the oakwood.
- What the old woman said about the secret.
- Why the poet began to quake.
- What the oak trees complained about.
- What promise the poet made.
- What changed after the dream.
- What is suggested by the title “My Own True Family”.
Conclusion
My Own True Family by Ted Hughes is a poem about the deep connection between human beings and nature. The unusual experience in the oakwood changes the poet’s understanding of trees and makes him recognize their suffering.
For WBBSE Class 10 preparation, students should pay special attention to the oakwood, the old woman, the secret in the little bag, the complaints of the oak trees, the promise to plant two oak trees and the final change in the poet’s heart. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
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