The Child is Father of Nation

The Child is Father of Nation

Points: Introduction – Child shows the man as morning shows the day – An illustration.

This, paradoxical, sentence occurs in Wordsworth’s poem, ‘The Rainbow”. There he explains that his refined and profound love for nature was present in him in its germinating form in his childhood and that it grew and grew and was fully developed in his old age.

Child shows the man as morning shows the day—goes the proverb. On seeing the morning, we can foretell how the day will go. If it is fine, the day is expected to be fine also. But if, on the other hand, it is cloudy, the day is anticipated to be a foul one. Similarly the child shows what kind of a man he will grow afterwards. If he is too fond of play, we say that he will develop into a good sportsman. If he scribbles rhyming lines on the wall, we say that he will become a poet. If he is found interested in making toy cars, ships, etc. we say that the life of an engineer awaits him. We say all these because the experience of the world shows us that the qualities of a full-grown man lies dormant or in an undeveloped state in his childhood. The childhood of a man shows the signs of promise of his future. In other words, from the natural inclination of a child we can forecast how he will grow up in his future life. In fact, the activities of the child are indicative of the kind of man he will develop into in times to come.4essay.blogspot.com

A story may be cited as an illustration of the above remarks. King Philip of Macedon had a young horse which was so wild that none could control him. Alexander, his son in his teens, wanted to ride that horse and insisted on doing so. With necessary caution, the kind allowed him to see whether he could control the untamable beast. Alexander got upon the horse and rode swiftly away. He returned unhurt and untried after about an hour with the horse which was now quite obedient him. King Philip exclaimed in joy and said, “My son, Macedonia will not hold thee”.

The forecast was correct, for soon thereafter Alexander set out to conquer the world and was called Alexander the Great.