My Own True Family” by Ted Hughes is a beautiful yet haunting poem that delivers a powerful message about nature, deforestation, and human responsibility. This Class 10 English poem under the WBBSE syllabus portrays a dream-like vision where the speaker meets an old woman (symbolizing Mother Nature) and receives a life-changing revelation from the oak trees. In this post, we have compiled the full question answers, covering all important long, short, and textual questions, along with interpretations and explanations — perfectly curated for Madhyamik 2026 students My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
My Own True Family – Full Question Answer Set (Ted Hughes)
WBBSE Class 10 English Poem | Updated for 2025
1. Who was the old woman?
In the poem My Own True Family written by Ted Hughes, the old woman symbolizes Mother Nature.
2. Describe the appearance of the old lady.
The old woman was not steady. She had a stick in her hand and wore dirty, torn clothes.
3. What does the poem focus on?
The poem focuses on the need for afforestation, which is the planting of trees to create forests, for the welfare of mankind. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
4. What was the reaction of the poet on hearing the old woman’s words?
On hearing the old woman’s words, the poet started trembling out of great fear. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
5. Where did the poet creep in and why?
The poet crept into an oak wood while he was looking for a male deer.
6. What does the expression ‘twice awake’ suggest?
The expression ‘twice awake’ suggests the extreme wonder and the awakening of the poet’s inner soul.
7. Why did the poet quake?
The poet quaked because the old woman began to cackle, creating a sense of terror, which deeply affected him. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
8. Why does the poet come ‘twice awake’?
He became twice awake when his inner consciousness was awakened by realizing the cruelty of humans towards nature.
9. Where did the poet find himself after awakening and in what condition?
After awakening, the poet found himself tied to a stake and surrounded by a staring tribe in the oakwood.
10. “You do not blink an eye” – What does this line suggest?
This line shows the poet’s indifference to the destruction of nature. Though trees are being cut, he remains emotionally unaffected.
11. What is the grievance of the oak trees?
The oak trees feel resentment because the poet does not protest against their destruction and remains indifferent. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
12. What happened when the old woman opened her little bag?
The poet came twice awake and found himself surrounded by oak trees, tied to a stake.
13. How did the dream alter the poet?
The dream helped the poet realize the pain and suffering of the oak trees and built a deep emotional bond with nature. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
In this way, he was no longer indifferent to the sufferings of the oak trees.
He strongly felt the need to protect trees for the welfare of mankind.
14. “My walk was the walk of a human child, but my heart was a tree.” – What does this line suggest?
This line suggests a deep internal transformation. Though the poet remains human physically, his heart now beats for trees, showing a spiritual connection with nature.
15. What do the old woman’s ‘all knobbly stick’ and ‘old rag’ stand for?
They symbolize the poor condition of the old woman, and symbolically represent the degraded condition of Mother Nature.
16. What does the phrase “you were born but never grew” mean?
The phrase highlights the poet’s lack of emotional and mental growth. Though born amidst nature, he never developed concern for it. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
17. What did the oak trees warn if the poet did not swear?
They warned that if he didn’t swear to protect nature, the black oak bark would cover him and he would be rooted among the oaks forever.
18. What promise did the poet have to make?
The poet had to promise that if he saw one oak tree being felled, he would plant two new oak trees in its place. My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
- Q1: “The poet of the poem is –”
Ans: Ted Hughes - Q2: “The poem is –”
Ans: reflective - Q3: “Creeping in an oakwood, the poet was looking for a –”
Ans: stag - Q4: “Whenever an oak tree is felled, the number of trees the poet must plant is –”
Ans: two - Q5: “When the poet came out of the oakwood, his heart was that of a –”
Ans: tree - Q6: “The poem expresses the poet’s –”
Ans: realisation of the pain of the oak-trees - Q7: “The poem focuses the need to –”
Ans: protect our natural environment - Q8: “While searching for the animal in the oakwood, the poet found –”
Ans: an old woman - Q9: “When the poet woke up, he found that –”
Ans: he was surrounded by a staring tribe - Q10: “The oak-trees threatened the poet that unless he made a promise –”
Ans: he was going to die - Q11: “The oak-trees told the poet that unless he planted trees –” My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
Ans: the black oak bark would wrinkle over him - Q12: “When the dream broke, the poet –”
Ans: was changed with a different feeling for the trees - Q13: “The expression ‘my heart was a tree’ means –”
Ans: the poet felt himself to be one with the oak family - Q14: “The expression “the dream that altered me” signifies –”
Ans: the poet’s feelings for the trees changed - Q15: “The poem wants to give the message of –”
Ans: the importance of afforestation - Q: “Where did the poet creep in?”
Ans: “The poet crept in an oakwood.” - Q: “Creeping in an oakwood, what was the poet looking for?”
Ans: “Creeping in an oakwood, the poet was looking for a stag.” - Q: “Whom did the poet meet?”
Ans: “The poet met an old woman.” - Q: “Describe the appearance of the old lady in the oakwood.”
Ans: “The old lady held a knobbly stick and her dress was worn out like rags.” - Q: “What did the lady say to the poet?”
Ans: “The old lady told the poet that she had his secret inside her little bag.” - Q: “What did the poet see when the old lady opened up her little bag?”
Ans: “When the old lady opened her bag, the poet saw that he was surrounded by a staring tribe of oak trees and tied to a stake.” - Q: “When did the poet come twice awake?” My Own True Family – Full Question Answer
Ans: “The poet came twice awake when the old woman opened her little bag.” - Q: “What would happen to the poet if he failed to make the promise?”
Ans: “If the poet failed to make the promise, the black oak bark would wrinkle over him and root him among the oaks.” - Q: “What was it that altered the poet?”
Ans: “The dream that the poet dreamt beneath the boughs of the oak-trees altered the poet.” - Q: “What did the oak-trees say to the poet?”
Ans: “The oak-trees told the poet that they were his own true family.” - Q: “What promise did the poet have to make?”
Ans: “The poet had to make a promise that he would plant two oak trees if he saw one oak tree being felled.” - Q: “What does the phrase ‘you were born but never grew’ mean?”
Ans: “Like other men who in spite of being a part of nature, neglects his duty to preserve it, the poet also never cared to save oak-trees. That is why the oak trees said that though the poet has born he never ‘grew up’ or to say never developed psychologically.”
Final Message of the Poem:
My Own True Family teaches us that humans must protect nature. We are not separate from it — we are part of it. The poet’s dream serves as a warning and awakening — to become aware, responsible, and protective toward the environment.