Read the following passage, and answer the questions that follow: (91-95)
However, faced with this world of faithful and complicated objects, the child can only identify himself as owner. as user, never as creator, he does not invent the world. he uses it: there are. prepared for him, actions without adventure, without wonder, without joy. He is turned into a little stay-at-home householder who does not even have to invent the mainsprings of adult causality: they are supplied to him ready-made: he has only to help himself. he is never allowed to discover anything from start to finish. The merest set of blocks. provided it is not too refined, implies a very different learning of the world: then, the child does not in any way create meaningful objects, it matters little to him whether they have an adult class: the actions he performs are not those of a user but those of a demiurge. He creates forms which walk, which roll, he creates life. not property: objects now act by themselves; they are no longer an inert and complicated material in the palm of his hand. Roland Barthes “Toys” (Excerpt from Mythologies)
The world of objects makes the child
Correct Answer :
Actant
Creator
Solution :
The correct options are Actant and Creator.
Step-by-step Explanation:
1. Understanding the Passage's Contrast: Roland Barthes, in his essay "Toys," contrasts two kinds of toys and the corresponding roles they impose on a child. On one hand, there are "faithful and complicated objects" (pre-made, realistic adult toys), and on the other hand, there are simpler, open-ended toys like "a set of blocks."
2. The Child as Creator: The passage states that with simple toys (like blocks), the child's actions "are not those of a user but those of a demiurge" (a creator deity). The text explicitly notes that the child "creates forms which walk, which roll, he creates life, not property." Thus, the child functions as a Creator.
3. The Child as Actant: An "actant" is an active participant or agent in a narrative or system of actions. When the child uses blocks, the objects are no longer "inert and complicated material," but rather "act by themselves" through the child's agency. By moving from a passive consumer ("user") to a dynamic force who brings objects to life, the child becomes an active Actant in their play environment.
Access expert-curated educational resources and study materials—completely free.
Create, conduct, and manage professional online assessments with Crey. Perfect for teachers and institutes.
Copyright © 2026 Crey. All Rights Reserved.
