At what time does the child go to school?

When the gong sounds ten in the morning

What does the child wish at the end of the poem?

To be a watchman walking streets at night

What does the child envy about the hawker's life?

The hawker has no fixed time or route—complete freedom from schedules and obligations

What does the child envy about the gardener?

The gardener does what he likes, gets dirty, and is not answerable to anyone—total independence

Why does the child envy the watchman?

The watchman never goes to bed—a life without bedtime rules, free to roam the night world

What is the underlying feeling the child experiences throughout the poem?

A longing for freedom from the routine of school, homework, and bedtime rules

What does each stanza have in common?

The child sees someone with apparent freedom and wishes to be that person

The lantern is compared to 'chasing shadows.' What does this image suggest?

The night is mysterious and alive with movement—the watchman's world is adventurous and fascinating to the child

Why is 'Vocation' an appropriate title for this poem?

It is about a child wishing to have different occupations (vocations), each representing freedom from childhood constraints

What does 'there is no road he must take' tell us about the hawker's life?

He has complete freedom of movement—no fixed path or destination, unlike a student bound to school

The poem is structured in three stanzas. What does each stanza represent?

Three different times of day and three different figures of freedom the child encounters

What is the most important theme of 'Vocation'?

Childhood longing for freedom—the child perceives work as freedom and home rules as constraints, showing the universal desire to be free

Why does Tagore show the child wanting to be different people at different times of day?

Each stage of the day (morning, afternoon, evening) brings a new figure of freedom, showing that the longing for freedom is constant and shifts based on what the child sees and experiences

The child doesn't know what to be

What is ironic about the child's desires in 'Vocation'?

The people the child envies (hawker, gardener, watchman) have difficult, often lonely lives—while the child perceives their freedom as desirable, the adults might envy the child's safe, carefree life

How does the poem reflect the experience of childhood?

Children live under constraints (school timings, bedtime) and naturally romanticise occupations that seem to offer freedom—a universal part of growing up

Multiple Select: Which figures of freedom does the child wish to be in the poem?

A gardener digging in the garden

A watchman walking the streets at night

Multiple Select: What reasons does the child give for envying the hawker?

The hawker has no road he must take

The hawker has no time he must come home

The hawker has no place he must go to

The hawker sells expensive bangles

Multiple Select: What vivid images are created in the third stanza of the poem?

The street-lamp stands like a giant with one red eye

The watchman swings his lantern

The hawker sells his bangles in the dark

NCERT Solutions Class 5 English Chapter 9 – Vocation

Name: Vocation – Class 5 English
Uploaded: 2026-07-23T06:03:31+00:00
Description: “Vocation” expresses a child’s admiration for people at work— a hawker, gardener, and watchman—wishing to live freely and joyfully like them while noticing the beauty and independence in their daily routines.

Class 5 English

Last Updated: 23 July 2026

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Chapter Introduction

“Vocation” expresses a child’s admiration for people at work— a hawker, gardener, and watchman—wishing to live freely and joyfully like them while noticing the beauty and independence in their daily routines.

हिंदी में (Hindi)

कविता “व्यवसाय” एक बच्चे की कामकाजी लोगों—जैसे एक खोमची, माली और चौकीदार—के प्रति प्रशंसा व्यक्त करती है। बच्चा उनकी तरह स्वतंत्र और आनंदपूर्वक जीवन जीने की इच्छा करता है, और उनके दैनिक कार्यों में सुंदरता और स्वतंत्रता को महसूस करता है।

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Important Points

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Practice MCQ Questions (26 questions)

Q1. Who wrote 'Vocation'?

Q2. What does the child wish to be in the first stanza?

Q3. What does the gardener do all day that the child envies?

Q4. What does the watchman do at night?

Q5. What does the street-lamp look like in the poem?

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Tough Words (Glossary)

Gong

Meaning: A large metal disc that makes a loud sound when struck.

अर्थ: घंटा / घंटा-सा यंत्र

"The gong sounded to start the class."

Lane

Meaning: A narrow road or street.

अर्थ: गली

"We live in a small lane near the market."

Hawker

Meaning: A person who sells goods by calling out in the streets.

अर्थ: फेरीवाला

"The hawker sold fruits in the lane."

Crystal

Meaning: A clear, shiny material like glass.

अर्थ: क्रिस्टल / स्फटिक

"She wore a crystal necklace."

Hurry

Meaning: To move quickly.

अर्थ: जल्दी करना

"There is no need to hurry today."

Spending

Meaning: Using time for a particular purpose.

अर्थ: बिताना

"He enjoyed spending time with his family."

Gate

Meaning: A movable barrier at the entrance of a place.

अर्थ: फाटक / द्वार

"The gate of the school was open."

Gardener

Meaning: A person who takes care of a garden.

अर्थ: माली

"The gardener watered the plants."

Digging

Meaning: Breaking up or moving earth with a tool.

अर्थ: खोदना

"The man was digging the ground."

Spade

Meaning: A tool with a flat blade used for digging.

अर्थ: फावड़ा

"The gardener used a spade to dig."

Soils

Meaning: Makes dirty with earth or mud.

अर्थ: गंदा करना

"He soils his shoes in the rain."

Task

Meaning: A piece of work to be done.

अर्थ: काम

"She completed her task on time."

Baked

Meaning: Made very hot by the sun.

अर्थ: झुलसना

"The children were baked in the hot sun."

Lonely

Meaning: Without company; alone.

अर्थ: अकेला

"He felt lonely in the new city."

Street-lamp

Meaning: A light on the side of a street.

अर्थ: सड़क की बत्ती

"The street-lamp lit up the road at night."

Giant

Meaning: A very large person or thing.

अर्थ: विशालकाय

"The giant tree gave shade to the whole park."

Lantern

Meaning: A lamp with a cover that can be carried.

अर्थ: लालटेन

"The farmer carried a lantern at night."

Shadow

Meaning: A dark shape made when light is blocked.

अर्थ: परछाई

"The tree cast a long shadow."

Chasing

Meaning: Running after to catch something.

अर्थ: पीछा करना

"The dog was chasing the cat."

Vocation

Meaning: A person’s job or profession.

अर्थ: पेशा

"Teaching is her vocation."

NCERT Solutions Class 5 English Chapter 9 – Vocation

Chapter Introduction

Watch Video Lecture

Important Points

Practice MCQ Questions (26 questions)

Q1. Who wrote 'Vocation'?

Q2. What does the child wish to be in the first stanza?

Q3. What does the gardener do all day that the child envies?

Q4. What does the watchman do at night?

Q5. What does the street-lamp look like in the poem?

Q6. At what time does the child go to school?

Q7. What does the child wish at the end of the poem?

Q8. When does the child come back from school?

Q9. What is the hawker selling?

Q10. What does the child's mother do in the third stanza?

Q11. What does the child envy about the hawker's life?

Q12. What does the child envy about the gardener?

Q13. Why does the child envy the watchman?

Q14. What is the underlying feeling the child experiences throughout the poem?

Q15. What does each stanza have in common?

Q16. The lantern is compared to 'chasing shadows.' What does this image suggest?

Q17. Why is 'Vocation' an appropriate title for this poem?

Q18. What does 'there is no road he must take' tell us about the hawker's life?

Q19. The poem is structured in three stanzas. What does each stanza represent?

Q20. What is the most important theme of 'Vocation'?

Q21. Why does Tagore show the child wanting to be different people at different times of day?

Q22. What is ironic about the child's desires in 'Vocation'?

Q23. How does the poem reflect the experience of childhood?

Q24. Multiple Select: Which figures of freedom does the child wish to be in the poem?

Q25. Multiple Select: What reasons does the child give for envying the hawker?

Q26. Multiple Select: What vivid images are created in the third stanza of the poem?