Class 5 English - KERALA
Poetry: Vocation
The poem 'Vocation' by Rabindranath Tagore, included in the Class 5 Kerala SCERT English syllabus, takes young learners on an imaginative journey through the eyes of a child. As the child goes to school, he meets a hawker selling crystal bangles, a gardener digging the ground, and a watchman walking the lonely streets at night. Each time, the child wishes he could trade his structured school life for their freedom, unaware that the adults secretly admire his carefree childhood. This chapter is vital for board-related school assessments as it teaches children to appreciate different professions and develops poetic comprehension and appreciation.
Start Learning FreeKey Concepts
Vocation
A vocation means a person's employment, profession, or calling, such as being a hawker, gardener, or watchman.
The Child's Imagination
The speaker in the poem is a young child who gets fascinated by the freedom of working adults he sees on his way to school.
The Hawker
A street vendor who sells crystal bangles with no fixed time to return home, making the child wish to be as free as him.
The Gardener
A person who digs the ground and gets his clothes soiled, whom the child envies because nobody scolds him for getting dirty.
The Watchman
A night guard who walks the dark streets with a lantern, whom the child wishes to join to walk freely through the night.
Important Formulas
Board Exam Info
In Kerala (SCERT) Class 5 English exams, this chapter typically carries around 6 to 8 marks. Common question types include comprehension questions based on stanzas, character wishes, identifying rhyming words, and short paragraph writing about what the child wants to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does the child want to be a hawker?
The child wants to be a hawker because there is no fixed road he must take, no place he must go to, and no time when he must return home.
What does the gardener do that makes the child envious?
The gardener digs the soil with his spade and gets his clothes soiled, and nobody scolds him even if he gets baked in the sun or gets wet.
Who wrote the poem Vocation?
The poem 'Vocation' was written by the famous Indian poet Rabindranath Tagore.
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