CBSE Class 6 English NCERT Solutions: Vocation (Poem)

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NCERT Solutions PDF Class 6 PDF

This section provides detailed NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English, focusing on the poem 'Vocation'. It delves into the perspective of a child who observes various working individuals and expresses a desire for their freedom and lack of restrictions. The solutions explore the child's wishes to become a hawker, a gardener, or a watchman, highlighting the perceived joys and freedoms associated with these occupations compared to the child's own structured life. Key themes include the longing for independence, the contrast between a child's routine and adult responsibilities, and the appreciation for different vocations. These solutions are designed to help students understand the poem's nuances, analyze the child's feelings, and prepare effectively for their exams by clarifying the text and its underlying messages.

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Quick info

BoardCBSE
ClassClass 6
SubjectHoneysuckle
Session2026
LanguageEnglish
TypeNCERT Solutions
Chapter17. Vocation (Poem)

Chapter summary

NCERT Solutions for Class 6 English Poem 'Vocation' offers a deep dive into the child speaker's perspective. The solutions analyze the child's observations of a hawker, a gardener, and a watchman, and explain why the child wishes to emulate them. It focuses on the child's desire for freedom from daily routines and restrictions, contrasting it with the perceived liberty of these professions. The exercises help students identify specific lines that convey these sentiments and list the 'do's and don'ts' that the child dislikes.

Learning outcomes

  • Understand the central theme of the poem 'Vocation'.
  • Identify the different people the child speaker encounters and their activities.
  • Analyze the child's wishes and the reasons behind them.
  • Differentiate between the child's routine and the perceived freedom of other professions.
  • Interpret the child's feelings about rules and restrictions.
  • List the 'do's' and 'don'ts' that the child dislikes.

Topics covered

Paper topics

  • The poem 'Vocation'
  • Child's perspective
  • Observations of working people
  • Hawker's job
  • Gardener's job
  • Watchman's job
  • Desire for freedom
  • Freedom from routine
  • Rules and restrictions
  • Analysis of poem stanzas
  • Identifying character actions
  • Understanding vocations

Important topics

  • Child's wishes and motivations
  • Freedom vs. Restrictions
  • Analysis of the hawker, gardener, and watchman's roles
  • Understanding the poem's central theme
  • Identifying lines supporting answers

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Questions and Solutions

Question 1

Your partner and you may now be able to answer these questions.
Solution: This is an introductory statement encouraging students to engage with the subsequent questions after understanding the poem and its context.

Question 2

Who is the speaker in the poem? Who are the people the speaker meets? What are they doing?
Solution: The speaker in the poem is a young child, likely on their way to or from school. The child encounters three people:
  1. A hawker, who is selling bangles and crying out "Bangles, crystal bangles!"
  2. A gardener, who is digging the ground and working with his spade.
  3. A watchman, who is walking up and down the streets at night, swinging his lantern.

Question 3

What wishes does the child in the poem make? Why does the child want to be a hawker, a gardener, or a watchman?
Solution: The child makes several wishes, wanting to be a hawker, a gardener, or a watchman. The child wishes to be these people because they perceive these professions as offering more freedom than their own structured life:
  • To be a hawker: The child wishes to be a hawker because they believe a hawker has no fixed route, no specific time to return home, and can spend the day on the road calling out their wares without any rush or obligation.
  • To be a gardener: The child wants to be a gardener because they see that a gardener can do whatever they like with their spade, can get their clothes dirty with dust, and are not scolded if they get baked in the sun or wet. This implies a freedom from reprimand for actions that might be forbidden to the child.
  • To be a watchman: The child wishes to be a watchman to walk through the dark and lonely streets all night with a lantern, chasing shadows. The child observes that the watchman seems to never have to go to bed, which appeals to the child's desire to avoid bedtime and confinement.
In essence, the child longs for the independence and lack of strict rules associated with these jobs, which are in contrast to the child's own obligations like going to school, coming home at a fixed time, and going to bed when it gets dark.

Question 4

From the way the child envies the hawker, the gardener and the watchman, we can guess that there are many things the child has to do, or must not do. Make a list of the do's and don'ts that the child doesn't like. The first line is done for you.

The Child Must | The Child Must Not

Come home at a fixed time | Get his clothes dirty in the dust

Solution: Based on the child's observations and wishes, here is a list of the rules and restrictions the child dislikes:

The Child Must

  • Come home at a fixed time
  • Go to school every day
  • Go to bed when it got dark

The Child Must Not

  • Get his clothes dirty in the dust
  • Get baked in the sun or get wet
  • Walk on dark and lonely streets at night

Common mistakes

  • Confusing the speaker with the people they observe.
  • Not fully grasping the child's motivation for wanting to change professions.
  • Overlooking the contrast between the child's life and the lives of the hawker, gardener, and watchman.
  • Difficulty in extracting specific lines from the poem to support answers.

Revision tips

  • Read the poem 'Vocation' aloud to grasp its rhythm and tone.
  • Focus on the child's perspective and emotions throughout the poem.
  • Pay close attention to the descriptions of the hawker, gardener, and watchman.
  • Use the 'do's' and 'don'ts' list to understand the child's desire for freedom.
  • Discuss the poem's themes with classmates to deepen understanding.

Practice MCQs

Q1. Who is the speaker in the poem 'Vocation'?

Q2. What does the hawker cry out while selling his goods?

Q3. Why does the child wish to be a gardener?

Q4. What does the child admire about the watchman's job?

Q5. Which of these is NOT a reason the child wants to be a hawker?

Frequently asked questions

What is the main theme of the poem 'Vocation'?

The main theme of 'Vocation' is a child's longing for freedom from daily routines and restrictions, as observed through their admiration for the perceived liberties of various working individuals like a hawker, gardener, and watchman.

Who are the people the child speaker meets in the poem?

The child speaker meets a hawker selling bangles, a gardener digging the ground, and a watchman walking up and down the street at night.

Why does the child want to be a hawker?

The child wishes to be a hawker because they believe a hawker has no fixed schedule, can choose their own path, and doesn't have to hurry home, unlike the child's own structured life.

What does the child learn from observing the gardener?

The child observes that a gardener can do as they please with their spade, soil their clothes, and are not scolded for getting dirty or being in the sun, which contrasts with the child's own restrictions.

How do these NCERT Solutions help Class 6 students?

These solutions provide clear, rewritten answers to the poem's questions, helping students understand the child's feelings, the different vocations discussed, and the poem's underlying message about freedom and responsibility.

Important links

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