Poem: Vocation
Poet: Rabindranath Tagore
Introduction: This poem expresses the innocent wishes of a young boy who observes different people at work and wants to lead their lives, thinking they have more freedom than him.
Summary
Morning: On his way to school at 10 AM, the boy sees a hawker shouting "Bangles, crystal bangles!" The boy wishes to be a hawker because he can go anywhere, take any road, and has no fixed time to return home.
Afternoon: At 4 PM, while coming back from school, he sees a gardener digging the ground. The gardener soils his clothes with dust, gets baked in the sun, and gets wet in the rain. But no one scolds him. The boy wishes to be a gardener so he can dig in the garden without anyone stopping him.
Night: At night, he sees the watchman walking up and down the dark lane with a lantern. The boy, who has to go to bed early, wishes to be a watchman so he can walk freely in the street all night, chasing shadows with his lantern.
Theme: The child feels restricted by rules and discipline and longs for the freedom he sees in the lives of these workers.
Word Meanings
- Gong: A metal disc that makes a loud sound when hit (used as a bell).
- Hawker: A person who travels about selling goods.
- Crystal: High quality clear glass.
- Take to task: To scold or punish.
- Spade: A tool for digging.
- Lane: A narrow street.
- Chasing the shadows: Following imaginary fears or things.
Question 1:
Who is the speaker in the poem? Who are the people the speaker meets? What are they doing?
- A hawker selling bangles.
- A gardener digging the ground.
- A watchman walking the street at night.
Question 2:
What wishes does the child in the poem make? Why does the child want to be a hawker, a gardener, or a watchman?
- He wants to be a hawker to have the freedom to go anywhere and return anytime.
- He wants to be a gardener so that he can spoil his clothes with dust and no one will scold him.
- He wants to be a watchman to walk freely in the street at night with a lantern.
Question 3:
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 these things.
- Go to school at a fixed time (10 AM).
- Return home at a fixed time (4 PM).
- Go to bed early at night.
- Keep his clothes clean.
- Get his clothes dirty in the dust.
- Get wet in the rain or bake in the sun.
- Walk in the dark street at night.
- Take any road he pleases.
Grammar Rules: Articles
A, An, and The are Articles. They possess specific function as Adjectives.
- A: Before consonant sounds (A boy).
- An: Before vowel sounds (An apple, An hour).
- The: Specific things or unique things (The sun, The Taj Mahal).