Across the Wall – Class 5 EVS Chapter 17 (NCERT)

What is 'Across the Wall' About?

'Across the Wall' tells us about a family whose land and home got divided when a new boundary line (wall) was drawn between two countries after independence. Suddenly, one part of their field was in one country, and the rest was across the wall in another country. People who were neighbours and friends for years found themselves separated — unable to meet freely, share food, or help each other like before.

The chapter makes us think deeply: walls are made of bricks or barbed wire, but they can also create walls of misunderstanding between hearts. Even though a physical wall stood between the two sides, the story shows children and families finding small ways to stay connected — talking across the fence, sending a gift over the wall, or simply waving to each other. This teaches us that true friendship and love for one another are stronger than any wall, and that we should always try to build bridges of understanding instead of walls of hatred.

Key Ideas in the Chapter

How the Story Unfolds — Step by Step

1. Step 1: Life before the wall — The family in the story lived peacefully with their neighbours. They shared their fields, celebrated festivals together, and helped each other during hard times, just like one big community.
2. Step 2: The boundary is drawn — After the country was divided, a new border line was marked right through their land. Suddenly, part of their field, and even some neighbours, ended up on the 'other side' of the wall.
3. Step 3: Difficulties begin — People could no longer freely walk to the other side to meet friends or work on their land. Permission, checking, and rules were now needed to cross the wall.
4. Step 4: Finding ways to connect — Despite the wall, the children and families found ways to stay in touch — waving, calling out, or passing small gifts across the fence — showing that relationships do not end just because of a wall.
5. Step 5: The message of the chapter — The story ends with the idea that walls can divide land, but they should never be allowed to divide our hearts, love, and respect for one another.

Common Mistakes & Exam Tips

• Do not confuse 'border/boundary' with a simple house wall — in this chapter, 'wall' mostly refers to a border between two countries or divided land.
• Remember the emotional message: walls divide land, not friendship — this is the key point examiners look for in answers.
• While writing answers, always mention both the physical wall (border) AND the invisible wall (misunderstanding) discussed in the chapter.
• Avoid one-word answers; CBSE Class 5 EVS expects 2-3 line answers with reasoning, not just facts.
• Use examples from your own life (like a friend who moved to another city) to relate to the chapter's theme when asked for personal opinion questions.

Practice Questions with Solutions

• Q: What is the chapter 'Across the Wall' mainly about?
  A: Step 1: Recall that the chapter tells a story of a family whose land got divided by a border after the country was split.
  Step 2: Note that friends and neighbours ended up on two different sides of this wall/border.
  Step 3: Understand the deeper message — that even though land can be divided, people's love and friendship should not be divided.
  Final answer: The chapter 'Across the Wall' is about how a border wall divided a family's land and separated neighbours, and it teaches us that true friendship can still exist across any wall.

• Q: Why did the family's field get divided?
  A: Step 1: Understand that when the country was divided into two nations, a new boundary line was drawn.
  Step 2: This border line passed right through the family's land, splitting the field into two parts.
  Step 3: One part of the field stayed in one country, and the other part became part of the neighbouring country.
  Final answer: The family's field got divided because a new border was drawn between two countries, and the boundary line passed directly through their land.

• Q: How did people stay connected even after the wall was built?
  A: Step 1: Recall that meeting freely across the wall became difficult after the border was made.
  Step 2: Think about the small actions mentioned in the story — waving to each other, calling out, and sending gifts across the fence.
  Step 3: Realise that these small gestures kept their friendship alive despite the physical separation.
  Final answer: People stayed connected by waving, talking across the fence, and sending small gifts over the wall, showing that friendship can survive even when a wall separates people physically.

• Q: What is the difference between a real wall and an 'invisible wall' mentioned in the chapter?
  A: Step 1: A real wall is a physical structure like a border fence, brick wall, or barbed wire that separates land or countries.
  Step 2: An invisible wall is created in people's minds and hearts when they stop trusting, understanding, or talking to each other.
  Step 3: The chapter warns that the invisible wall of hatred or misunderstanding is more harmful than the physical wall.
  Final answer: A real wall is a physical border like a fence, while an invisible wall is the distance created between hearts due to misunderstanding — and the chapter teaches us to avoid the invisible wall the most.

• Q: What lesson does 'Across the Wall' teach us about relationships?
  A: Step 1: Recall that despite the border, the people in the story still cared for each other.
  Step 2: Understand that the chapter shows walls can separate land, but they cannot separate love, respect, and friendship if people truly care.
  Step 3: Connect this to real life — even if friends move away or families are separated by distance, relationships can be kept alive through effort.
  Final answer: The chapter teaches us that physical walls or borders may divide land and people's daily lives, but they should never be allowed to divide our friendship, love, and respect for one another.

Frequently Asked Questions