A Tiger in the Zoo
INTRODUCTION—
The poem gives a sharp contrast of a tiger. The poem provides a contrast in the mood and environment of a tiger, when he is in the zoo and when he is in the forest, when it is in its natural habitat and when it is imprisoned.
SUMMARY—
‘This poem contrasts a tiger in the zoo with the tiger in its natural habitat. The poem moves from the zoo to the jungle, and again back to the zoo. In the zoo, he has no freedom. He is kept in a cemented cell behind the bars. He feels angry, frustrated and helpless. This reminds him of his natural habitat, his hiding and sliding in the long grass near the water hole and pouncing upon the fat deer, the way he terrorised the villagers, displaying his sharp teeth and claws. At night in the zoo, he hears the sounds of patrolling cars. The tiger in the zoo appears helpless as a mere showpiece and source of entertainment to people. The poet wants to convey that it is cruel to keep wild animals in small enclosures of the zoo, away from their natural habitat. They feel angry, helpless and unhappy in the cage. He pays no attention to the visitors who come to watch him. In the silence of the night, he stares at the brilliant stars with his bright eyes.
Explanation of the Poem
1. He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
Explanation: The tiger in the zoo walks in the limited space provided to it in the cage. It takes a few steps.There are stripes on its body which are quite prominent. Its paws are soft like velvet. No noise is produced when it walks on its ‘pads of velvet’. The tiger is silent but in anger.
2. He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
Explanation: The poet suggests that the cage is not the proper place for the tiger. It is not its natural habitat.Usually, tigers are found sitting under long grass near a stream. As soon as they see their prey like deer coming, they slide silently through the grass and kill them. The poet wants to convey that the tiger should be there in the forest, in its natural habitat.
3. He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village !
Explanation: The poet then gives another suggestion that the tiger should be sitting at the jungle’s edge in close vicinity of a village. He should be terrorising the people passing that way by its sharp teeth, baring its claws and producing low sound of anger.
4. But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
Explanation: The poet now shows deep sympathy at the plight (unpleasant situation) of the tiger that is imprisoned in a cell made of concrete. He cannot come out of the cell because strong bars are fixed. Thus the poet says that the tiger’s strength is locked behind the bars. He shows no interest in looking at the visitors. Rather he keeps on stalking (in anger) in the limited space of the cage.
5. He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
Explanation: The poet again takes the readers to the cage where the tiger is sitting in the cage and feeling unpleasant and restless. He hears the sound of the patrolling cars of the zoo authorities. He shows no interest in them. He stares at the shining stars with his brilliant eyes.The poet raises a moral issue here. He intends to present a strong case against the cruelty.
Extract Based Questions
Read the following extracts and answer the question/complete the sentences that follow :
1. He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.
Question. The tiger should be lurking in shadow to stalk the ................... .
(i) horse
(ii) deer
(iii) cow
(iv) zebra
Answer. (ii) deer
Question. Where is the tiger now ?
(i) jungle
(ii) natural habitat
(iii) room
(iv) zoo
Answer.(iv) zoo
Question. Give the antonym of ‘long’.
(i) high
(ii) small
(iii) short
(iv) length
Answer.(iii) short
Question. The tiger is sliding through long ................... .
(i) stalks
(ii) hay
(iii) trees
(iv) grass
Answer.(iv) grass
2. He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
Question. Which animal has stripes and velvet pads ?
(i) Zebra
(ii) Tiger
(iii) Lion
(iv) Panther
Answer.(ii) Tiger
Question. Why does he move only a few steps, it is because of
(i) Zoo
(ii) Room
(iii) Jungle
(iv) Cage
Answer.(iv) Cage
Question. Pick out the word from the stanza that means the same as ‘clear‘.
(i) stripes
(ii) velvet
(iii) vivid
(iv) rage
Answer.(iii) vivid
Question. Who has written the above lines ?
(i) Leslie Norris
(ii) Robert Frost
(iii) Robin Klein
(iv) Carolyn Wells
Answer.(i) Leslie Norris
3. But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
Question. Who is locked in a concrete cell ?
(i) an elephant
(ii) a giraffe
(iii) a tiger
(iv) a lion
Answer.(iii) a tiger
Question. The tiger is ignoring visitors because he is ................... .
(i) sad
(ii) excited
(iii) happy
(iv) angry
Answer.(iv) angry
Question. Find the word from the passage which means same as ‘pacing‘.
(i) stalking
(ii) concrete
(iii) strength
(iv) ignoring
Answer.(i) stalking
Question. The cell is made of what ?
(i) cement
(ii) sandstone
(iii) marble
(iv) concrete
Answer.(iv) concrete
Short Answer Type Questions
Question. Why does the tiger express his anger quietly ?
Answer. The tiger expresses his anger quietly, because he is helpless. He can do nothing from behind the bars. He is not free as he was in the forest. The tiger’s strength is locked behind the bars. Thus it can only show anger.
Question. Describe some of the activities of the tiger as stated by the poet.
Answer. Some of the activities of the tiger as stated by the poet are - walking along the cage, hearing the patrolling of cars, ignoring visitors and staring at the brilliant stars of the sky.
Question. What does the poet want to convey through the poem ?
Answer. The poet exhibits the miserable life led by the animals in the zoo. He shows the two different lives i.e., in the zoo and the life at a natural habitat. According to the poet, animals should not be caged. They should be let free in the wild. Even they have a right to remain free. They should not be caged for our personal interests.
Long Answer Type Questions
Question. Do you agree that wild animals should be caged ? Comment ‘yes’ or ‘no’ giving reasons.
Answer. Wild animals should not be caged. This is a well known fact that tiger is a royal species which is on the verge of extinction. In ancient times, tigers moved around freely in the forests. But today, they are caged and left in the zoo for the entertainment of people. In fact, they are not meant for confinement. The result is that their off spring also do not learn to hunt, when they are caged. Caging wild animals also leads to disturbance of ecological balance. So, wild animals should be let free. They belong to the forest. Cages are not meant for a wild animal, specially a tiger. We should not cage them for our personal interests. Even animals love to live in their natural habitat along with their families. We should not separate them from their families.
