Poem: A Tiger In The Zoo (Theme, Summary and Important Points)-CBSE Class 10 - English Literature (First Flight) - (#eduvictors)(#class10English)(#cbse2020)

Poem: A Tiger In The Zoo (Theme, Summary and Important Points)

CBSE Class 10 - English Literature (First Flight) 

Poet: George Leslie Norris (1921-2006) was a prize winning Welsh poet and short story writer. He is considered as most important Welsh writers of the post war period and his literary works have won many prizes. His famous works are Finding Gold, The loud winder, phoenix living poets series: Ransoms, etc.

A Tiger in the Zoo 

He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,

On pads of velvet quiet,

In his quiet rage.

...

He hears the last voice at night,

The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes

At the brilliant stars.

~Leslie Norris

About the poem:

The poem explains the agony and helplessness of a caged tiger that lives in a zoo. The poet explains what his life would have been if he had been a free animal. He has tried to explain about the condition of animals that are caged by human beings for their own fun.

Summary

The poem begins with a description of a tiger that is very beautiful and is walking in his little cage. He has beautiful stripes on his skin and has velvet like soft paws. But the tiger is not happy and is quite angry about being confined in the cage. The poet says that if the tiger was not confined to the zoo cage, he would have been hiding himself behind the long grass near some water body, in order to catch its prey i.e the deer. Also, he would have terrorised the residents of the villages around the forest area. But the reality is totally opposite to this. He was confined in a cage which was made up of strong building material and he was helpless there. He could not show his power to the visitors, therefore, never tried to terrorize them. The tiger is described as being powerless and agonized by the poet. He says that during night also he is alone, hearing the voice of the patrolling vehicles of police and looking at the stars. The cage life has totally changed the tiger’s personality. The poet is trying to say that the animal which is famous for its fearlessness and freedom is confined and sad due to the human beings who want to derive pleasure by looking at him in the zoo cage.

Literary/Poetic Devices used in the poem:

Alliteration : Repetition of sound ‘b’ in behind bars. 

Metaphor: Tiger’s paws are compared with velvet (pads of velvet). 

Enjambment: Sentence is continuing to next line without any punctuation. (He should be snarling around houses... jungle's edge)

Imagery: The poet tries to create an image about the tiger He stalks in his vivid stripes, The few steps of cage).

Oxymoron: use of adjectives opposite in meaning (quiet rage).

Onomatopoeia:  use of sound words e.g. snarling

Learning from the poem (Objectives of the poem):

1. Freedom is important for all living beings including animals.

2. Understand the dangers of deforestation and blessings of forestation.

3. All animals will be happy only in their natural habitat.

4. It is the responsibility of every citizen to preserve the environment and our earth (the living planet).

Theme:

The poem is a beautiful representation of the plight of animals. It is a shame that such a powerful, agile and untamable animal like tiger should be caged in a zoo. In his natural and wild habitat, he doesn’t need the help of any kind to hunt its own food. His hunting of deer at the water hole may seem rather cruel. He hunts not for pleasure but for food. His presence in the natural habitat is necessary to maintain the balance of food chain. Sometimes, the tiger may stray into human habitation. He only displays his strength and ferociousness. But he doesn’t harm anyone till he is provoked. Even in the cage, he ignores all those who come to the zoo to see him as entertainment. Like human beings, the tiger too loves and values his freedom. He shows his anger, hatred and even defiance by walking about in rage in his cage. Human progress should not be at the cost of destroying the natural habitats of untamable and proud animals like the tiger.

Key Points

1. The tiger is not in his natural habitat.

2. Jungle or forest is the natural habitat of the tiger.

3. Unfortunately, the denizen of the forest, has been confined to live inside a cage in a zoo.

4. He is no more free to roam about in the forest but walks within the length and breadth of his cage.

5. He has dark spots on his skin which can be seen clearly even from a distance.

6. Condemned to live in his cage, he walks around quietly with his velvetly soft padded feet.

7. He is angry but has suppressed its anguish and continues continues walking up and down in his cage. 

8. The poet imagines how the tiger should behave if he is in his natural habitat i.e in a jungle.

9. In the wild, he should be silently hiding himself in the shadow remains unnoticed.

10. Sliding through the long grass he moves stealthily to catch his prey.

11. He knows where he can find his kill and his favourite hunt is the plump-deer which he can find near the water-hole.

12. Sometimes he comes out of the forest and roams in nearby villages. There he terrorises the villagers by opening out his white fangs or the long teeth and claws. His feroucious looks frightens the villagers.

13. However, he has no intention of harming or  killing anybody till he is provoked.

14. To its bad luck, the tiger is confined to live in a concrete cell.

15. Angry, helpless and unhappy in the cage, he pays no attention to the visitors who come to watch him. 

16. In the silence of the night, he stares at the brilliant stars with his bright eyes.

Vocabulary:

stalks – to walk angrily

vivid – bright coloured

pads – paws of tiger

rage – anger

lurking – waiting secretly

snarling – making an aggressive growl showing teeth

baring – uncovered

fangs – sharp teeth of animals

concrete – building made of bricks, cement, sand and water

patrolling – to guard

👉See Also:

A Letter to God (Chapter Summary)
A letter to God (Questions and Answers)

Long Walk to Freedom (Key Points)
Long Walk to Freedom (Oral Comprehension Check-1)

Two Stories About Flying (Q & A)  
Two Stories About Flying (MCQs)

The Making of Scientist (Q & A)
The Hundred Dresses-1 (Chapter Summary)


Figures Of Speech