Poem 3: A Tiger in the Zoo

Question 1.
Read the poem again, and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks :
(i) Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in the wild. Arrange them in two columns.

Solution 1

In the cage	In the wild
Stalks	Lurking in shadow
Few steps	Sliding through long grass
Locked in a concrete cell	Snarling around houses
Stalking the length of his cage	Baring his white fangs
Ignoring visitors	Terrorizing the village
Stares with his brilliant eyes.

(ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns. Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.

Cage	Wild
Few steps of his cage	Shadow
Concrete cell	Long grass
Bars	Water hole where plump deer pass
Length of his cage	Houses at the jungle edge
Visitors
Patrolling cars

The poet begins by saying that the tiger has only a few steps to walk around in his cage. He contrasts this with the vast areas of land the tiger should be lurking in around the jungle. The poet further says that the tiger should be sliding through the long grass in the wild. The poet expects this ferocious animal to be hiding near the water hole, waiting for a plump prey to pass.

Instead, the tiger is locked in a concrete cell where he seems to control his ferocity behind the bars of his cage. The poet feels that the tiger should be out in open snarling at people around houses and terrorizing the village by baring his white fangs and sharp claws.

Question 2.

Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these :

(i) On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.

(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition ?

Solution 2

The poet uses repetition to bring out the beauty and contrast in the poem.

(i)On pads of velvet quiet- This refers to the tiger's padded paws living in forced luxury (velvet is associated with luxury) which are quiet as they are confined to the limited steps he can take in the cage. Because of this, he is unable to run and slide through the grass or hunt.

In his quiet rage- Here the 'anger' and 'ferocity' of the tiger is controlled as he is unable to run in the wild and hunt his prey or terrorize the villagers.

His anger is thus suppressed. The quietness is somewhat symbolic of suppressed natural instincts.

(ii) And stares with his brilliant eyes-Even at night, the tiger is not at rest. He is aware of the sights and sounds around him. Being a big cat, he has luminous eyes that reflect light. The poet therefore calls his eyes 'brilliant'.   The word 'brilliant could also be the poet's commentary on the regality of the magnificent tiger.

At the brilliant stars-He seems to be staring at the brilliant stars in the night sky wondering if he will ever be free to go back to the open jungle.

The brilliance is seen not only in his eyes that yearn for freedom, but also in the stars that remind him of his own independence.  

 Question 3.

Read the following two poems—one about a tiger and the other about a panther. Then discuss :

Are zoos necessary for the protection or conservation of some species of animals ? Are they useful for educating the public ? Are there alternatives to zoos ?

Solution 3

Yes, zoos are essential especially for the protection and conservation of certain species of animals. Many animals are hunted and poached for their body parts and as a result they have become endangered. In the wild, some endangered species can be poisoned by wild foods or even drown in flooded rivers.  We need to protect them or else they will soon be extinct. Besides this, increasing population and rapid industrialization destroy large parts of their natural habitat, endangering their lives. Zoos are important centres of education for both children and adults alike. They are artificial habitats that can also develop into good scientific research centres.

However, zoos are not the perfect substitute for forests since animals are caged in confined spaces where they are unable to move around freely.

Humane alternatives to zoos are national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and bio-reserves where animals are protected and conserved in their natural habitat. They are able to roam around freely in the wild and are yet protected from hunters and poachers. Strict rules and guidelines are observed for visitors and they are not allowed to feed, tease or upset the animals.

Question 4.

Take a point of view for or against zoos, or even consider both points of view and write a couple of paragraphs or speak about this topic for a couple of minutes in class. 

Solution 4

Zoos are both necessary and unnecessary for many reasons. But the reasons favouring them are more. So they are there all over the world.

Zoos are necessary for protection and conservation of many species. Many species of wild animals are already extinct. Some are on the way to extinction. Animals are necessary for the ecological balance of the earth. It guarantees life of all. Then these zoos educate the public about wildlife. So they must be there.

Zoos are not required because in them many animals die. They are not kept properly. They do not reproduce. They starve because they can live well in their natural habitats. So zoos should not be there.

There are no alternatives to zoos. Only one thing remains. Animals should be kept well like our own children. But this is a far cry.

Extra Questions and Answers

Read the following extracts carefully and answer the questions that follow.
Question 1.
He stalks in his vivid stripes,
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.
(a) Why the tiger could walk only a few steps?
(b) How does the tiger move in the cage?
(c) What are the two qualities of the animal under reference?
(d) Why is he in quiet rage?   [CBSE 2014]
Answer:
(a) The tiger could walk only a few steps because he was locked in a very small cage.
(b) The tiger moves very slowly and quietly in a threatening way.
(c) The tiger has vivid stripes on his body and soft velvet pads.
(d) He is in quiet rage as he is locked and his freedom has been curtailed. Thus, he is unable to show his anger and ferocity.

Question 2.
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass,
Near the water hole,
Where plump deer pass.
(a) Who is ‘He’ here?
(b) Where should he be lurking?
(c) Where should he be sliding?
(d) Who would pass through the water hole?
Answer:
(a) ‘He’ refers to the tiger.
(b) He should be lurking in the shadows in the forest.
(c) The tiger should be sliding through the long grass in the forest.
(d) A plump deer would pass through the water hole.

Question 3.

He should be snarling around houses At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!
(a) What does the poet try to suggest through these lines?
(b) How does the tiger scare the people?     [CBSE 2015]
(c) Why does ‘he’ snarl?
(d) How does ‘he’ show his presence? [CBSE 2011]
Answer:

(a) The poet is trying to suggest that the tiger should be allowed to live in his natural habitat.
(b) The tiger scares the people by growling at them and showing his teeth and claws.
(c) ‘He’ snarls to show his anger and helplessness.
(d) ‘He’ shows his presence by baring his white teeth and claws.

Question 4.

But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.
(a) What does the phrase ‘his strength behind the bar’ suggests?
(b) Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?
(c) What is the tiger doing in the cage?
(d) What does the expression ‘stalking the length of the cage’ imply?   [CBSE 2012]
Answer:

(a) It means that he is helpless as he is locked in a cage.
(b) The tiger ignores the visitors because he considers them devoid of feelings as none of them tries to help him out of the prison.
(c) The tiger is moving slowly and quietly along the length of the cage.
(d) It implies walking to and fro in helplessness.

Question 5.

He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares With his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.
(a) What kind of voices does the tiger hear?
(b) Where does the tiger look at in the night?
(c) What do you mean by ‘patrolling’?
(d) What is the effect of the repeated use of the word ‘brilliant’?
Answer:

(a) The tiger hears the voice coming from the patrolling cars at night.
(b) The tiger looks at the brilliant stars shining in the sky at the night.
(c) ‘Patrolling’ means to go around an area at regular times to check that it is safe.
(d) The repeated use of brilliant shows the contrast. The brilliant stars are free while the brilliant eyes are inside the cage.

Short Answer Type Questions [2 Marks each]

Question 1.

How does a tiger create terror for the villagers?
Answer:

The tiger creates terror for the villagers by snarling
around their houses as they are situated near the jungle. He frightens them by showing his white fangs and claws.

Question 2.

Leslie Norris has described some of the activities of a tiger behind the bars of its cage. Write them.
Answer:

Some of the activities of the tiger behind the bars of its cage includes stalking along the length of the cage, ignoring visitors, hearing patrolling cars and staring at the brilliant stars shining in the sky.

Question 3.

Describe the tiger in the cage.
Answer:

The tiger in the cage is just a diminished form of his original self. He paces up and down in the cage restlessly. He is confined in the narrow cell and keeps staring the stars as if longing for freedom. He is helpless and draws pity for his condition.

Question 4.

Describe the tiger in the wild.
Answer:

The tiger in the wild is majestic. He is free and lies under the shades and hunts for prey. He moves near the water because food is in plenty there. Sometimes he growls and terrorises the villagers.

Question 5.

Why does the tiger express his rage quietly?
Answer:

The tiger expresses his rage quietly because
there is nothing he can do from behind the bars of his cage. He is helpless as his strength now lies inside the cage. He is no longer free as he was in the jungle.

Question 6.

Where should the tiger have been according to the poet?    [CBSE 2014]
Answer:

The poet thinks that the tiger should have been in the jungle, lurking in the shadow of long grass to prey on the deer near the water hole. He should also be on the outskirts of the jungle snarling around houses and terrifying villagers.

Question 7.

How does the tiger make his presence felt in the village?    [CBSE 2015]
Answer:

The tiger makes his presence felt by snarling around houses at the jungle’s edge and by showing his white fangs and claws.

Question 8.

What does the tiger do in his cage?
Answer:

The tiger is locked in a concrete cell where he can hardly take a few steps along the length of the cage. He doesn’t take any notice of the visitors who come there. With his shining eyes, he keeps staring at the bright stars in the sky.

Question 9.

Why should the tiger snarl around houses at the edge of the forest?’.    [CBSE 2012]
Answer:

The tiger should snarl around houses at the edge of the forest because of the following reasons. Firstly the villagers will not disturb the peace of the forest. Secondly, they will not kill the animals for money or just for fun.

Question 10.

What is the tiger doing? Why is he ignoring the visitors?
Answer:

The tiger is slowly and quietly moving along the length of the cage in a threatening manner. He is ignoring the visitors because he considers them devoid of any feelings. None of them thinks of releasing him from his prison. Thus, he stops taking any notice of them.

Question 11.

Why do you think the tiger looks at the stars?
Answer:

The tiger feels very helpless in the cage. He stares with hope at the brilliant stars shining in the sky. He hopes for the day when he would be able to run free in the wild. The brilliant stars, thus, provides him with some sort of comfort.

Question 12.

What does the poet convey through the poem?
Answer:

The poet tries to expose the miserable life led by the animals in the zoo. He compares the life of the tiger in the zoo with its life at a natural habitat. The animals have the right to freedom and should not be caged. They should be allowed to run free in the wild.

Long Answer (Value Based) Type Questions [8 Marks each]

Question 1.

Love for freedom is the natural instinct of every living being. Comment.   [CBSE 2014]
Answer:

It is rightly said that love for freedom is the natural instinct of every living being. Everyone loves freedom and does not want to live in confinement. Similarly, the tiger also longed for freedom. He was so fed up being caged that he even ignored the visitors. He took to and fro steps in the cage as if trying to while away the time. The tiger wanted to escape this captivity.
God has made all living beings equally and thus, the animals too have the right to freedom. They should not be caged. It is their right to enjoy their natural habitat i.e. the forest and run freely in the wild. We should, thus, respect their freedom and should not put them in the zoo.

Question 2.

Is it right to confine wild animals into cages? Why or why not?
Answer:

Wild animals are meant to live in the wild. They are not meant to be caged and displayed in the zoos. We all know that the majestic species of tiger is on the verge of extinction. There used to be a time when they used to roam proudly and freely in the jungle. They are not meant to live a life in confinement. They also have the right to freedom like all other living beings. Confinement leads to depression and misery. Moreover, their offsprings lose the hunting capabilities as they are not trained to hunt in the wild. As a result, they would not be able to feed themselves. Furthermore confining wild animals disturbs the whole ecological balance. We should, thus, let the animals run free in the wild. They belong to the forest and not to the cage.

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