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Important Questions & Answers

Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers

2019
1. What is Aunt Jennifer’s aim in life? (1-3-1)
Aunt Jennifer’s aim in life is to be free from fear and oppression that
control her life and wants to become brave like tigers.
2. Why did Aunt Jennifer decide to create animals so different from her own
character? (1-3-2)
In creating animals that are different from her own character, Aunt Jennifer
found a means of living an alternate life that is denied to her: a life that is
proud, free, fearless and sure of itself. The tigers denote her yearning for
power, freedom and fearless living.
3. Why does Aunt Jennifer create animals that are so different from her own
character? (1-4-1)
Same
4. How are Aunt Jennifer and the tigers created by her different from each
other in their attitudes? (1-4-2)
Same
5. How do symbols in the poem, ‘Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers’ help us understand
her plight? (1-4-3)
The two main symbols used in the poem ‘Aunt Jennifer's Tiger’ are the
tigers and the screen. Tiger represent the creative energy of women. The
screen represents the range on which that creative energy works. Thus
 tigers are symbols of men produced by women. The screen is a symbol of
the women's life on which men prance about.

2017 ALL INDIA

Aunt Jennifer’s fingers fluttering through her wool Find even the ivory needle
hard to pull. The massive weight of Uncle’s wedding band Sits heavily upon Aunt
Jennifer’s hand.
1. What is Aunt Jennifer doing with her wool?
Aunt Jennifer is making prancing tigers by knitting her wool. Aunt Jennifer is
knitting wool to make prancing (jumping) tiger’s on a panel, which represent her
inner desire(fillings), that she wish to be brave and fearless like them.
2. Why does she find it difficult to pull her ivory needle?
Aunt Jennifer’s hands are ‘fluttering through her wool’ because she is an old lady
on whom age has taken its toll. The fluttering of Aunt Jennifer’s fingers also
signifies her oppressed mental condition which makes it difficult for her to even
pull an ivory needle while embroidering.
3. What does ―wedding band‖ stand for?
The wedding band represents Aunt J’s unhappy marriage, and, on a larger scale,
the patriarchal (male-dominated) society that she lives in.
4. Describe the irony in the third line. (1-1-2-3)
It is ironical that Aunt Jennifer’s creations- the tigers will continue to pace and
prance freely, while Aunt herself will remain terrified even after death, ringed by
the ordeals she was controlled by in her married life.
2017 DELHI
Aunt Jennifer’s tigers prance across a screen, Bright topaz denizens of a world of
green. They do not fear the men beneath the tree; They pace in sleek chivalric
certainty.
(a) Why are the tigers called Aunt Jennifer’s tigers?
The tigers are called Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers because she has made them
with the wool.
(b) How are they described here?
They’re described as prancing and they do not fear the men beneath the
tree.
(c) How are they different from Aunt Jennifer?
Their traits are very different from Aunt Jennifer. Aunt Jennifer's
tigers are unrestricted, courageous and proud of themselves. They lived
a strong and happy life. Unlike the tigers, aunt Jennifer was old; yet she
was afraid of her husband.
(d) What does the word, ‘chivalric’ mean? (1-1, 2,3)
The use of the word "chivalric" brings to mind symbols on a knight's
shield, or within an ancient family's coat of arms.

2017 Foreign
When Aunt is dead, her terrified hands will lie Still ringed with ordeals she was
mastered by. The tigers in the panel that she made
1. Will go on prancing, proud and unafraid. Who terrified the aunt?
Aunt Jennifer is terrified of her husband. She has suffered domination from her
husband. She has suffered misery and difficulties. She is dominated to fulfill vows
and responsibilities of married life.
2. What did she do to face the terror?
She embroidered the tigers on the panel to face the terror.
3. What is the result of her effort?
She was able to express her feelings through those tigers.
4. What does the word, ―prancing‖ mean? (1-1, 2, 3)
To Walk or move around with ostentatious, exaggerated movements.
2016 All India
1. What picture of male chauvinism (tyranny) do we find in the poem? (1-1,
2, 3)
Aunt Jennifer’s Tigers is a poem that depicts the miserable condition of
married women. The poet has beautifully brought to focus the oppression
of married women by selfish husbands. The entire burden of post-marriage
house-hold responsibilities is on women. All married women are
represented by Aunt Jennifer. Her efforts to get rid of marital oppression
and suppression proved to be futile because as long as she lived, she could
never ever get the freedom she longed for. The maximum she could was
embroider tigers on the canvas; the tigers actually symbolized her wish for
freedom from oppression and fears. She lived this oppressed and
suppressed life for some years and finally died. The tigers she had created
kept on prancing.

2016 Delhi
1. Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of her fear proved to be futile. Comment.
(1-1, 2, 3)
Same as below

2016 Foreign
1. How does the poet show the futility of Aunt Jennifer’s efforts? (1-1,2,3)
Aunt Jennifer’s efforts to get rid of marital oppression and suppression
proved to be futile because as long as she lived, she could never ever get
the freedom she longed for. The maximum she could was embroider tigers
on the canvas; the tigers actually symbolized her wish for freedom from
oppression and fears. She lived this oppressed and suppressed life for some
years and finally died. The tigers she had created kept on prancing.

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