Question-Answer Worksheet

A Tige in the Zoo

-Leslie Norris

Q1. Read the poem again and work in pairs or groups to do the following tasks.
1.1 Find the words that describe the movements and actions of the tiger in the cage and in
the wild. Arrange them in two columns.
Ans:

In the Cage In the Wild

Stalks few steps of his cage,

Lurking in shadow,
Quiet rage Locked in concrete cell,
sliding through long grass,
Stalking-the length of his cage
Snarling around houses,
Ignoring visitors.
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
He hears the last voice Stares at the brilliant
Terrorising the village.
stars.

1.2 Find the words that describe the two places and arrange them in two columns.
Ans:

Cage Wild

Few steps of his cage, Shadow, Long grass, Water

Locked, Concrete cell, hole, Plump deer,

Behind bars, Visitors, Houses at jungle’s edge,

Patrolling cars Village

Q 2. Notice the use of a word repeated in lines such as these

1. On pads of velvet quiet, In his quiet rage.
2. And stares with his brilliant eyes At the brilliant stars.
What do you think is the effect of this repetition?
Ans: This repetition is a poetic device used by the poet in order to present intense rage and
helplessness of the tiger. ‘Velvet quiet’ refers to the soft (velvet) pads of the tiger, which
cannot run or leap. They can only walk around the limited periphery of the cage. The use of
‘quiet rage’ symbolises the fury and ferocity that the tiger has hidden within himself as it
wants to run out into the forest and catch its prey (plump deer) somewhere near the pool in
the forest, however, the rage is suppressed (quiet) as he is locked in the cage and is helpless.
The repetition of ‘quiet’ has, thus, brought a beauty to the poem. Similarly, the use of
‘brilliant’ for the tiger’s eyes and the stars also adds meaning to the poem. The tiger stares at
the brilliant stars with his brilliant eyes dreaming about how beautiful his life could be in the
forest. The repetition thus, gives a wonderful effect to the poem.
Q3. Imagine yourself to be a Tiger, recently brought to the Zoo, write a page in your diary
stating how your life was earlier and what changes have occurred since you have been
brought and confined here in the zoo. (100-120 words)
Ans. Students to attempt the answer on their own.

Use of Poetic Devices

1. Rhythme Scheme– abcb

2. Personification: In the poem the poet refers the tiger by the word “he” which is used for
humans. So, the tiger has been personified as a human with emotions who can
understand.
3. Metonymy: Metonymy is the substitution of the name of an attribute for that of the
thing meant. In the poem, the poet calls body of the tiger as its strength (Stanza 4).
4. Metaphor: The poet compares the condition of tiger in the cage and in the forest. He
tells how tiger feels in the cage and how it would have been feeling if it were free.
5. Alliteration: It is the the occurrence of the same letter or sound at the beginning of
adjacent or closely connected words. e.g. “should be lurking in shadow”, “where plump
deer pass”, “in a concrete cell”.
6. Symbolism: it is the use of symbolic images and indirect suggestion to express mystical
ideas. In the poet the poet describes eyes of the tiger and stars in the sky as brilliant. The
eyes are bright either because of rage or because of its majestic look. On the other hand,
the stars are brilliant because they twinkle in the sky.

Art Integrated Project: On the basis of your reading of the poem, prepare a Poster
highlighting the importance of Conservation of forest and Wildlife.