Poem 3: A Tiger in the Zoo
Poet: Leslie Norris
📝 Poem Summary
This poem contrasts a tiger in the zoo with the tiger in its natural habitat. The poet describes the tiger's helplessness and rage inside a small cage, and then imagines how majestic and free he would be in the jungle. The poem highlights the cruelty of keeping wild animals in captivity.
⚡ Part 1: Extra Practice Questions
Q1: "He stalks in his vivid stripes / The few steps of his cage." What emotion is the tiger feeling?
Ans: The tiger is feeling "quiet rage". He is angry because of his confinement but is helpless to do anything about it, so he walks silently.
Q2: Why does the poet say the tiger should be "lurking in shadow"?
Ans: The poet imagines the tiger in the wild, where he naturally hides in long grass near water holes to ambush prey (like plump deer). This highlights the instinct that is suppressed in the zoo.
Q3: How does the tiger react to the visitors?
Ans: The tiger ignores the visitors. He considers them intruders who are merely staring at him. His silence is a sign of his pride and his unhappiness with his captivity.
Q4: What is the last voice the tiger hears at night?
Ans: The last voice he hears is the noise of the patrolling cars of the zoo authorities who watch over the animals at night.
Q5: Contrast the life of the tiger in the zoo with his life in the natural habitat.
Ans: In the zoo, the tiger is confined to a concrete cell, his strength is limited behind bars, and he is dependent on humans for food. He is angry and restless.
In the natural habitat, he is free. He slides through long grass, hunts deer near water holes, and terrorizes the village with his roar. He is the king of the jungle, independent and majestic.
Q6: "His strength behind bars." Explain the irony in this line.
Ans: The irony is that the tiger is one of the strongest and most powerful beasts in nature, yet in the zoo, that immense strength is useless because he is locked "behind bars."
Q7: Why does the tiger stare at the "brilliant stars"?
Ans: Staring at the stars is the tiger's only connection to nature and freedom. The stars are far away and unreachable, much like his freedom. It reflects his longing and hope.
Q8: What poetic device is used in the phrase "velvet quiet"?
Ans: The device is Metaphor. The tiger's soft paws are compared to velvet cloth to describe how silently he walks.
Q9: Why is the tiger "snarling around houses" in the poet's imagination?
Ans: In the wild, the tiger would patrol the edge of the jungle (near the village) to mark his territory and warn humans not to enter the forest, displaying his dominance.
Q10: What message does Leslie Norris wish to convey?
Ans: Norris conveys that wild animals belong in the wild. Keeping them in small cages for human entertainment is cruel and strips them of their dignity and natural instincts.
📚 Part 2: NCERT Textbook Questions
Q1: 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.
| In the Cage | In the Wild |
|---|---|
| Stalks | Lurking in shadow |
| Few steps of his cage | Sliding through long grass |
| Quiet rage | Snarling around houses |
| Locked in concrete cell | Baring his white fangs |
| Staring at stars | Terrorising the village |
(ii) Find the words that describe the two places and arrange them in two columns.
| Cage (Zoo) | Wild (Jungle) |
|---|---|
| Concrete cell | Shadow |
| Bars | Long grass |
| Locked | Water hole |
| Visitors | Plump deer |
| Patrolling cars | Houses at jungle's edge |
Q2: 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?
Ans: The repetition emphasizes specific qualities:
'Quiet': Emphasizes the silence of his movement (paws) contrasted with the suppressed, intense anger (rage) in his mind.
'Brilliant': Contrasts the tiger's fierce, shining eyes (his spirit) with the shining stars (nature/freedom), showing a connection between the two.
📖 Part 3: Word Meanings
Below are the important words from the poem and their meanings.
| Word | Meaning in Context |
|---|---|
| Vivid | Bright and clear (referring to the stripes). |
| Stalks | To walk in a stiff, angry, or proud manner. |
| Lurking | Waiting secretly or hiding (to attack prey). |
| Snarling | Making an angry, warning sound (growling). |
| Fangs | Long, sharp teeth of an animal. |
| Concrete | A building material made of cement (symbolizes hardness/prison). |
| Patrolling | To keep watch over an area by walking or driving around it. |