🐯 Poem: A Tiger in the Zoo

Poet: Leslie Norris

Textbook: First Flight (Class 10 CBSE English)

📘 Chapter Summary:

The poem contrasts the majestic tiger's natural life in the wild with its miserable existence in a
zoo cage. The poet imagines the tiger roaming freely in its natural habitat — stalking prey and
roaming in the jungle — but reality shows him pacing restlessly in a small concrete cell. The
poet criticizes human cruelty that limits the tiger's freedom and beauty, highlighting the
unnaturalness of captivity for wild animals.
🎭 Tone:

• Sympathetic – towards the tiger’s suffering.

• Reflective – makes the reader think about captivity and freedom.
• Critical – of the practice of imprisoning animals in zoos.

🎯 Themes:

1. Freedom vs Captivity – The tiger’s natural life vs its caged existence.

2. Powerlessness – Even a powerful animal like a tiger is helpless in captivity.
3. Human Cruelty – Human tendency to dominate and control nature.
4. Loss of Identity – The tiger is stripped of its natural instincts and dignity.

✍️ Literary Devices:
Device Example Explanation

“He stalks in his vivid

Personification The tiger is given human traits.
stripes”

Alliteration “Plump deer pass” Repetition of the 'p' sound.

“Stalking the length of his Creates a mental image of the tiger’s

Imagery
cage” movement.

Sentences continue without punctuation at

Enjambment Throughout the poem
the end of lines.

Contrast Free tiger vs. caged tiger Highlights theme of captivity.

“Locked in a concrete Implies being trapped emotionally and

Metaphor
cell” physically.
👤 Character Sketch of the Tiger:

The tiger in the poem is majestic and powerful by nature, meant to roam freely in the forest.
However, in captivity, he becomes a symbol of suppressed power and lost dignity. He is quiet,
frustrated, and helpless, pacing in a small cage. The tiger silently resents his condition, aware of
what he has lost. Despite being fierce by nature, he shows no aggression due to his restricted
condition, evoking sympathy.

📚 Genre:

• Modern Poetry
• Didactic Poem (intended to teach a moral lesson about animal rights and freedom)
• Symbolic and Contrast-based

📌 Question-Answer Section

🧩 1. Extract-based Question (3 marks)

Read the extract and answer the questions that follow:

“He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.”

(i) Who is ‘he’?

→ ‘He’ refers to the tiger.

(ii) What is meant by ‘quiet rage’?

→ ‘Quiet rage’ means silent anger and frustration the tiger feels in captivity.

(iii) Explain the poetic device used in “pads of velvet quiet.”

→ It is an example of imagery and metaphor, describing the soft steps of the tiger.

(iv) What do “vivid stripes” signify?

→ “Vivid stripes” refer to the tiger’s bright and striking natural fur pattern, symbolizing his
majestic and wild nature.
(v) What is the mood reflected in the extract?

→ The mood is one of suppressed anger and sadness. It reflects the tiger’s frustration and quiet
suffering due to his unnatural confinement.

✏️ 2. Short Answer Questions (40–50 words each) (3 marks each

1. What message does the poet convey through the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo”?
→ The poet conveys that confining wild animals like tigers is cruel and unjust. He emphasizes
that a tiger’s dignity, power, and natural behavior are lost in captivity, and that animals deserve
to live freely in their natural habitats, not behind bars for human amusement.

2. Describe the tiger’s movements in the cage.

→ The tiger walks slowly and quietly inside his cage, taking soft steps in a small circle. His
movements reflect silent anger, frustration, and helplessness. The cage restricts his natural
behaviour, making him restless and disconnected from the wild world where he truly belongs.

3. What does the tiger do in the wild as per the poet’s imagination?
→ In the wild, the tiger would stalk prey through long grass, crouch near water holes, and hunt
deer. He would roam freely and fearlessly, displaying his strength and natural instincts. The poet
imagines the tiger as a powerful creature living with pride in the forest.

4. How does the poet contrast the tiger in the zoo with the tiger in the forest?
→ The poet shows that the zoo tiger is confined, helpless, and angry, pacing in a limited space.
In contrast, the forest tiger is free, powerful, and majestic. This contrast highlights the cruelty of
taking wild animals out of their natural environment for human display.

5. What kind of environment is described in the zoo?

→ The zoo is described as a lifeless, artificial space with concrete walls and limited movement.
The tiger is locked in a narrow cage, far from nature. This environment is suffocating and
depressing, robbing the tiger of his freedom and making him feel powerless and frustrated.
6. Explain the use of irony in the poem.
→ The irony lies in the fact that the tiger, a symbol of power and fear, is shown as helpless and
caged. Although naturally fierce and wild, he is forced to live in silence and confinement. This
contrast exposes the harsh reality of animal captivity.

7. Why does the tiger ignore the visitors?

→ The tiger ignores the visitors because he is emotionally detached and frustrated. Their
presence means nothing to him, as they merely watch without understanding his pain. He
remains lost in thoughts of the jungle, where he once lived freely and proudly before being
caged.

8. What does the poem tell us about the attitude of people toward animals?
→ The poem criticizes how people treat animals as objects of entertainment, confining them in
unnatural surroundings. It reflects human indifference and lack of empathy toward wild
creatures, showing that we often disregard their right to live freely in their natural homes.

9. How does the tiger behave at night in the zoo?

→ At night, the tiger hears the noise of patrolling cars but remains motionless in silent anger. He
is disturbed and unable to sleep, haunted by his lost freedom. The stillness of night intensifies his
frustration and longing for the jungle, where he once roamed free.

10. What role does imagery play in the poem?

→ Imagery vividly contrasts the tiger’s life in the wild with his captivity in the zoo. It helps
readers visualize the lush jungle versus the barren cage, stirring empathy and highlighting the
theme of lost freedom. The strong visuals reinforce the poem’s emotional and moral impact.

📝 3. Long Answer Questions (100–120 words) (6 marks)

1. Describe the contrasting images of the tiger in the forest and in the zoo as presented in
the poem.
→ In the poem, the poet presents two sharply contrasting images of the tiger. In the forest, the
tiger is majestic, free, and powerful. He moves through tall grass, hunts prey near water holes,
and roams his territory with pride. He is a vital part of the wild ecosystem. In contrast, the zoo
presents a sorrowful picture—he is locked in a small concrete cell, pacing restlessly in frustration
and silent rage. His strength is suppressed, and he is reduced to a mere display for visitors.
Through this contrast, the poet highlights the tragedy of captivity and urges readers to reflect on
the cruelty of caging wild animals who deserve freedom and dignity.

2. How does the poet use literary devices to highlight the plight of the caged tiger?
→ The poet skillfully uses literary devices to depict the tiger’s suffering in captivity.
Personification is evident in the phrase “quiet rage,” showing the tiger's bottled-up anger.
Imagery such as “pads of velvet quiet” and “stalking the few steps of his cage” creates vivid
visual and sensory effects, evoking sympathy. The stark contrast between the wild and the zoo
emphasizes the loss of natural freedom. Alliteration in “plump deer pass” adds musicality, and
enjambment enhances the poem’s flow, showing continuity of thought. These devices work
together to make the reader feel the tiger’s pain and question the ethics of confining such a
majestic creature.

3. What feelings does the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo” evoke in the reader?
→ The poem evokes a deep sense of sympathy, sadness, and moral reflection in the reader.
The image of a majestic tiger trapped in a small cage and pacing in frustration triggers pity and
concern. His “quiet rage” and suppressed instincts highlight the cruelty of captivity. The contrast
between his free life in the jungle and the confined zoo life evokes guilt and makes readers
question human interference in the natural world. The poem raises important issues about animal
rights, the ethics of zoos, and the need for compassion toward wild creatures. It inspires a sense
of responsibility to protect wildlife and preserve their freedom.

4. What is the significance of the title “A Tiger in the Zoo”?

→ The title “A Tiger in the Zoo” is simple yet powerful, directly pointing to the poem’s central
theme: the captivity of a majestic wild animal. By specifying the location—the zoo—the poet
draws attention to the unnatural and restricted life forced upon a creature meant to roam free.
The title sets the tone for the reader, focusing not on a tiger in the wild but on one trapped behind
bars, evoking a sense of sympathy and injustice. It emphasizes the loss of freedom, the
suppression of natural instincts, and human cruelty. Thus, the title effectively encapsulates the
essence of the poem and its powerful message.

5. Explain how the poet’s choice of words reinforces the tiger’s helplessness.
→ The poet uses carefully chosen words to emphasize the tiger’s physical and emotional
helplessness. Terms like “locked,” “concrete cell,” and “few steps of his cage” suggest extreme
confinement and lack of space. Phrases like “quiet rage” and “pads of velvet quiet” reveal the
inner frustration and suppressed strength of the tiger. The use of soft, silent imagery conveys
how his natural instincts are muted in captivity. The word “rage” hints at his bottled-up anger
that finds no outlet. These expressions collectively reflect the tragedy of lost freedom and
underline the emotional and psychological toll captivity takes on such a noble creature.