A Tiger in the Zoo-CBQA

 

A Tiger in the Zoo

Competency-based questions & Answers

1. It is said that an animal’s eyes have the power to speak a great language. Explain with reference to the tiger.

The tiger’s eyes in the poem “A Tiger in the Zoo” express emotions more deeply than words. When the poet says the tiger has “bright, fire eyes,” it shows his anger, helplessness, and longing to be free. His eyes speak of his lost strength, his stolen freedom, and his silent protest against the bars of the cage. Instead of roaring, his eyes reveal the suffering he cannot express. They speak a “great language” of pain, as if telling us that he belongs in the wild, stalking “in the long grass” and “plunging at the water hole,” not pacing inside a cramped cage. His eyes remind us of his natural power, now reduced to sadness. Thus, the tiger’s eyes become a voice for the voiceless.

 2. How does the poem point to the cruelty of animals in captivity?

The poem highlights cruelty by showing how the tiger is trapped in a small “concrete cell” where he can only “stalk” back and forth on soft velvet pads. The poet shows that his strength is wasted because he cannot hunt, roam, or defend his territory as he is meant to do. Instead of being feared by humans in the wild, he is only looked at by visitors who stare at him without understanding his pain. The sound of “patrolling cars” reminds us of how closely he is monitored, like a prisoner. Captivity has taken away his freedom and natural behaviour. The poet contrasts this with how the tiger should be “lurking in shadow,” hiding in tall grass, or threatening villages, showing how unnatural his enclosed life is. This contrast reveals the cruelty of keeping such a majestic creature locked up.

 3. The poet celebrates the strength of the tiger in this poem. Counter the statement.

Rather than celebrating the tiger’s strength, the poem actually shows how that strength has been suppressed. The tiger is described as moving in “quiet rage,” which means his powerful anger cannot be expressed. His “claws” and “fangs” are of no use because he cannot hunt. The poet contrasts what he *should* be doing—like “snarling around houses” and stalking deer in the wild—with what he *actually* does: pacing in a cage. This contrast emphasises his loss of power instead of celebrating it. The poem focuses on what the tiger has been denied, not on what he possesses. His strength becomes symbolic of his suffering, not his glory. Thus, the poem mourns the fading of his natural power rather than glorifying it.

4. Do you think the tiger in the poem had lost its natural instinct due to captivity? Support your response with evidence from the poem.

Yes, the tiger seems to have lost much of his natural instinct because captivity has forced him into an unnatural life. In the wild, he would “lurk in the long grass,” hunt deer, and roar fearlessly. But inside the zoo he only “stalks in his vivid stripes,” repeating the same movement because he has no space to act or behave naturally. He does not attack or growl at the visitors; instead, he looks at them with “quiet rage,” showing that even his aggression is silent. The poem shows that he now reacts more like a frustrated prisoner than a wild hunter. Hearing “patrolling cars” makes him feel helpless rather than powerful. All these details show that the tiger’s natural instincts have weakened due to confinement.

5. What do you think the tiger would say to you, as a visitor?

Please stop staring. You have no idea how painful it is to live behind these bars. I am not here for your entertainment; I once roamed freely in the deep forest, hiding in the long grass and hunting my prey with pride. Now I only pace on this hard floor, repeating the same steps like a hopeless creature. My strength, my roar, and my freedom have all been taken away. If you truly care, speak for my freedom instead of watching my suffering. Remember, I was born to rule the jungle, not to be a prisoner in your concrete cage.

 6.Imagine the tiger writes a diary entry conveying how he feels helpless, angry and frustrated in the concrete cell. He writes about his desire to be free. Write that diary entry.

 15 October 20XX,

Thursday, 9:00 pm

 Dear Diary,

I feel so vulnerable and annoyed at my state. I don’t know if I can ever be a free denizen of the forest again. Every day I pace this small concrete cell, moving back and forth because there is nothing else to do. My bright stripes mean nothing here, and my strength has no purpose. I hear the patrolling cars and feel like a prisoner watched constantly. I miss the long grass, the cool water hole, and the thrill of chasing my prey. How I wish I could run, leap, and roar freely without these cold bars stopping me. My heart aches for the forest. I only hope that one day I will escape this life and return to where I truly belong.

Good night, dear Diary

Tiger

 7. Imagine that Man has been accused by the tiger of cruelty in an animal court. What would be the tiger’s two major accusations and how would Man defend them? Present your answer in two paragraphs.

The tiger would accuse Man of cruelty for snatching his freedom and locking him in a cramped cage. He would also accuse Man of destroying forests, leaving animals with no homes. He would argue that he was meant to hunt, explore, and live freely, not pace inside a concrete enclosure for entertainment.

Man would defend himself by saying that zoos help protect endangered species and save them from hunters and habitat loss. He might argue that animals receive food, medical care, and protection in captivity. He would say that humans are trying to conserve wildlife and teach people about the importance of animals. Though the tiger’s pain is real, Man believes his intentions are to help, not harm.

 8. The tiger in the poem ‘A Tiger in the Zoo’ presents a contrasting image with the tiger in the poem ‘How to Tell Wild Animals’. Compare and contrast the two tigers with reference to the manner in which they have been presented in both poems

In “A Tiger in the Zoo,” the tiger is shown as helpless, trapped, and silently angry. He moves inside a “concrete cell,” and his natural power has been suppressed. He is passive and unable to attack or hunt. The poem focuses on his suffering and loss of freedom.

In contrast, the tiger in “How to Tell Wild Animals” is fierce, wild, and dangerous. He leaps at people, “eats them,” and behaves as a true king of the jungle. He is presented with admiration and humour, showing his strength and natural instincts. Thus, one poem shows a caged tiger robbed of freedom, while the other shows a powerful tiger living fearlessly in the wild.