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The poem describes a tiger that is locked in a zoo. The tiger, which is a wild and powerful animal, moves slowly in its cage. It is unable to express its natural strength and freedom because it is trapped behind bars. The poet highlights the contrast between the tiger's graceful, majestic nature and the sadness of being confined in a small, artificial space. The tiger seems to feel helpless and frustrated as it is prevented from hunting in the jungle, which is its true home.
The poet uses the zoo setting to emphasize the cruelty of captivity. The tiger's beautiful appearance, with its strong muscles and shiny coat, is now wasted in a place where it cannot run freely or live as it should. The tiger's anger and pain are felt through the description of its movements in the cage, and the poet wishes for the animal to be free in the wild where it can live as it was meant to.
In this poem, Leslie Norris touches upon the idea of freedom and how captivity can affect the spirit of wild animals. A Tiger in the Zoo class 10 notes, worksheets, experiential learning activities, CBSE and Kendriya Vidhyalaya question bank, and other support materials are curated by experienced SMEs in an easy-to-understand language.
A Tiger in the Zoo class 10 notes will provide a summary and topic-wise details to help students understand what the story is about. Below, we have provided the links to downloadable PDFs of chapter-wise Notes for class 10 English and that too for different categories of marks.
Below, we have provided the links to downloadable PDFs of Experiential Learning Activity for class 10 English to help students implement their acquired knowledge in the real world.
Below, we have provided the links to downloadable PDFs of class 10 Mind Maps English and that too for different categories of marks.
Below, we have provided Class 10 English Question Banks that cover every typology question with detailed explanations from various resources in one place
The poem "A Tiger in the Zoo" by Leslie Norris explores the theme of captivity and freedom. The poet contrasts the majestic and wild nature of a tiger with its current condition of being trapped in a zoo. The poem asks why a creature like the tiger, who is supposed to roam free in the jungle, should be confined to a cage.
Here’s the reason behind the poem:
To Highlight the Tragedy of Captivity: The poet is asking "why" the tiger is caged, which points to the unjust and unnatural confinement of a wild animal. It’s meant to make us question the morality of keeping wild animals in zoos.
To Show the Difference Between Natural and Artificial Environments: The poem shows how the tiger’s beauty and strength are wasted in captivity. In the jungle, it is a fierce and free creature, but in the zoo, it becomes a sad and helpless figure. The “why” in the poem suggests the unnaturalness of this situation.
To Raise Awareness: The poet may be encouraging readers to reflect on the importance of allowing animals to live in their natural habitats. By describing the tiger’s frustration, Norris suggests that captivity is a form of suffering for wild animals.
In short, the poem uses the tiger's captivity to ask a deeper question: why should such a magnificent animal be deprived of its freedom? It’s a call for awareness about the ethics of animal captivity.
Theme of "A Tiger in the Zoo":
The primary theme of the poem "A Tiger in the Zoo" by Leslie Norris is the contrast between freedom and captivity, highlighting the impact of confinement on a wild creature. The poem explores how a tiger, which is naturally a powerful and free animal, is reduced to a mere shadow of itself when placed in a zoo. The theme emphasizes the loss of the tiger's dignity and grace in captivity. It also touches on the loss of natural habitat, where animals are forced to live in unnatural, confined spaces that stifle their instincts and natural behaviour. The poet's message is a critique of the cruelty of keeping wild animals in captivity for human entertainment.
Literary Devices/Tools Used:
Imagery: The poet uses vivid imagery to create a clear picture of the tiger's physical and emotional state.
"His strength behind bars" — This evokes the image of a tiger’s power being held back by the cage.
"His quiet rage" — This gives us a sense of the tiger’s frustration and anger, even though it doesn’t roar.
Personification: The poet gives human-like qualities to the tiger, such as feelings and emotions.
"He should be lurking in shadow" — This personifies the tiger as if it has desires and preferences like a human.
Contrast: The poem contrasts the natural, free life of a tiger in the wild with the artificial, confined life in the zoo.
The tiger is described as a majestic, powerful creature, but in the zoo, it is reduced to being a "sluggish" figure, unable to demonstrate its instincts.
Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds creates a rhythm in the poem.
"His strength behind bars" — The repetition of the 's' sound gives the line a hissing effect, adding to the image of the tiger’s restrained power.
Metaphor: A comparison between two things without using "like" or "as."
"The tiger’s roar" is described as being "like a mere whisper" due to the cage, symbolizing how the tiger’s power is muted.
Symbolism: The zoo represents the oppressive society and the loss of natural freedom, while the tiger symbolizes wildness and nature. The cage is symbolic of confinement and restriction.
Through these literary tools, Leslie Norris conveys a powerful message about the nature of captivity and the suffering of wild animals.
Theme of "A Tiger in the Zoo":
The primary theme of the poem "A Tiger in the Zoo" by Leslie Norris is the contrast between freedom and captivity, highlighting the impact of confinement on a wild creature. The poem explores how a tiger, which is naturally a powerful and free animal, is reduced to a mere shadow of itself when placed in a zoo. The theme emphasizes the loss of the tiger's dignity and grace in captivity. It also touches on the loss of natural habitat, where animals are forced to live in unnatural, confined spaces that stifle their instincts and natural behaviour. The poet's message is a critique of the cruelty of keeping wild animals in captivity for human entertainment.
Literary Devices/Tools Used:
Imagery: The poet uses vivid imagery to create a clear picture of the tiger's physical and emotional state.
"His strength behind bars" — This evokes the image of a tiger’s power being held back by the cage.
"His quiet rage" — This gives us a sense of the tiger’s frustration and anger, even though it doesn’t roar.
Personification: The poet gives human-like qualities to the tiger, such as feelings and emotions.
"He should be lurking in shadow" — This personifies the tiger as if it has desires and preferences like a human.
Contrast: The poem contrasts the natural, free life of a tiger in the wild with the artificial, confined life in the zoo.
The tiger is described as a majestic, powerful creature, but in the zoo, it is reduced to being a "sluggish" figure, unable to demonstrate its instincts.
Alliteration: The repetition of consonant sounds creates a rhythm in the poem.
"His strength behind bars" — The repetition of the 's' sound gives the line a hissing effect, adding to the image of the tiger’s restrained power.
Metaphor: A comparison between two things without using "like" or "as."
"The tiger’s roar" is described as being "like a mere whisper" due to the cage, symbolizing how the tiger’s power is muted.
Symbolism: The zoo represents the oppressive society and the loss of natural freedom, while the tiger symbolizes wildness and nature. The cage is symbolic of confinement and restriction.
Through these literary tools, Leslie Norris conveys a powerful message about the nature of captivity and the suffering of wild animals.
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