A tiger in the zoo poem presentation

A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris

1. A Tiger in the Zoo
By Leslie Norris

2. About the Poet-Leslie Norris
George Leslie Norris-Obituary is 21 May 1921-6 April 2006
A Welsh Poet and short story writer, especially of the post-war period. He has
also published translations, biographies and reviews.
He was a teacher and became a Principal, and later became a lecturer.
His first poem was published in 1938 and in 1943 his first book of poems was
published.
His collection of works are:
 Finding Gold
 The Loud Winder
 Holy Places
 A Tiger in the Zoo

3. Introduction-About the poem
This poem brings a contrast between the life of a tiger in the zoo and the
life of a tiger in the natural habitat of a forest where he not only
wanders in the forest without any restriction but also strikes terror
among the people of the villages located near the edge of the forest.
Through this the poet is trying to convey the idea that wild animals must
be left free to enjoy in their natural surrounding. He feels that an animal
which is enslaved and caged is deprived of its freedom. He also feels that
the animals survive better in natural habitats than in the confines of the
zoo. Therefore, Man must let them lead a natural life in a natural
environment.

4. Stanza 1
He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet quiet,
In his quiet rage.

5. Pointers-Stanza 1
Stalks-here it is verb –walk
Vivid-bright coloured
Pads-paws of the tiger
Rage-anger
In the first stanza the poet portrays the tiger which is actually gigantic with its
bright coloured stripes that is been confined to the cage of the zoo. Its
movement is restricted because the cage is cramped. The small space of the
cage restricts his movement and allows him to take only a few steps. As he has a
velvety pad on his legs his movements are noiseless. But he is filled with anger as
he is not in his natural habitat. He remains silent and does not roar or cry.
The poet is also trying to imply that the tiger is not making any noise as his
emotions and basic temperament to roar and make noise is suppressed.

6. Literary Devices in Stanza 1
Rhyme Scheme-abcb-(cage-rage)
Personification-Here the poet personifies the tiger and calls it as ‘He’
Metaphor-The tiger’s paws are compared to velvet
Alliteration-If the same sound occurs at the beginning of the adjacent or
closely connected words in the same sentence, then it is Alliteration.
‘stalks in his vivid stripes’
Repetition-often a single word or phrase or line or sometimes the whole
stanza is repeated to create a musical effect or to emphasis a point.
‘velvet quiet’
‘ quietrage’

7. Literary Device-Stanza 1
Oxymoron-is a figure of speech where two contradictory words or ideas are
put together.
‘quiet rage’-here ‘quiet’ and ‘rage’ are contradictory as rage is loud
and not quiet.
Transferred Epithet-is a poetic in which an adjective is used not with the
noun which it normally qualifies but with some other noun.
Example-Quiet rage
Here, it is not the rage that is quiet but the tiger. Therefore, ‘quiet’ is
transferred epithet.

8. Stanza 2
He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.

9. Pointers-Stanza 2
Lurking-to be hidden and waiting for the prey
In the second stanza the poet pities the tiger and says that if
the tiger is free he would be hiding among the long grass
near the water hole and would be ready to hunt its prey-the
plump deer when it comes to have its water. He feels pity
for the tiger that its not able to do so. It’s a wild animal and
it should be allowed to fetch its own food but it is not able
to do so while in the zoo.

10. Literary Devices –stanza 2
Rhyme scheme is abcb
Enjambment-The line continues to the next line
without punctuation mark
Alliteration-‘plump deer pass’-4
th
line

11. Stanza 3
He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s
edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorisingthe village!

12. Pointers-stanza 3
Snarling: warning sounds made by animals
Baring: uncovered
Fangs: Sharp tooth of animals
In this stanza the poet continues to explain about the natural
habitat and the actual natural behaviourof the tiger. He says that
it should actually be hunting around the houses that are near the
edge of the forest making noise and terrorizing and scaring the
villagers with its sharp tooth and claws. But, instead it is deprived
of its rights and is caged in the zoo.

13. Literary Device-Stanza 3
Rhyme Scheme-abcb
Enjambment-Line continues to the next without
punctuation (line 1 and 2)
Onomatopoeia: using words which denote sound (snarling)

14. Stanza 4
But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.

15. Pointers-Stanza 4
Concrete: building made of bricks, cement, sand and
water
Here in this stanza the poet stops imagining about the life of
the tiger in the forest and comes to the reality where the
tiger is confined to the cages of the zoo. He calls the cage as
a small cell made of concrete. He says that all the strength
of the tiger is suppressed and he is forced to live behind the
bars unable to frighten and assault people.

16. Literary Devices-Stanza 4
Rhyme Scheme-abcb
Personification: The tiger is personified because
the poet refers him as ‘he’.
Alliteration: use of sound ‘b’ at the start of two
words (behind bars)

17. Stanza 5
He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.

18. Pointers-Stanza 5
Patrolling: to guard
Patrolling cars are vehicles of police that guard at the night or in
highway. The poet says that the tiger can hear the last voice of the
zoo keepers locking the zoo and the noise of the patrolling cars that
the zoo authorities use to keep watch of the surroundings. The noise
of these patrolling vehicles represents the civilized world which
stands in sharp contrast to the sounds of the forest. So, the poet says
that the tiger keeps staring at the beautiful, shinning stars of the
night with its shinning eyes. The stars are the only remaining part of
the nature that he remembers from the forest.

19. Literary Device-Stanza 5
Rhyme Scheme-abcb
Enjambment-line continues to the next without any punctuation (line
3 and 4)
Repetition-Figure of speech where a single word or phrase, line and
sometimes a whole stanza is repeated to create a musical effect to
emphasize a point. Here, it is ‘brillianteyes’ and ‘brilliantstars’. The
word ‘brilliant’ is repeated.