This poem contrasts a tiger in the zoo with the tiger in its natural habitat. The poem moves from the zoo to the jungle, and back again to the zoo. Read the poem silently once, and say which stanzas speak about the tiger in the zoo, and which ones speak about the tiger in the jungle.

He stalks in his vivid stripes

The few steps of his cage,

On pads of velvet quiet,

In his quiet rage.

He should be lurking in shadow,

Sliding through long grass

Near the water hole Where plump deer pass.

He should be snarling around houses

At the jungle’s edge,

Baring his white fangs, his claws,

Terrorising the village!

But he’s locked in a concrete cell,

His strength behind bars,

Stalking the length of his cage,

Ignoring visitors.

He hears the last voice at night,

The patrolling cars,

And stares with his brilliant eyes

At the brilliant stars.

LESLIE NORRIS

LESLIE NORRIS

Welsh poet and short story author George Leslie Norris (21 May 1921 – 6 April 2006) won awards for his work. He was a professor at universities in both Britain and the US, notably Brigham Young University. Norris is regarded as one of the most significant Welsh authors of the post-war era, and his literary works have garnered several awards.

George Leslie Norris was born in Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales, on May 21, 1921. parents, George and Mary Jane Norris. Eric and Gordon, Leslie's younger brothers, After the First World War, his father, George, became a milkman. Welsh Leslie was raised during the Great Depression. Reading and athletics were his childhood hobbies. 1926–1931: Georgetown Primary School Cyfarthfa Castle Grammar School followed. Norris played football and boxing in school. Leslie began listening to Dylan Thomas and Vernon Watkins at age 12 and decided to become a poet. He wrote his first poem at the age of seventeen in 1938. Due to financial concerns, Norris dropped out of school that year. He became a Merthyr Town Hall rate clerk.

He joined the Royal Air Force during WWII at age nineteen. Pilot training began in May 1940. He was dismissed in June 1941 when steel ropes caused blood poisoning. Next year, cancer killed his father. Norris resumed town hall duties. He refereed football for the Merthyr Referees Society.In July 1948, Leslie married Catherine (Kitty) Morgan. Norris told intimate acquaintances that the couple had one child who died in infancy, although she publicly denied it. Norris married Kitty, a chemist. Leslie entered the City of Coventry Teacher Training College shortly after their marriage.

"A Tiger in the Zoo" by Leslie Norris presents a poignant contrast between a tiger confined in a zoo and one roaming freely in its natural habitat. The poem moves between these two settings, highlighting the stark differences in the tiger's life.

Stanzas about the Tiger in the Zoo:

1. First Stanza:

   • "He stalks in his vivid stripes / The few steps of his cage, / On pads of velvet quiet, / In his quiet rage."

     • This stanza describes the tiger pacing within the limited space of his cage, expressing his suppressed anger through his silent movements.

2. Fourth Stanza:

   • "But he’s locked in a concrete cell, / His strength behind bars, / Stalking the length of his cage, / Ignoring visitors."

     • Here, the poem highlights the confinement of the tiger in a concrete cell, emphasizing his captivity and the loss of his natural strength and freedom.

3. Fifth Stanza:

   • "He hears the last voice at night, / The patrolling cars, / And stares with his brilliant eyes / At the brilliant stars."

     • This stanza illustrates the tiger's night-time experience in the zoo, where he hears the sounds of patrolling cars and gazes at the stars, possibly yearning for the freedom he once had.

Stanzas about the Tiger in the Jungle:

1. Second Stanza:

   • "He should be lurking in shadow, / Sliding through long grass / Near the water hole / Where plump deer pass."

     • This stanza imagines the tiger in his natural habitat, stealthily moving through the grass near a water hole, hunting deer.

2. Third Stanza:

   • "He should be snarling around houses / At the jungle’s edge, / Baring his white fangs, his claws, / Terrorising the village!"

     • Here, the poem envisions the tiger at the edge of the jungle, showing his wild and fearsome nature as he snarls and terrorizes the village.

Critical Summary:

Leslie Norris’s "A Tiger in the Zoo" evokes sympathy for the caged tiger by contrasting his current confined state with the freedom he would have in the wild. In the zoo, the tiger is a shadow of his true self, pacing his cage in silent fury. His natural instincts and strength are stifled by the concrete walls and iron bars. In stark contrast, the poem vividly imagines the tiger in his natural habitat, lurking in shadows, sliding through long grass, and terrorizing the edge of the village. These images of the wild tiger showcase his innate power, freedom, and predatory grace. The poem captures the tragedy of the tiger’s imprisonment, emphasizing the loss of his natural life and the inherent injustice of his captivity. The juxtaposition between the two settings underlines the tiger’s plight and evokes a powerful emotional response, highlighting the importance of freedom and the cruelty of confinement.

1. 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.

(ii) Find the words that describe the two places, and arrange them in two columns.

Now try to share ideas about how the poet uses words and images to contrast the two situations.

Answers:

Tiger in the Cage (Zoo) | Tiger in the Wild (Jungle)

Stalks | Lurking

Vivid stripes | Sliding

Quiet rage | Snarling

Pads of velvet quiet | Baring fangs and claws

Locked in a concrete cell | Terrifying the village

Strength behind bars | Roaming freely

Pacing along the cage | Prowling

Ignoring visitors | Near the water hole

Hears the last voice at night | Stares with brilliant eyes

(ii) Words describing the two places:

Tiger in the Cage (Zoo) | Tiger in the Wild (Jungle)

Concrete cell | Long grass

Pads of velvet quiet | Water hole

Locked | Jungle's edge

Cage | Village

Ignoring visitors | Freedom within the wilderness

Patrolling cars | Brilliant stars

Please take into consideration that the poem served as the primary source for the information used to compile the list of terms. While some descriptions may be symbolic or allegorical, others are intended to be taken more literally. When people work together in pairs or groups, they may get a better grasp of the ideas and contrasts in the poetry.

2. 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?

Answer:

In the lines that are provided, the use of the words "quiet" and "brilliant" more than once helps to emphasise particular aspects or features of the tiger and the environment in which it is found.

In the first illustration, the use of the word "quiet" more than once draws attention to the inconsistent character of the tiger's actions. It walks on "pads of velvet quiet" inside its cage, which hints at a calm and under-control demeanour on its part. On the other hand, it is also said to have a "quiet rage," which draws attention to the fact that it is holding back anger and irritation as a result of being imprisoned. This repetition heightens the contrast between the tiger's apparent demeanour, which is one of tranquilly, and the feelings that lie beneath its surface.

In the second illustration, the word "brilliant" is used many times to emphasise the tiger's strong ability to observe its surroundings as well as the beauty of those surroundings. It is said that the tiger has "brilliant eyes" and that it gazes up at the "brilliant stars," connecting its focused gaze to the dazzling splendour of the night sky. This reiteration draws attention to the tiger's link with the natural environment and evokes feelings of awe and wonder in the reader.

Overall, the recurrence of these phrases adds emphasis and enriches the picture, which enables the reader to dive further into the contrasting feelings and experiences of the tiger in both the limited enclosure and the untamed habitat that it inhabits.

The tiger wants freedom, even in jail. It listens to the night, the distant echoes of patrolling automobiles, and gazes wistfully at the stars, symbolising its desire for the huge forest and infinite sky.

Leslie Norris vividly describes confinement and a tiger's restrained impulses. Consider the difficult balance between human attraction and the unquenchable need for freedom.

"A Tiger in the Zoo" encourages thought on the value of preservation, independence, and animal-environment harmony.

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Extra Questions:

1. What is the title of the poem?

2. Who is the author of the poem?

3. What does the poem contrast?

4. What is the tiger doing in the cage?

5. How does the poem describe the tiger's movements in the jungle?

6. What is the tiger expected to do around the village?

7. Where is the tiger locked?

8. What does the tiger hear at night in the zoo?

9. What does the tiger stare at with its brilliant eyes?

10. What themes does the poem explore?

Answers:

1. The title of the poem is "A Tiger in the Zoo."

2. The author of the poem is Leslie Norris.

3. The poem contrasts a tiger in the zoo with a tiger in its natural habitat.

4. In the cage, the tiger stalks and paces along its confined space.

5. In the jungle, the tiger is described as lurking in shadows, sliding through long grass, and being near a water hole where prey animals pass by.

6. The tiger is expected to snarl around houses at the jungle's edge and terrorize the village.

7. The tiger is locked in a concrete cell.

8. In the zoo, the tiger hears the last voice at night and the sounds of patrolling cars.

9. The tiger stares with its brilliant eyes at the brilliant stars.

10. The poem explores themes of captivity, freedom, longing, and the contrast between the natural and artificial environments for wild animals.

VALUE BASED QUESTIONS

Questions:

1. Why is it important to preserve the natural habitat of animals like tigers?

2. What values are compromised when animals are confined to cages in zoos?

3. How can we promote a greater sense of empathy and compassion towards animals in captivity?

4. What ethical considerations should be taken into account when keeping wild animals in zoos?

5. How can we balance our fascination with observing animals in zoos while ensuring their well-being and freedom?

Answers:

1. It is important to preserve the natural habitat of animals like tigers to maintain biodiversity and ecological balance. By doing so, we uphold the value of respecting and protecting the natural world and its diverse species.

2. Confining animals to cages in zoos compromises values such as freedom, autonomy, and natural behaviour. Animals have a right to live in their natural environments, and depriving them of this freedom can raise ethical concerns.

3. We can promote empathy and compassion towards animals in captivity by educating ourselves and others about their natural behaviours, needs, and the impact of confinement on their well-being. Encouraging initiatives like enrichment programs and naturalistic habitats in zoos can also help foster empathy.

4. When keeping wild animals in zoos, ethical considerations should include ensuring the animals' physical and psychological well-being, providing sufficient space and enrichment, and promoting conservation efforts. It is crucial to prioritize the animal's welfare above entertainment or commercial interests.

5. Balancing our fascination with observing animals in zoos and their well-being requires establishing standards for animal care and promoting conservation efforts. We should support zoos that prioritize education, conservation, and sustainable practices. Additionally, encouraging initiatives like habitat preservation and responsible wildlife tourism can offer opportunities to observe animals in their natural environments while promoting their freedom and well-being.