CBSE Class 10 English A Tiger in the Zoo Summary: CBSE Class 10 English exam is coming soon, and A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris is an important poem from the First Flight textbook (Chapter 2). The poem highlights the contrast between a tiger’s natural freedom in the jungle and its confinement in a zoo, showing how captivity suppresses its strength and instincts. Understanding this poem is essential for the CBSE Class 10 English exam, as questions may appear in extract-based, short-answer, or long-answer formats. Summary of the poem A Tiger in the Zoo, part of the CBSE syllabus, delivers a strong message on wildlife conservation, urging us to protect animals in their natural habitats rather than imprisoning them for human entertainment. ty.
A Tiger in the Zoo- About the Poet
George Leslie Norris was a renowned Welsh poet and short story writer, widely regarded as one of the most important Welsh literary figures of the post-war period. His works earned several prestigious awards and are known for their sensitivity and social awareness.
In A Tiger in the Zoo, Norris portrays the pain, helplessness, and silent suffering of a tiger trapped in a cage. Through the poem, he contrasts the tiger’s confined life with the freedom it would enjoy in the wild. The poet strongly highlights how humans cage animals for entertainment, drawing attention to the cruelty of captivity and the loss of natural freedom.
A Tiger in the Zoo Summary Class 10
A Tiger in the Zoo Summary Class 10 explains the contrast between a tiger’s natural life in the jungle and its miserable existence in a zoo cage. The poem highlights the cruelty of captivity and urges readers to respect the freedom and dignity of wild animals.
Stanza 1: The Caged Tiger
“He stalks in his vivid stripes
The few steps of his cage,
On pads of velvet, quiet,
In his quiet rage.”
The poem opens with the image of a tiger pacing back and forth inside a cage. The poet describes the tiger’s physical appearance, emphasizing its “vivid stripes” that make it look striking. However, the tiger is not in its natural habitat; it is confined to a small cage where it can take only a few steps. The tiger moves silently on its velvet-like paws, but there is a hidden anger within him. This suppressed rage symbolizes the loss of freedom and the frustration of being imprisoned.
Stanza 2: The Tiger in the Wild
“He should be lurking in shadow,
Sliding through long grass
Near the water hole
Where plump deer pass.”
Here, the poet describes how the tiger’s life would have been if he were in the jungle. The tiger is a wild hunter, and in its natural habitat, it would be lurking in the shadows and moving silently through tall grass. The tiger would be near a waterhole, waiting for prey, such as deer, to arrive. This stanza highlights the contrast between freedom and captivity, showing how the tiger's instincts are suppressed in the zoo.
Stanza 3: The Tiger’s Power in the Wild
“He should be snarling around houses
At the jungle’s edge,
Baring his white fangs, his claws,
Terrorising the village!”
In this stanza, the poet further imagines how the tiger would roam near villages if he were free. He would snarl and show his sharp teeth and claws, causing fear among the villagers. This stanza conveys that tigers are powerful and meant to be in the wild. It also hints at human encroachment on forests, which forces wild animals to enter human settlements in search of food.
Stanza 4: The Harsh Reality of Captivity
“But he’s locked in a concrete cell,
His strength behind bars,
Stalking the length of his cage,
Ignoring visitors.”
The poet shifts back to the tiger’s current situation in the zoo. He is locked in a concrete cell, and his great strength is of no use behind iron bars. Even though he is strong, he has nowhere to go and nothing to hunt. The tiger repeatedly walks the same length of his cage, symbolizing the monotony of his life in captivity. He is disinterested in the visitors, showing that he has accepted his fate.
Stanza 5: The Tiger’s Nighttime Thoughts
“He hears the last voice at night,
The patrolling cars,
And stares with his brilliant eyes
At the brilliant stars.”
At night, when the zoo is quiet, the tiger can hear the sounds of patrolling cars. These sounds remind him that he is constantly watched and guarded. Instead of hunting under the open sky, he stares at the stars with longing. The brilliant stars symbolize freedom and the natural world, which the tiger can see but never reach. This stanza expresses the tiger’s sadness and helplessness, making the reader feel pity for him.
Themes of the Poem
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Freedom vs. Captivity
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The poem highlights the stark difference between a tiger’s free life in the jungle and its confined life in the zoo.
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In the wild, the tiger is strong and powerful, but in the zoo, he is helpless and suppressed.
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Loss of Natural Instincts
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The tiger in the zoo cannot hunt, run, or express himself as he would in the jungle.
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His instincts are wasted behind bars.
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Human Interference in Nature
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The poem criticizes how humans have confined wild animals for their entertainment.
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It also suggests that deforestation and the destruction of habitats force animals into unnatural environments.
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Helplessness and Frustration
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The tiger’s quiet rage and longing for freedom depict how captivity takes away an animal’s identity and spirit.
Poetic Devices in A Tiger in the Zoo
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Personification – Giving human qualities to animals or objects.
Example: The poet refers to the tiger as “he” instead of “it,” making the tiger seem human-like. -
Metaphor – Comparing two unlike things to enhance meaning.
Example: The tiger’s paws are compared to velvet, highlighting their softness. -
Enjambment – Continuing a sentence or phrase across lines without pause.
Example: Sentences flow seamlessly from one line to the next, creating continuity. -
Imagery – Using descriptive language to create visual pictures in the reader’s mind.
Example: The poet vividly describes the tiger’s stripes and stalking movements. -
Assonance – Repetition of vowel sounds in nearby words.
Example: The long “i” sound in “He stalks in his vivid stripes” and “In his quiet rage.” -
Consonance – Repetition of consonant sounds in close proximity.
Example: The “s” sound in “stalks in his vivid stripes” emphasizes the tiger’s movement. -
Oxymoron – Combining contradictory words for poetic effect.
Example: “Quiet” and “rage” are used together to describe the tiger’s controlled anger. -
Synecdoche – Using a part to represent the whole.
Example: “Vivid stripes” represents the tiger’s entire body.
Message of the Poem
Leslie Norris delivers a strong message about animal conservation and the cruelty of keeping wild animals in captivity. The poem urges readers to think about the suffering of animals in zoos and the importance of preserving their natural habitats.
The Tiger in the Zoo Summary PDF
A Tiger in the Zoo by Leslie Norris is an important poem included in the CBSE Class 10 English syllabus under the First Flight textbook. The poem vividly contrasts the freedom of a tiger in the wild with its helplessness in captivity.
Through powerful imagery, the poet describes the tiger’s restricted movements in a small cage, where it paces in frustration, unable to express its true strength. Students can download The Tiger in the Zoo Summary from the link below to enhance their understanding and revision.
The Tiger in the Zoo Summary PDF
A Tiger in the Zoo: Last-Minute Preparation Tips
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Focus on the contrast between jungle and zoo to explain freedom vs. captivity.
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Remember key symbols: cage (restriction), stars (freedom), vivid stripes (strength).
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Note the poetic devices used: personification, imagery, metaphor, enjambment.
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Link the tiger’s frustration and “quiet rage” to the central theme of loss of natural instincts.
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Revise important lines for extract-based questions.
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Avoid writing irrelevant details about other poems; stay focused on the poem’s message and moral.
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Use concise points in short-answer questions to save time.
| Class 10 English First Flight Poem Summary Chapter-Wise Links |
| Dust of Snow - Robert Frost |
| A Tiger in the Zoo - Leslie Norris |
| How to Tell Wild Animals - Carolyn Wells |
| The Ball Poem - John Berryman |
| Amanda! - Robin Klein |
| The Trees - Adrienne Rich |
| Fog - Carl Sandburg |
| The Tale of Custard the Dragon - Ogden Nash |
| For Anne Gregory - W.B. Yeats |