MRS. PACKLETIDE’S TIGER

Summary of the Chapter

Mrs Packletide was an English lady who was overcome with a strong desire to shoot a tiger. Basically she was not adventurous or brave but she was smitten with jealousy when her friend, Loona Bimberton, had recently been carried in an aeroplane by an Algerian pilot. MrsPackletide wanted to outshine her and longed to prove that she was no less. Her ultimate desire was to obtain a tiger-skin and display it on the wall of her house. If she succeeded in killing a tiger, her photograph would appear in the press and she would host a party in Curzon Street in Loona Bimberton’s honour, but the talk would be of her hunting expedition. She also planned to present a tiger- claw brooch on Loona’s next birthday. All her motives were largely dominated by her dislike of Loona.

Circumstances proved to be favourable. An old and weak tiger was visiting a neighbouring village in search of food. Mrs Packletide offered to pay one thousand rupees to anyone who would help her in shooting a tiger. The villagers got very tempted as one thousand rupees was a lot of money in those days. They made all the efforts to confine the tiger within the village. Children were posted day and night on the outskirts of the local jungle to drive the tiger back to the village. Cheaper kind of goats were scattered here and there, to keep the tiger there. Mothers were told not to sing lullabys to their children loudly, lest the tiger’s sleep should be disturbed. The only anxiety was lest the tiger should die of old age before the day of hunting.

On the fateful night, Mrs Packletide came along with a paid companion Miss Mebbin. A platform had already been constructed in a comfortable and conveniently placed tree by the villagers. Both the ladies sat on the platform. A goat with a loud bleat was tied at proper distance from the tiger. Meanwhile the tiger appeared on the scene and slowly walked towards the goat. Mrs Packletide fired a shot with her rifle. The tiger fell down to one side. The excited villagers celebrated by beating drums and singing. Mrs Packletide was also too happy.

Miss Mebbin was very clever and alert. She drew Mrs Packletide’s attention to the fact that the bullet had actually hit the goat and the tiger had died due to heart attack, caused by the loud report of the rifle. Miss Mebbin pointed out that the tiger bore no wound. Mrs Packletide was disappointed but she consoled herself with the thought that she possessed the tiger-skin. The villagers agreed to keep the secret for they were happy to receive the money. Mrs. Packletide wasn’t insecure about Miss Mebbin forshe was a paid companion.

Mrs Packletide’s picture appeared in two weeklies. Loona refused to attend the lunch-party but coldly accepted the tiger-claw brooch. Miss Mebbin was very money-minded and cunning. She thought of exploiting this weak point of Mrs Packletide. She blackmailed Mrs Packletide by saying what would happen if Loona learnt that Mrs Packletide had shot the goat and not the tiger. Shrewd and clever, Miss Mebbin hinted that she wanted money to buy a weekend cottage near Dorking. To keep her mouth shut, Mrs Packletide was forced to pay for that cottage. Miss Mebbin named the cottage, “The Wild Beasts.” Since then Mrs Packletide never indulged in big game shooting. She confided to her friends that “incidental expenses were too heavy for such kind of hunting”.

(a) Why did Mrs. Packletide wish to kill a tiger?

Mrs. Packletide was jealous of her rival, Loona Bimberton, who had recently travelled 11 kilometres in an airplane operated by an Algerian aviator. In order to outclass her, Mrs. Packletide decided to hunt a tiger and gain media coverage through her pictures.

 (b) What made her decide to give a party in Loona Bimberton's honour? What did she intend to give Loona on her birthday?

Mrs.Packletide decided that once she shot a tiger, she would invite Loona Bimberton for a luncheon party. At the party she would display the newly-acquired tiger skin. The party would be an appropriate time to show off the tiger skin and talk about her tiger-shooting experience to Loona Bimberton. She intended to give a tiger-claw brooch to Loona Bimberton on her birthday.

(c) How was the tiger shooting arranged? What kind of a tiger was chosen for the purpose?

The tiger shooting was arranged in a  neigbouring village. The villagers had seen an old tiger who used to hunt domestic animals on the outskirts of the local jungle. A platform or Machaan was built in a comfortable and  conveniently placed tree for Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion Miss Louisa Mebbin. A noisy goat was tethered at the correct distance to attract the tiger.
The tiger chosen for this purpose was weak, diseased tiger who could not hunt wild animals due to old age.

(d) In what way did the villagers help Mrs. Packletide shoot the tiger?

The villagers made many arrangements for the hunting game. Children were posted night and day on the outskirts so that the tiger would not leave his domain. Goats were left in the forest in order to satisfy the animal. Women took care not to make noise while passing by, so that the tiger would not be disturbed. Last but not the least, the villagers offered supMiss  Mebbin was a paid companion. Mrs. Packletide had acquired her so that she could witness the shooting of the tiger. She was very materialistic. She didn't want to do more than what she was paid for. In fact she also instigated Mrs. Packletide not to pay for the goat if the tiger did not eat it. She was not at all devoted to Mrs. Packletide. She was there only for the money.

(f) Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.

Mrs. Packletide was daring and bold enough to go for hunting a tiger which was old and weak. She was not a good shot at all. Inspite of all the arrangements, she was not able to shoot the old tiger who was walking slowly. Instead, she shot the goat as she had missed her aim.

(g) What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs Packletide had fired the shot?
Why did Miss Mebbin make this comment? How did Mrs Packletide react to this comment? 

Miss Mebbin commented that the bullet had shot the goat not the tiger. The tiger had died due to heart failure caused by the sound of firing accelerated by senile decay.
She made this comment to take advantage of the fact that the tiger was not killed by Mrs. Packletide. In fact, she wanted to exploit the situation. Mrs. Packletide was annoyed at the discovery.

(h) How did the villagers react to the tiger's death?

The villagers were anxious for their thousand rupees. They did not pay any heed to Miss Mebbin’s revelation that Mrs. Packletide had not killed a tiger but a goat. They readily believed that Mrs. Packletide had shot the beast lest they lose their money.

(i) Do you think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire? Give reasons for your answer.

Yes, I think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire of killing a tiger and to show off that she was the possessor of a dead tiger. She wanted her photographs to be published in the newspapers. Her desire was accomplished positively. She was able to outdo Loona Bimberton and she sent her a gift of a tiger-claw brooch.

(j) How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she plant so many tiger lilies in her garden?

Louisa Mebbin blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her the weekend cottage or else she would have told Loona Bimberton that it was not the tiger but a mere goat that Mrs. Packletide had shot. The tiger lilies would always remind of how she had procured the cottage.

port and assistance at night of hunt. A platform had been constructed on a comfortable and convenient place on a tree for Mrs. Packletide and her paid companion. They remained there throughout the night.

(e) Who was Miss Mebbin? Was she really devoted to Mrs. Packletide? How did she behave during the tiger shooting?

Miss  Mebbin was a paid companion. Mrs. Packletide had acquired her so that she could witness the shooting of the tiger. She was very materialistic. She didn't want to do more than what she was paid for. In fact she also instigated Mrs. Packletide not to pay for the goat if the tiger did not eat it. She was not at all devoted to Mrs. Packletide. She was there only for the money.

(f) Mrs. Packletide was a good shot. Discuss.

Mrs. Packletide was daring and bold enough to go for hunting a tiger which was old and weak. She was not a good shot at all. Inspite of all the arrangements, she was not able to shoot the old tiger who was walking slowly. Instead, she shot the goat as she had missed her aim.

(g) What comment did Miss Mebbin make after Mrs Packletide had fired the shot?
Why did Miss Mebbin make this comment? How did Mrs Packletide react to this comment? 

Miss Mebbin commented that the bullet had shot the goat not the tiger. The tiger had died due to heart failure caused by the sound of firing accelerated by senile decay.
She made this comment to take advantage of the fact that the tiger was not killed by Mrs. Packletide. In fact, she wanted to exploit the situation. Mrs. Packletide was annoyed at the discovery.

(h) How did the villagers react to the tiger's death?

The villagers were anxious for their thousand rupees. They did not pay any heed to Miss Mebbin’s revelation that Mrs. Packletide had not killed a tiger but a goat. They readily believed that Mrs. Packletide had shot the beast lest they lose their money.

(i) Do you think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire? Give reasons for your answer.

Yes, I think Mrs. Packletide was able to achieve her heart's desire of killing a tiger and to show off that she was the possessor of a dead tiger. She wanted her photographs to be published in the newspapers. Her desire was accomplished positively. She was able to outdo Loona Bimberton and she sent her a gift of a tiger-claw brooch.

(j) How did Miss Mebbin manage to get her week-end cottage? Why did she plant so many tiger lilies in her garden?

Louisa Mebbin blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her the weekend cottage or else she would have told Loona Bimberton that it was not the tiger but a mere goat that Mrs. Packletide had shot. The tiger lilies would always remind of how she had procured the cottage.

(k) "The incidental expenses are so heavy," she confides to inquiring friends. Who is the speaker? What is she referring to here?

Mrs. Packletide is the speaker. The lines are said in response to questions regarding why she did not hunt anymore. Mrs. Packletide  is referrering to the expenses that she incurred when she hunted for the first time, she paid the villagers, she paid Louisa Mebbin and even had to buy her a cottage.

Page No: 17

5. Discuss the following questions in detail and write the answers in your notebooks:

(a) Do you think the tiger shooting organized by the villagers was a serious affair? Give reasons for your answer.

Answer
The tiger shooting organised by the villagers was not a serious affair at all. They knew it was an old senile tiger. It could not run or escape due to its weakness. So, it would be easy to kill it instantaneously. They posted their children to keep the tiger in the outskirts of the jungle so that it might not roam away to fresh hunting grounds. They left cheap goats to keep him satisfied with the present quarters lest he should die of old age before the appointed lady. In this way, they provided the favourable opportunity of shooting a tiger without over-much risk.

(b) Do you think the writer is trying to make fun of the main characters in the story i.e. Mrs. Packletide, Miss Mebbin and Loona Bimberton? Pick out instances from the story that point to this fact.

Yes, the writer is trying to make fun of the main characters in the story. Mrs. Packletide wanted to kill a tiger because of her jealousy and a desire to outshine Loona. Loona was a lady of boastful nature. She also grew jealous when she saw Mrs. Packletide's photo in the newspaper. She refused to attend the lunch party arranged in her honour by Mrs. Packletide. Miss Mebbin was very manipulative, shrewd and materialistic lady. She adopted a protective elder-sister attitude towards money. Moreover, the shooting of an old and weak tiger, who has lost his strength and ferociousness is also very humourous. Its death due to heart failure instead of a bullet arouses laughter.

(c) A person who is vain is full of self importance and can only think of himself/herself and can go to great lengths to prove his/her superiority. Do you think Mrs Packletide is vain? Give reasons in support of your answer.

The story begins with Mrs. Packletide’s obsession to procure a tiger skin so that she can show it off to Loona Bimberton. To obtain the tiger skin Mrs.Packletide goes to extreme lengths; she offers a thousand rupees to the villagers to shoot a tiger without much risk or exertion. She acquires a paid companion, Louisa Mebbin, a witness to her extraordinary feat. She makes sure her pictures appear in international newspapers. Finally, she buys a weekend cottage for Louisa Mebbin to prevent her from telling anybody that it was not the tiger but a goat she had shot because the tiger merely died of a heart attack. All this proves that Mrs. Packletide was a vain woman.

(d) Sometimes writers highlight certain negative aspects in society or human beings by making fun of it. This is called satire. In your groups discuss whether you would classify this story as a satire. Give reasons to support your answer

The story is excellent example of satire. The writer, Saki, has satirized the jealousy and vanity of the women. They want to to show off their self importance and think of themselves only. To prove their superiority, they can go to any length. The author not only makes fun of the situation but also of the characters. Mrs. Packeltide’s actions were largely directed by dislike of Loona Bimberton. The motive behind tiger hunt was to show off to her. Loona Bimberton did not look at Mrs. Packletide’s pictures in the newspapers. Her letter of thanks for the tiger-claw brooch was a model of repressed emotions. She declined to attend the luncheon party because she wouldn't be able to see people praising Mrs. Packletide. Both Louisa Mebbin and the villagers are only concerned about their remuneration. Louisa Mebbin even blackmailed Mrs. Packletide into buying her a cottage. The villagers happily believed that Mrs. Packletide had shot the tiger and not the goat lest they lose their fee. The whole situation of the tiger hunt is also laced with satire. An old tiger who had given up hunting was chosen for the purpose. The tiger dies of a heart-failure than a gun shot. The author paints a picture of a society that is essentially governed by wealth and mutual dislike for each other.

(e) How does the writer create humor in this story?

The author makes fun of each character and situation. The characters of Loona Bimberton, Mrs. Packletide, Louisa Mebbin and the villagers are all ridiculed for their peculiar character traits.The tiger hunt is mocked , an old, infirm tiger is chosen for the hunt making it the least dangerous expedition. The power of money is so strong that the villagers agree that it was not a goat but a tiger that was shot. Louisa Mebbin agrees to keep this a secret in return of money. Thus the author creates humour in the story by highlighting the negative aspects in society or human beings.